FRÉDRÉRIC CHOPIN : Complete Nocturnes (Jan Lisiecki) 2CD (2021) FLAC (image+.cue) lossless

 Pianist Jan Lisiecki, 26 years old when this recording was released in 2021, was dubbed the Doogie Howser of the piano by the New York Times, and the moniker is apt not only for his youthful appearance but for his wealth of experience. In the music of Chopin, with which he began to make a splash in Poland as early as age 14, he's positively a veteran, and it shows in this traversal of the composer's Nocturnes. Lisiecki does not propose any interpretive breakthroughs for these pieces; his tempos are moderate, perhaps on the slow side, and he is expressively self-effacing rather than dramatic, with the focus squarely on the melody. It may take multiple hearings to appreciate his accomplishment here, but those who devote the time will find exceptionally smooth Chopin readings in which every detail has been considered and practiced well. This is not to say that Lisiecki's Chopin is mechanical. The quasi-improvisatory element is there and is elegantly realized, but the pianist tends to defer it until later in the piece, after the quiet nocturnal atmosphere has been established. The Berlin Meistersaal is an ideal sound environment for Chopin in general, and here, it contributes a truly magical touch. The next generation of Chopin interpretation is in good hands. James Manheim
Tracklist & Credits :

LIADOV • MEDTNER • SCRIABIN • PROKOFIEV • BORODIN • DEBUSSY • GOLTZ • GLAZUNOV • LISZT • CHOPIN - Recordings : 1937-1953 (Vladimir Sofronitsky) (2007) 2CD / APE (image+.cue), lossless

CD1
Anatoly Liadov
1    Prélude in B Minor Op. 11 No. 1 (14. 6.1949)
2    Music Box Op. 32 (14.6.1949)
3    Waltz in E Major Op. 57 No. 3 (15.7.1949)

Nikolai Medtner
4    Fairy Tale Op. 20 No. 2 (2.7.1947)

Alexander Scriabin
5-6    2 Préludes Op. 27 (28.3.1938)

Fryderyk Chopin
7    Mazurka Op. 41 No. 2 (1937-1941)
8    Waltz Op. 70 No. 1 (5.1941)
9    Etude Op. 10 No. 4 (16.6.1937)

Franz Liszt
10     Concert Etude S145 "Gnomenreigen" (25.6.1937)

Boris Goltz
11    Prélude in E Minor (17.11.1938)
12    Scherzo in E Minor (17.11.1938)

Alexander Borodin
13    Petite Suite (Au couvent, Intermezzo, Mazurka I, Mazurka II Rêverie, Sérénade, Nocturne (12.7.1950)

Dmitri Kabalevsky  
14-16    Sonatina in C Major Op. 13 No. 1 (1953)

Sergei Prokofiev
17-20    Four Taies of a Grandmother Op. 31 (2.12.1946)
21    Vision fugitive Op. 22 No. 7 (1953)
22    Sarcasm Op. 22 No. 7 (1953)

CD2
Prokofiev
1-6    6 Pièces for Piano from Op. 12 (1953)

Anatoly Liadov
7-11    Six Preludes

Alexander Glazunov
12    Prelude In D Flat Major Op 49 No 1
13    Prelude & Fugue In A Minor Op 101 No 1

Claude Debussy
14    Prélude: Livre II "Feuilles Mortes"
15    Prélude: Livre II "Canope"
16    Children's Corner: "Serenade Of The Doll"

Alexander Scriabin
17    Piano Sonata No 3 Op 23

Piano – Vladimir Sofronitsky

MAURIZIO POLLINI — Maurizio Pollini Edition (2002) 13CD | APE (image+.cue), lossless

Celebrating his 60th birthday (5 January 2002) and a 30-year artistic
collaboration with Deutsche Grammophon, the Maurizio Pollini Edition presents a wide-ranging series of DG exclusive artist's classic recordings, personally selected and approved by the Maestro himself.

The Edition comprises 12 single CDs, plus a sensational bonus CD. Almost all the compilations are new, and cover all aspects of Pollini's recording career. There are three CDs of Classical and Romantic concertos, 5 CDs are devoted to the masters of Romantic solo music, and 4 CDs given over to modern repertoire, a central component of Pollini's artistic credo.

What is on the bonus CD? There are two concerto recordings released for the first time internationally. The first is Chopin's First Piano Concerto, taped live at the final concert of the 1960 International Chopin Competition in Warsaw in 1960, where Pollini was the sensational winner at the age of 18. The second is the Schumann Piano Concerto, recorded live at the Salzburg Festival in 1974 with the Vienna Philharmonic under Herbert von Karajan.

CD 1: Mozart :
Piano Concerto No.23 / Beethoven: Piano Concerto No.5 "Emperor"
Maurizio Pollini, Wiener Philharmoniker, Karl Bohm

CD 2:
Beethoven: Piano Concertos Nos.3 & 4
Maurizio Pollini, Berliner Philharmoniker, Claudio Abbado

CD 3: Schumann:
Piano Concerto Op.54 / Brahms: Piano Concerto No.1
Maurizio Pollini, Berliner Philharmoniker, Claudio Abbado

CD 4: Beethoven :
Piano Sonatas Op.27 No.1 & 2, Op.31 No.2 & Op.53

CD 5: Beethoven :
Piano Sonatas Op.106 "Hammerklavier" & Op.111

CD 6: Schubert :
Sonata in A major D959; Allegretto in C minor D915; 3 Klavierstucke

CD 7: Chopin :
12 Etudes Op.25; Sonata in B flat minor Op.35; Berceuse in D flat, Op.57

CD 8: Schumann :
Fantasy in C; Arabesque / Liszt: Sonata in B minor; La lugubre gondola

CD 9: Debussy :
12 Etudes / Boulez: Sonata No.2
Maurizio Pollini

CD 10: Stravinsky :
3 Dances from Petrushka / Bartok: Piano Concertos Nos.1 & 2
Maurizio Pollini, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Claudio Abbado

CD 11: Schoenberg :
Piano Works / Webern: Variations Op.27
Maurizio Pollini, Berliner Philharmoniker, Claudio Abbado

CD 12: Nono: Como una ola de fuerza y luz; ....Sofferte onde serene....for piano
and magnetic tape / Manzoni: Masse: Omaggio a Edgar Varese
Slavka Taskova, Maurizio Pollini, Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks,
Claudio Abbado

CD 13: Chopin :
Piano Concerto No.1 in E minor, Op.11 / Schumann: Piano Concerto in A minor, Op.54
Maurizio Pollini, Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra, Jerzy Katlewicz
Maurizio Pollini, Wiener Philharmoniker, Herbert von Karajan

CLARA HASKIL - Philips Recordings 1951-1960 Concertos & Sonatas (Beethoven, Chopin, Falla, Ravel, Scarlatti, Mozart, Schubert, Schumann) (2007) 7CD / APE (image+.cue), lossless

Romanian pianist Clara Haskil began her career as a child prodigy at the Bucharest Conservatory under Richard Robert at age 7, making her debut at the age of 10. Haskil ultimately graduated from Alfred Cortot's class at the Paris Conservatoire at 15 with the Prémier Prix to her credit. By the age of 18, however, Haskil was forced to endure the first of many physical setbacks that would hold back her career, in this case an attack of meningitis that kept her in a body cast for four years. Haskil did recover, making her New York debut in 1924 and her London debut in 1926. Although it was late in her career that her name was inextricably linked with the Mozart piano concerti, at this stage Haskil was associated with Romantic literature. Her performances of the Schumann concerto in Philadelphia with Leopold Stokowski were widely praised.

With the outbreak of war, Haskil was trapped in occupied Paris, but was able to escape to Marseilles. There she survived a surreptitious surgical procedure to remove a tumor from her optic nerve, and was then smuggled to Vevey, Switzerland, where Haskil settled for the rest of her days. With war's end she resumed her career yet again, and thereafter enjoyed her greatest successes with a busy concert and recording schedule that took her around the world. Despite her amazing stamina, she proved unable to survive a fall she suffered in a Paris railway station in 1960, and died one month short of her 66th birthday.

With Haskil, musicianship came first and technical matters were irrelevant; she had enormous hands and could play a 12th in her left hand with a fingering of 2-5. Haskil reputedly had an amazing memory, and could accurately play back a piece of music she'd heard only once, even after the passage of several years, without ever having seen the score. The Clara Haskil Prize, awarded once every two years in Vevey, Switzerland, was established in 1962 as a memorial to the pianist. by Uncle Dave Lewis
Tracklist :
CD 1    Domenico Scarlatti (1685 - 1757) Sonata In E Flat Major K.193 - Sonata In B Minor, K.87 - Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756 - 1791) Nine Variations In D, K.573 On A Minuet By J.P. Duport - Piano Sonata No.10 In C Major, K.330 - Maurice Ravel (1875 - 1937) Sonatine, M. 40 For Piano - Robert Schumann (1810 - 1856) Bunte Blätter, Op.99 -
CD 2    Robert Schumann (1810 - 1856) Kinderszenen, Op. 15 - Waldszenen, Op.82 - Ludwig van Beethoven (1770 - 1827) Piano Sonata No. 17 In D Minor, Op. 31 No. 2 "The Tempest" - Piano Sonata No. 18 In E Flat Major, Op. 31, No. 3 -"The Hunt"
CD 3    Franz Schubert (1797 - 1828) Piano Sonata No. 21 In B-Flat Major, D. 960 - Ludwig van Beethoven (1770 - 1827) Piano Sonata No. 17 In D Minor, Op. 31 No. 2 "The Tempest" - Piano Sonata No. 18 In E Flat Major, Op. 31, No. 3 -"The Hunt"
CD 4    Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756 - 1791) Piano Concerto No. 9 In E Flat Major, K.271 - "Jeunehomme" - Piano Concerto No. 20 In D Minor, K. 466
CD 5    Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756 - 1791) Piano Concerto No. 20 In D Minor, K. 466 - Piano Concerto No.24 In C Minor, K.491 - Ludwig van Beethoven (1770 - 1827) Piano Concerto No. 3 In C Minor, Op. 37
CD 6    Ludwig van Beethoven (1770 - 1827) Piano Concerto No. 3 In C Minor, Op. 37 - Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756 - 1791) Piano Concerto No. 23 In A Major, K.488 - Robert Schumann (1810 - 1856) Piano Concerto In A Minor, Op. 54
CD 7    Manuel de Falla Matheu (1876 - 1946) Noches En Los Jardines de España - Frédéric Chopin (1810 - 1849) Piano Concerto No.2 In F Minor, Op.21

ARTHUR RUBINSTEIN - The Chopin Recordings (2010) 5xCD BOX-SET / MONO / RM / FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

Even though RCA's outstanding recordings from the 1960s of Arthur Rubinstein playing Chopin are the most recommended versions for their exquisite interpretations and superior sound quality, some still turn to his recordings from the 1920s and '30s, which in many cases have the edge for passion and physical strength. Yet it is only fair to point out the limitations of this box set from EMI, which presents the concertos, nocturnes, waltzes, mazurkas, and polonaises in clean, digitally remastered audio, but has a closed-in, boxy quality that some listeners will find difficult to tolerate. Fortunately, these vintage recordings of Rubinstein performing at the peak of his powers have little distracting surface noise, and anyone who has had experience with historical recordings will find them quite attractive for the preservation of the piano's natural luster and for the lack of distortion. Once one accepts the compressed sound as a necessary condition, it's easy to see why Rubinstein's admirers champion these legendary performances, for his expressions are mature but still fresh and energetic, and his brilliance and bravado come across clearly, despite the age of the recordings. This set will be best appreciated by fans and specialists in the repertoire, but others will derive some benefits by giving it a fair hearing. by Blair Sanderson  

All Tracks & Credits

JACQUES LOUSSIER - Solo Piano : Impressions on Chopin's Nocturnes (2004) Mp3

Jacques Loussier has made a career out of playing classical themes in a jazz setting. Born in France in 1934, he came to fame in the late 1950s with his Play Bach Trio, a group that stayed together 20 years, transforming the themes of Bach into creative and melodic jazz. Since then he has put together another trio in which he interprets not just the music of Bach but Beethoven, Debussy, Ravel, Satie and other classical giants. This set (which is subtitled Impressions on Chopin's Nocturnes) is a bit of a departure in that Loussier performs Frédéric Chopin's 21 nocturnes as unaccompanied piano solos. Nocturne No. 2 in E-Flat Major, Op, 9., No. 2 is the most famous of these melodies although a few of the other nocturnes may be familiar even to non-classical listeners. Generally Loussier states the right-hand melody while altering the patterns written for the left-hand, and then builds from there. The essence of Chopin's music is retained while Loussier is free to improvise his own ideas based on the themes. Most of his interpretations are gentle and subtle while never neglecting the rich melodies, and the treatments are at times slightly reminiscent of early film music and ragtime. Classical purists may not love this approach but they should be thankful, for Jacques Loussier has consistently introduced the beauty of classical music to jazz listeners. This is a very enjoyable set. by Scott Yanow

MARTHA ARGERICH - Martha Argerich Edition : Concertos (2011) 4CD / FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

Martha Argerich Edition: Concertos is one of several box sets issued in 2011 in honor of her 70th birthday. These four discs gather ten complete concertos recorded between 1997 and 2009 for EMI. As an artist as well-known for her loyalty to particular repertoire and particular musicians, most of these works have been recorded by Argerich multiple times. Prokofiev's Concerto No. 3, one of the first concertos she ever recorded, is here in a 1997 performance with conductor Charles Dutoit, one of her best collaborators. The two recorded both Chopin concertos the following year, also included here. Others of Argerich's most frequent collaborators are found on Beethoven's Triple Concerto: Renaud Capuçon, Mischa Maisky, and Alexandre Rabinovitch. The recordings of fellow pianist Mikhail Pletnev's Fantasia elvetica and of Falla's Noches en los jardines de España come from her Lugano Festival, an annual event founded in 2002 where Argerich gathers friends -- her familiar collaborators and new, promising, young musicians -- for music-making. The collection unfortunately does not include Ravel's Concerto in G, the other concerto typically noted as one of Argerich's best interpretations. Yet, it should very well satisfy those who want to get to know Argerich's work in the concerto repertoire as a mature musician at the height of her talent. by Patsy Morita   

MARTHA ARGERICH - Martha Argerich Edition : Solos & Duos (2001) 6CD / FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

MARTHA ARGERICH - Martha Argerich Edition : Chamber Music (2011) 8CD / FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827):

Violin Sonata No.9 in A major, op.94 “Kreutzer

César Franck (1822-1890):

Violin Sonata in A major

Itzhak Perlman – violin, Martha Argerich – piano

Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827)

Piano Quartet in C major WoO36 No.3

Clarinet Trio in B flat major, op.11

Piano Trio in D major, op.70 No.1 “Ghost”

Fryderyk Chopin (1810-1849):

Intoduction and Polonaise brillante in C major, op.3

Renaud Capuçon – violin, Lida Chen – viola,
Gautier Capuçon – cello, Marek Denemark – clarinet,
Mark Drobinsky – cello, Mischa Maisky – cello, Martha Argerich – piano

Robert Schumann (1810-1856)

Violin Sonata No.1 in A minor, op.105

Violin Sonata No.2 in D minor, op.121

Fantasiestücke op.73 (version for flugelhorn and piano)

Märchenbilder, op.113

Géza Hosszu-Legocky – violin, Renaud Capuçon –
violin, Sergei Nakariakov – flugelhorn, Nobuko Imai – viola,
Martha Argerich – piano

Robert Schumann (1810-1856)

Piano Quintet in E flat major, op.44

Piano Quartet in E flat major, op.47

Andante and Variations in B flat major for two pianos, horn and two cellos, op.46

Dora Schwarzberg – violin, Renaud Capuçon – violin,
Nora Romanoff-Schwarzberg – viola, Mark Drobinsky – cello,
Lida Chen – viola, Gautier Capuçon – cello, Alexandre Rabinovitch – piano ,
Marie Luise Neunecker – horn, Natalia Gutman – cello,
Mischa Maisky – cello, Martha Argerich – piano

Joseph Haydn (1732-1809)

Piano Trio in G major, Hob.XV:25 “Gipsy Trio”

Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy (1809-1847)

Piano Trio No.1 in D minor, op.49

Robert Schumann (11810-1856)

Fantasiestücke, op.88

Claude Debussy (1862-1918)

Cello Sonata

“La plus que lente” – valse

“Minstrels” – Prélude No.12

Renaud Capuçon – violin, Gautier Capuçon – cello,
Mischa Maisky – cello, Martha Argerich – piano

César Franck (1822-1890)

Cello Sonata in A (transcription of the Violin Sonata)

Béla Bartók (1881-1945)

Violin Sonata No.1 Sz75

Contrasts Sz111 for violin, clarinet and piano

Mischa Maisky – cello, Renaud Capuçon – violin,
Chantal Juillet – violin, Michael Collins – clarinet,
Martha Argerich – piano

Dmitri Shostakovich (1906-1975)

Piano Quintet in G minor, op.57

Piano trio No.2 in E minor, op.67

Leoš Janáček (1854-1928)

Concertino for piano, two violins, viola, clarinet, horn and bassoon

Renaud Capuçon – violin, Allissa Margulis – violin, Lida Chen – viola,
Mischa Maisky – cello, Maxim Vengerov – violin, Gautier Capuçon – cello,
Lucy Hall – violin, Nora Romanoff-Schwarzberg – viola,
Corrado Giuffredi – clarinet, Zora Slokar – horn,
Vincent Godel – bassoon, Martha Argerich – piano

Robert Schumann (1810-1856)

Piano Quintet in E flat major, op.44

Violin Sonata No.2 in D minor, op.121

Fantasiestücke, op.73

Dora Schwarzberg – violin, Lucy Hall – violin, Nobuko Imai – viola,
Mischa Maisky – cello, Natalia Gutman – cello, Martha Argerich – piano

MARTHA ARGERICH - Martha Argerich Collection : Solo Works Chopin, Bach (1997) 3CD / APE (image+.cue), lossless

MARTHA ARGERICH - Martha Argerich Collection : Concertos (1997) 4CD / APE (image+.cue), lossless

FRYDERYK CHOPIN : Complete Piano Music, Vol. 1 (1992) Mp3

FRYDERYK CHOPIN : Complete Piano Music, Vol. 2 (1999) Mp3

FRYDERYK CHOPIN : Complete Piano Music, Vol. 3 (1990) Mp3

FRYDERYK CHOPIN : Complete Piano Music, Vol. 5 (1999) Mp3

FRYDERYK CHOPIN : Complete Piano Music, Vol. 6 (1991) Mp3