Preludes (24) for piano, Op. 28, CT. 166-189: No. 1 in C major
Preludes (24) for piano, Op. 28, CT. 166-189: No. 2 in A minor
Preludes (24) for piano, Op. 28, CT. 166-189: No. 3 in G major
Preludes (24) for piano, Op. 28, CT. 166-189: No. 4 in E minor
Preludes (24) for piano, Op. 28, CT. 166-189: No. 5 in D major
Preludes (24) for piano, Op. 28, CT. 166-189: No. 6 in B minor
Preludes (24) for piano, Op. 28, CT. 166-189: No. 7 in A major
Preludes (24) for piano, Op. 28, CT. 166-189: No. 8 in F sharp minor
Preludes (24) for piano, Op. 28, CT. 166-189: No. 9 in E major
Preludes (24) for piano, Op. 28, CT. 166-189: No. 10 in C sharp minor
Preludes (24) for piano, Op. 28, CT. 166-189: No. 11 in B major
Preludes (24) for piano, Op. 28, CT. 166-189: No. 12 in G sharp minor
Preludes (24) for piano, Op. 28, CT. 166-189: No. 13 in F sharp minor
Preludes (24) for piano, Op. 28, CT. 166-189: No. 14 in E flat minor
Preludes (24) for piano, Op. 28, CT. 166-189: No. 15 in D flat major 'Raindrop'
Preludes (24) for piano, Op. 28, CT. 166-189: No. 16 in B flat minor
Preludes (24) for piano, Op. 28, CT. 166-189: No. 17 in A flat major
Preludes (24) for piano, Op. 28, CT. 166-189: No. 18 in F minor
Preludes (24) for piano, Op. 28, CT. 166-189: No. 19 in E flat major
Preludes (24) for piano, Op. 28, CT. 166-189: No. 20 in C minor
Preludes (24) for piano, Op. 28, CT. 166-189: No. 21 in B flat major
Preludes (24) for piano, Op. 28, CT. 166-189: No. 22 in G minor
Preludes (24) for piano, Op. 28, CT. 166-189: No. 23 in F major
Preludes (24) for piano, Op. 28, CT. 166-189: No. 24 in D minor
Prelude for piano No. 25 in C sharp minor, Op. 45, CT. 190
Prelude for piano No. 26 in A flat major ('Presto con leggerezza'), KK IVb/7, CT. 191 (B. 86)
Impromptu for piano in A flat major, Op. 29, CT. 43
Impromptu for piano in F sharp major, Op. 36, CT. 44
Impromptu for piano in G flat major, Op. 51, CT. 45
Fantasy-Impromptu for piano in C sharp minor, Op. 66, CT. 46
Track Listings (8) - Disc #2
Ballade for piano No. 1 in G minor, Op. 23, CT. 2
Ballade for piano No. 2 in F major, Op. 38, CT. 3
Ballade for piano No. 3 in A flat major, Op. 47, CT. 4
Ballade for piano No. 4 in F minor, Op. 52, CT. 5
Scherzo for piano No. 1 in B minor, Op. 20, CT. 197
Scherzo for piano No. 2 in B flat minor, Op. 31, CT. 198
Scherzo for piano No. 3 in C sharp minor, Op. 39, CT. 199
Scherzo for piano No. 4 in E major, Op. 54, CT. 200
Track Listings (12) - Disc #3
Nocturnes (3) for piano, Op. 9, CT. 108-110: No. 1 in B flat minor
Nocturnes (3) for piano, Op. 9, CT. 108-110: No. 2 in E flat major
Nocturnes (3) for piano, Op. 9, CT. 108-110: No. 3 in B major
Nocturnes (3) for piano, Op. 15, CT. 111-113: No. 1 in F major
Nocturnes (3) for piano, Op. 15, CT. 111-113: No. 2 in F sharp major
Nocturnes (3) for piano, Op. 15, CT. 111-113: No. 3 in G minor
Nocturnes (2) for piano, Op. 27, CT. 114-115: No. 1 in C sharp minor
Nocturnes (2) for piano, Op. 27, CT. 114-115: No. 2 in G minor
Nocturnes (2) for piano, Op. 32, CT. 116-117: No. 1 in B major
Nocturnes (2) for piano, Op. 32, CT. 116-117: No. 2 in A flat major
Nocturnes (2) for piano, Op. 37, CT. 118-119: No. 1 in G minor
Nocturnes (2) for piano, Op. 37, CT. 118-119: No. 2 in G major
Track Listings (9) - Disc #4
Nocturnes (2) for piano, Op. 48, CT. 120-121: No. 1 in C minor
Nocturnes (2) for piano, Op. 48, CT. 120-121: No. 2 in F sharp minor
Nocturnes (2) for piano, Op. 55, CT. 122-123: No. 1 in F minor
Nocturnes (2) for piano, Op. 55, CT. 122-123: No. 2 in E flat major
Nocturnes (2) for piano, Op. 62, CT. 124-125: No. 1 in B major
Nocturnes (2) for piano, Op. 62, CT. 124-125: No. 2 in E major
Nocturne for piano No. 19 in E minor, Op. 72/1, CT. 126
Nocturne for piano in C sharp minor (doubtful), KK Anh.Ia/6
Nocturne for piano in C minor, KK IVb/8, CT. 128 (B. 108)
Track Listings (24) - Disc #5
Etudes (12) for piano, Op. 10, CT. 14-25: No. 1 in C major
Etudes (12) for piano, Op. 10, CT. 14-25: No. 2 in A minor
Etudes (12) for piano, Op. 10, CT. 14-25: No. 3 in E major
Etudes (12) for piano, Op. 10, CT. 14-25: No. 4 in C sharp minor
Etudes (12) for piano, Op. 10, CT. 14-25: No. 5 in G flat major 'Black Key'
Etudes (12) for piano, Op. 10, CT. 14-25: No. 6 in E flat minor
Etudes (12) for piano, Op. 10, CT. 14-25: No. 7 in C major
Etudes (12) for piano, Op. 10, CT. 14-25: No. 8 in F major
Etudes (12) for piano, Op. 10, CT. 14-25: No. 9 in F minor
Etudes (12) for piano, Op. 10, CT. 14-25: No. 10 in A flat major
Etudes (12) for piano, Op. 10, CT. 14-25: No. 11 in E flat major
Etudes (12) for piano, Op. 10, CT. 14-25: No. 12 in C minor 'Revolutionary'
Etudes (12) for piano, Op. 25, CT. 26-37: No. 1 in A flat major
Etudes (12) for piano, Op. 25, CT. 26-37: No. 2 in F minor
Etudes (12) for piano, Op. 25, CT. 26-37: No. 3 in F major
Etudes (12) for piano, Op. 25, CT. 26-37: No. 4 in A minor
Etudes (12) for piano, Op. 25, CT. 26-37: No. 5 in E minor
Etudes (12) for piano, Op. 25, CT. 26-37: No. 6 in G sharp minor
Etudes (12) for piano, Op. 25, CT. 26-37: No. 7 in C sharp minor
Etudes (12) for piano, Op. 25, CT. 26-37: No. 8 in D flat major
Etudes (12) for piano, Op. 25, CT. 26-37: No. 9 in G flat major
Etudes (12) for piano, Op. 25, CT. 26-37: No. 10 in B minor
Etudes (12) for piano, Op. 25, CT. 26-37: No. 11 in A minor 'Winter Wind'
Etudes (12) for piano, Op. 25, CT. 26-37: No. 12 in C minor
Track Listings (7) - Disc #6
Polonaises (2) for piano, Op. 26, CT. 150-151: No. 1 in C sharp minor
Polonaises (2) for piano, Op. 26, CT. 150-151: No. 2 in E flat minor
Polonaises (2) for piano, Op. 40, CT. 152-153: No. 1 in A major
Polonaises (2) for piano, Op. 40, CT. 152-153: No. 2 in C minor
Polonaise for piano No. 5 in F sharp minor, Op. 44, CT. 154
Polonaise for piano No. 6 in A flat major ('Héroique'), Op. 53, CT. 155
Polonaise-fantasy for piano No. 7 in A flat major, Op. 61, CT. 156
Track Listings (9) - Disc #7
Polonaises (3) for piano, Op. 71, CT. 157-159: No. 1 in D minor
Polonaises (3) for piano, Op. 71, CT. 157-159: No. 2 in B flat major
Polonaises (3) for piano, Op. 71, CT. 157-159: No. 3 in F minor
Polonaise for piano in B flat major, KK IVa/1, CT. 160 (B. 3)
Polonaise for piano in G flat major, KK IV/a8, CT. 165 (B. 36)
Polonaise for piano in G minor, KK IIa/1, CT. 161 (B. 1)
Polonaise for piano in B flat major, KK IVa/1, CT. 160 (B. 3)
Polonaise for piano in A flat major, KK IVa/2, CT. 162 (B. 5)
Polonaise for piano in G sharp minor, KK IVa/3, CT. 163 (B. 6)
Track Listings (19) - Disc #8
Waltz for piano No. 1 in E flat major, Op. 18, CT. 207
Waltzes (3) for piano, Op. 34, CT. 208-210: No. 1 in A flat major
Waltzes (3) for piano, Op. 34, CT. 208-210: No. 2 in A minor
Waltzes (3) for piano, Op. 34, CT. 208-210: No. 3 in F major
Waltz for piano No. 5 in A flat major, Op. 42, CT. 211
Waltzes (3) for piano, Op. 64, CT. 212-214: No. 1 in D flat major
Waltzes (3) for piano, Op. 64, CT. 212-214: No. 2 in C sharp minor
Waltzes (3) for piano, Op. 64, CT. 212-214: No. 3 in A flat major
Waltzes (2) for piano, Op. 69, CT. 215-216: No. 1 in A flat major
Waltzes (2) for piano, Op. 69, CT. 215-216: No. 2 in B minor
Waltzes (3) for piano, Op. 70, CT. 217-219: No. 1 in G flat major
Waltzes (3) for piano, Op. 70, CT. 217-219: No. 2 in F minor
Waltzes (3) for piano, Op. 70, CT. 217-219: No. 3 in D flat major
Waltz for piano in E minor, KK IVa/15, CT. 222 (B. 56)
Waltz for piano in E major, KK IVa/12, CT. 220 (B. 44)
Waltz for piano in A minor, KK IVb/11, CT. 224 (B. 150)
Waltz for piano in A flat major, KK IVa/13, CT. 221 (B. 21)
Waltz for piano in E flat major, KK IVb/10, CT. 223
Waltz for piano in E flat major (spurious), KK IVa/14 (B. 46)
Track Listings (29) - Disc #9
Mazurkas (4) for piano, Op. 6, CT. 51-54: No. 1 in F sharp minor
Mazurkas (4) for piano, Op. 6, CT. 51-54: No. 2 in C sharp minor
Mazurkas (4) for piano, Op. 6, CT. 51-54: No. 3 in E major
Mazurkas (4) for piano, Op. 6, CT. 51-54: No. 4 in E flat minor
Mazurkas (5) for piano, Op. 7, CT. 56-59: No. 1 in B flat major
Mazurkas (5) for piano, Op. 7, CT. 56-59: No. 2 in A minor
Mazurkas (5) for piano, Op. 7, CT. 56-59: No. 3 in F minor
Mazurkas (5) for piano, Op. 7, CT. 56-59: No. 4 in A flat major
Mazurkas (5) for piano, Op. 7, CT. 56-59: No. 5 in C major
Mazurkas (4) for piano, Op. 17, CT. 60-63: No. 1 in B flat major
Mazurkas (4) for piano, Op. 17, CT. 60-63: No. 2 in E minor
Mazurkas (4) for piano, Op. 17, CT. 60-63: No. 3 in A flat minor
Mazurkas (4) for piano, Op. 17, CT. 60-63: No. 4 in A minor
Mazurkas (4) for piano, Op. 24, CT. 64-67: No. 1 in G minor
Mazurkas (4) for piano, Op. 24, CT. 64-67: No. 2 in C major
Mazurkas (4) for piano, Op. 24, CT. 64-67: No. 3 in A flat major
Mazurkas (4) for piano, Op. 24, CT. 64-67: No. 4 in B flat minor
Mazurkas (4) for piano, Op. 30, CT. 68-71: No. 1 in C minor
Mazurkas (4) for piano, Op. 30, CT. 68-71: No. 2 in B minor
Mazurkas (4) for piano, Op. 30, CT. 68-71: No. 3 in D flat major
Mazurkas (4) for piano, Op. 30, CT. 68-71: No. 4 in C sharp minor
Mazurkas (4) for piano, Op. 33, CT. 72-75: No. 1 in G sharp minor
Mazurkas (4) for piano, Op. 33, CT. 72-75: No. 2 in D major
Mazurkas (4) for piano, Op. 33, CT. 72-75: No. 3 in C major
Mazurkas (4) for piano, Op. 33, CT. 72-75: No. 4 in B minor
Mazurkas (4) for piano, Op. 41, CT. 76-79: No. 1 in C sharp minor
Mazurkas (4) for piano, Op. 41, CT. 76-79: No. 2 in E minor
Mazurkas (4) for piano, Op. 41, CT. 76-79: No. 3 in B major
Mazurkas (4) for piano, Op. 41, CT. 76-79: No. 4 in A flat major
Track Listings (30) - Disc #10
Mazurkas (3) for piano, Op. 50, CT. 80-82: No. 1 in G major
Mazurkas (3) for piano, Op. 50, CT. 80-82: No. 2 in A flat major
Mazurkas (3) for piano, Op. 50, CT. 80-82: No. 3 in C sharp minor
Mazurkas (3) for piano, Op. 56, CT. 83-85: No. 1 in B major
Mazurkas (3) for piano, Op. 56, CT. 83-85: No. 2 in C major
Mazurkas (3) for piano, Op. 56, CT. 83-85: No. 3 in C minor
Mazurkas (3) for piano, Op. 59, CT. 86-88: No. 1 in A minor
Mazurkas (3) for piano, Op. 59, CT. 86-88: No. 2 in A flat minor
Mazurkas (3) for piano, Op. 59, CT. 86-88: No. 3 in F sharp minor
Mazurkas (3) for piano, Op. 63, CT. 89-91: No. 1 in B major
Mazurkas (3) for piano, Op. 63, CT. 89-91: No. 2 in F minor
Mazurkas (3) for piano, Op. 63, CT. 89-91: No. 3 in C sharp minor
Mazurkas (4) for piano, Op. 67, CT. 92-95: No. 1 in G major
Mazurkas (4) for piano, Op. 67, CT. 92-95: No. 2 in G minor
Mazurkas (4) for piano, Op. 67, CT. 92-95: No. 3 in C major
Mazurkas (4) for piano, Op. 67, CT. 92-95: No. 4 in A minor
Mazurkas (4) for piano, Op. 68, CT. 96-99: No. 1 in C major
Mazurkas (4) for piano, Op. 68, CT. 96-99: No. 2 in A minor
Mazurkas (4) for piano, Op. 68, CT. 96-99: No. 3 in F major
Mazurkas (4) for piano, Op. 68, CT. 96-99: No. 4 in F minor
Mazurka for piano in A minor ('à Émile Gaillard'), KK IIb/5, CT. 106 (B. 140)
Mazurka for piano in A minor ('Notre temps'), KK IIb/4, CT. 105 (B. 134)
Mazurka for piano in B flat major, KK IIa/3
Mazurka for piano in G major, KK II/2, CT. 100 (B. 16/1)
Mazurka for piano in A flat major, KK IVb/4, CT. 104 (B. 85)
Mazurka for piano in C major, KK IVb/3 (B. 82)
Mazurka for piano in B flat major, KK IIa/3
Mazurka for piano in D major, KK IVb/2
Mazurka for piano in D major, KK IVb/2
Mazurka for piano No. 49 in F minor, Op. 68/4, CT. 99
Track Listings (9) - Disc #11
Piano Sonata No. 2 in B flat minor, Op. 35, CT. 202: 1. Grave - Doppio movimento
Piano Sonata No. 2 in B flat minor, Op. 35, CT. 202: 2. Scherzo
Piano Sonata No. 2 in B flat minor, Op. 35, CT. 202: 3. Marche funèbre
Piano Sonata No. 2 in B flat minor, Op. 35, CT. 202: 4. Finale: Presto
Piano Sonata No. 3 in B minor, Op. 58, CT. 203: 1. Allegro maestoso
Piano Sonata No. 3 in B minor, Op. 58, CT. 203: 2. Scherzo: Molto vivace
Piano Sonata No. 3 in B minor, Op. 58, CT. 203: 3. Largo
Piano Sonata No. 3 in B minor, Op. 58, CT. 203: 4. Finale: Presto, non tanto
Fantasy for piano in F minor/A flat major, Op. 49, C. 42
Track Listings (12) - Disc #12
Piano Sonata No. 1 in C minor, Op. 4, CT. 201: 1. Allegro maestoso
Piano Sonata No. 1 in C minor, Op. 4, CT. 201: 2. Minuetto - Trio
Piano Sonata No. 1 in C minor, Op. 4, CT. 201: 3. Larghetto
Piano Sonata No. 1 in C minor, Op. 4, CT. 201: 4. Finale: Presto
Variations on 'Non più mesta' from Rossini's La Cenerentola, for flute & piano in E major, KK Anh.Ia/5 (B. 9) (spurious)
Rondo for piano in C minor, Op. 1, CT. 192
Ecossaises (3) for piano, Op. 72/3, CT. 11-13
Rondo à la Mazur for piano in F major, Op. 5. CT. 193
Ecossaise for piano No. 2 in G major, Op. 72/2, CT. 12
Contredanse for piano in G flat major, KK. Anh.Ia/4 (B. 84) (spurious)
Rondo for 2 pianos (or solo piano) in C major, Op. 73, CT. 196
Variations on a theme of Moore, for piano, 4 hands, in D major, KK IVa/6, CT 228 (B. 12a)
Track Listings (19) - Disc #13
Variations for piano in A major ('Souvenir de Paganini'), KK IVa/10, CT. 229 (B. 37) (spurious)
Variations brillantes on 'Je vends des scapulaires' from Hérold's Ludovic, for piano in B flat major, Op. 12, CT. 226
Introduction in C minor and Rondo in E flat major for piano, Op. 16, CT. 195
Bolero for piano in C major/A major, Op. 19, CT. 8
Cantabile for piano in B flat major, KK. IVb/6, CT. 9 (B. 84)
Variation on the March from Bellini's I Puritani, for piano in E major (No. 6 of collaborative work 'Hexaméron'), KK IIb/2, CT. 230
Largo for piano in E flat major, KK IVb/5, CT. 49 (B. 109)
Allegro de concert for piano in A major, Op. 46, CT. 1
Trois nouvelles études, for piano, KK IIb/3, CT. 38-40 (B. 130): No. 1 in F minor
Trois nouvelles études, for piano, KK IIb/3, CT. 38-40 (B. 130): No. 2 in A flat major
Trois nouvelles études, for piano, KK IIb/3, CT. 38-40 (B. 130): No. 3 in D flat major
Tarantelle for piano in A flat major, Op. 43, CT. 205
Fugue for piano in A minor, KK IVc/2 (B. 144)
Moderato for piano in E major, KK IVb/12, CT. 107 (B. 151)
Wiosna (Spring), song for voice & piano, Op. 74/2, CT. 130: [Excerpt]
Bourrées (2) for piano (arrangement), KK. VIIb/1, 2
Galopp for piano in A flat major, KK IVc/13
Berceuse for piano in D flat major, Op. 57, CT. 7
Barcarolle for piano in F sharp major, Op. 60, CT. 6
Since his 1955 win at the Chopin Competition, Vladimir Ashkenazy has been closely linked to Chopin. These recordings from 1974 to 1984 (on 13 CDs) represent the first time a pianist recorded Chopin's complete solo works
Since his 1955 win at the Chopin Competition, Vladimir Ashkenazy has been closely linked to Chopin. These recordings from 1974 to 1984 (on 13 CDs) represent the first time a pianist recorded Chopin's complete solo works
CD Reviews
The Second-Best Chopin Box Set--Now at Half Price
C. Pontus T. | SE/Asia | 05/26/2010
(4 out of 5 stars)
"In the age of copy-paste, BPR and recycling, Decca's contribution to the Chopin 200 anniversary is a repackaged, non-remastered but price-reduced reissue of Ashkenazy's 13-disc box set--'Chopin: The Piano Works'. Below follows a revised and updated version of my review of that set, posted some 18 months ago.
Having discovered Chopin's unique musical treasures in my pre-teens through Naxos discs featuring Szekely, Szokolay, Zaritskaya and Biret--readily available in my small home town--I acquired this Ashkenazy set in my teenage years and thought it to be the definitive way to Chopin's music for years. As time went by, I noticed that I returned increasingly more seldom to it.
All the same, Askhenazy's (near) complete survey of Chopin's solo piano works (inexplicably excluding the Andante spianato and Grand Polonaise) is overall a viable investment at around $100; at half the price, it is actually very much desirable. Ashkenazy is a master pianist when it comes to technical effortlessness, tone production, legato playing and pedaling. However, more often than not--just as Rubinstein in his stereo Chopin recordings--he lacks the individual imagination that elevates the very greatest Chopin playing.
As a consequence of the aforesaid, it should come as no surprise that Ashkenazy is most at home in the Etudes, Rondos, Polonaises, Waltzes and Scherzos (save the mechanical First). His generally straightforward approach pays ample dividends here--the Etudes in fact displaying a rather unique combination of effortless brilliance and poised poetry. Conversely, his Preludes, Sonatas and, even more so, Nocturnes and Mazurkas are fairly pale and pedestrian placed next to those of Ohlsson, Moravec and Pogorelich--all playing at least one division higher. Nonetheless, some out-and-out five-star performances are hiding within the 13 discs: the Op 37 Nocturnes, Op 42 Waltz, Opp 26 & 53 Polonaises, Op 56/1 Mazurka, Op 73 Rondo, Bolero, Second Ballade, Allegro de concert, Polonaise-Fantaisie and the Op 25/1 Etude.
A problem throughout this set is the sharp, metallic piano sound Decca insists on producing (indeed weird compared to the label's demonstration sound in opera and orchestra productions), recorded at seven different venues in London over a 10-year period (1974-84)--analogly as well as and digitally. Having said that, the sound is remarkably consistent. (As a matter of curiosity, chirping birds can be heard during the C-major Prelude!)
Having added a minus in my original review pertaining to the sound and price tag, I now can only commend Decca/Universal for offering this set at a third of what I paid some 15 years ago. The sound remains brittle and Ashkenazy's imagination somewhat limited. Nonetheless, at less than $50, this is an excellent Chopin investment, far more consistent in quality than the anniversary compilations from DG, EMI and Sony--second only to Ohlsson's complete survey.
Track Listings (30) - Disc #1