Notes and Editorial Reviews
Claudio Arrau's famous 1978 traversal of the Chopin Nocturnes was recorded at the Amsterdam Concertgebouw and originally released on LP in Philips' Trésors Classiques series. The performances always were highly rated, and with the possible exception of Ivan Moravec's cycle, they're still front-runners despite their near quarter-century vintage. This latest Philips 50 transfer is remarkable--fresh-sounding and transparent, with no loss of quality at either dynamic or registral extremes. The new remastering also allows you to enjoy the performances more as if you were seated centrally in the Concertgebouw's main stalls, so the bloom and resonance of the hall itself gives Arrau's outstanding playing a tangible sense of place and heightened
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atmosphere, too. The subtleties and technical refinements of Arrau's playing are both too numerous and too familiar to require specific analysis: you can sample any of the works and find ample evidence of these qualities. However, this set is now even more of a "must have" because of the useful fillers added to Disc 2. Both of these substantial works, the F sharp major Barcarolle Op. 60 and the monumental F minor Fantaisie Op. 49, receive exceptional performances. An essential purchase. [7/10/2001]
--Michael Jameson, ClassicsToday.com Read less
Works on This Recording
1.
Nocturnes (3) for Piano, B 54/Op. 9 by Frédéric Chopin
Performer:
Claudio Arrau (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1830-1831; Poland
Date of Recording: 1977-78
Venue: Concertgebouw, Amsterdam, Netherlands
Length: 17 Minutes 54 Secs.
2.
Nocturnes (3) for Piano, Op. 15 by Frédéric Chopin
Performer:
Claudio Arrau (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1830-1833
Date of Recording: 1977-78
Venue: Concertgebouw, Amsterdam, Netherlands
Length: 13 Minutes 37 Secs.
3.
Nocturnes (2) for Piano, Op. 27 by Frédéric Chopin
Performer:
Claudio Arrau (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1835; Paris, France
Date of Recording: 1977-78
Venue: Concertgebouw, Amsterdam, Netherlands
Length: 11 Minutes 45 Secs.
4.
Nocturnes (2) for Piano, B 106/Op. 32 by Frédéric Chopin
Performer:
Claudio Arrau (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1836-1837; Paris, France
Date of Recording: 1977-78
Venue: Concertgebouw, Amsterdam, Netherlands
Length: 10 Minutes 59 Secs.
5.
Nocturnes (2) for Piano, Op. 37 by Frédéric Chopin
Performer:
Claudio Arrau (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1838-1849; Paris, France
Date of Recording: 1977-78
Venue: Concertgebouw, Amsterdam, Netherlands
Length: 14 Minutes 19 Secs.
6.
Nocturnes (2) for Piano, B 142/Op. 48 by Frédéric Chopin
Performer:
Claudio Arrau (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1841; Paris, France
Date of Recording: 1977-78
Venue: Concertgebouw, Amsterdam, Netherlands
Length: 14 Minutes 14 Secs.
7.
Nocturnes (2) for Piano, B 152/Op. 55 by Frédéric Chopin
Performer:
Claudio Arrau (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1843; Paris, France
Date of Recording: 1977-78
Venue: Concertgebouw, Amsterdam, Netherlands
Length: 11 Minutes 17 Secs.
8.
Nocturnes (2) for Piano, B 161/Op. 62 by Frédéric Chopin
Performer:
Claudio Arrau (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1846; Paris, France
Date of Recording: 1977-78
Venue: Concertgebouw, Amsterdam, Netherlands
Length: 14 Minutes 55 Secs.
9.
Nocturne for Piano in E minor, B 19/Op. 72 no 1 by Frédéric Chopin
Performer:
Claudio Arrau (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1827; Poland
Date of Recording: 1977-78
Venue: Concertgebouw, Amsterdam, Netherlands
Length: 4 Minutes 12 Secs.
10.
Nocturne for Piano in C sharp minor, B 49 by Frédéric Chopin
Performer:
Claudio Arrau (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Date of Recording: 1977-78
Venue: Concertgebouw, Amsterdam, Netherlands
Length: 4 Minutes 28 Secs.
11.
Nocturne for Piano in C minor, B 108 by Frédéric Chopin
Performer:
Claudio Arrau (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1837; Paris, France
Date of Recording: 1977-78
Venue: Concertgebouw, Amsterdam, Netherlands
Length: 3 Minutes 39 Secs.
12.
Barcarolle for Piano in F sharp major, B 158/Op. 60 by Frédéric Chopin
Performer:
Claudio Arrau (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1845-1846; Paris, France
Date of Recording: 08/1980
Venue: Concertgebouw, Amsterdam, Netherlands
Length: 9 Minutes 35 Secs.
13.
Fantasie for Piano in F minor/A flat major, B 137/Op. 49 by Frédéric Chopin
Performer:
Claudio Arrau (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1841; Paris, France
Date of Recording: 04/1977
Venue: Concertgebouw, Amsterdam, Netherlands
Length: 12 Minutes 21 Secs.
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