So slow... it's almost illogical.
Dexter Tay | 06/13/2007
(2 out of 5 stars)
"I thought the synopsis was trying to be very kind to Mr. Paley's playing by citing it as a "calm" and "even-tempered" Chopin. Quite misleading though!
After listening to the opening of the Ballades (No. 1, 4) and Scherzos (No. 2), I wonder if the intent was really aimed at a well-meaning attempt to bring out the contemplative nature of the music.
It makes little sense to me to slow the tempi down so much that it seems pratically incoherent to the tempi markings as indicated by Chopin. The argument may stand as it is that the interpretation was aimed at "contemplative" and not "virtuosic" per se, but it hardly stands if one argues that they are mutually exclusive!
Slowing down with such exaggeration and employing rubato with such liberty not only does not add to the poetry of the music, in fact, it breaks down the lyrical flow of the poetry and makes the music trudging and dreary to the ears.
With such slow tempi from the beginning, it is illogical that the faster, virtuosic passages could be executed at a speed that is without some contrivance and artifice that is not intended by the composer. This is especially true with the Scherzo in B-flat minor. The fast declamatory chordal passages in the opening are played so slow - it doesn't make sense.
This approach, applied to the Sonata, might make slightly more sense, but not to the Ballades or Scherzi.
For those looking for a recording of Chopin played at a very slow tempi for the sake of doing just so, this would perhaps, be an apt one.
Elsewhere, Mr. Paley had recorded an admirable set of sonatas by Weber. However, I'm quite abysmally disappointed here.
If the rationale was to unveil the poetic qualities and the uncharted emotional realms of Chopin hitherto unexplored by the myriad of benchmark recordings in the market, I think Mr. Paley had clearly not served his impetus.
To sidetrack, it is enough to gauge the outcome, just by looking at his countenance on the album cover!"
Track Listings (6) - Disc #1