Jed Distler in the Gramophone: Chopin’s Études: a deep dive into the best recordings

Gerard

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Jun 7, 2023, 10:58:08 AM6/7/23

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https://www.gramophone.co.uk/features/article/chopin-s-etudes-a-deep-dive-into-the-best-recordings

HT

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Jun 7, 2023, 1:20:59 PM6/7/23

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Op woensdag 7 juni 2023 om 16:58:08 UTC+2 schreef Gerard:
> https://www.gramophone.co.uk/features/article/chopin-s-etudes-a-deep-dive-into-the-best-recordings

Thanks! An interesting overview with a surprising conclusion. As usual, I disagree with Distler - and as usual, I understand why he makes the choices he makes.

Henk

Graham

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Jun 7, 2023, 2:38:40 PM6/7/23

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Who do you favour? I have been enjoying Chochieva's version recently.

Dan Koren

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Jun 7, 2023, 3:10:20 PM6/7/23

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On Wednesday, June 7, 2023 at 11:38:40 AM UTC-7, Graham wrote:
> On 2023-06-07 11:20 a.m., HT wrote:
> > Op woensdag 7 juni 2023 om 16:58:08 UTC+2 schreef Gerard:
> >> https://www.gramophone.co.uk/features/article/chopin-s-etudes-a-deep-dive-into-the-best-recordings
> >
> > Thanks! An interesting overview with a
> > surprising conclusion. As usual, I disagree
> > with Distler - and as usual, I understand why
> > he makes the choices he makes.
>

> Who do you favour?

I do not "favor" anyone. There are a number
of cycles I find interesting in various ways.

> I have been enjoying Chochieva's version
> recently.

It is certainly very good -- as far as studio
recordings go. There is no shortage of
good studio recordings of the Chopin
Etudes, and it wold be difficult to pick
one that stands above all others.

Typical choices are Ashkenazy, Pollini,
Lisitsa, Chochieva, Matsuzawa, YES,
Timofeyeva.

Cortot and Cziffra are also interesting
in different ways, even though I would
probably not want them played as they
do even if I could.

In recent times I am more inclined to
listen to live performances. Sokolov's
and Ginzburg's op. 25 performances
are top drawer. Eliane Rodrigues does
a phenomenal job with op. 25 that even
Herman can understand:

https://youtu.be/ropF0YdJvBg

I also find some of Vera Lotar's
readings truly extraordinary, e.g.
op. 10/12 and 25/7.

Plenty of choices.

dk

Dan Koren

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Jun 7, 2023, 3:19:54 PM6/7/23

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On Wednesday, June 7, 2023 at 7:58:08 AM UTC-7, Gerard wrote:
>
> https://www.gramophone.co.uk/features/article/chopin-s-etudes-a-deep-dive-into-the-best-recordings

What a surprise! Jed Distler practically
invented Juana Zayas. IIRC he penned
the first review of her 1983 set that he
annointed the "best of the best", or
something like that. Was it Fanfare?

If anyone is curious about a perfect
demonstration of a sewing machine,
look no further. BTW I heard Zayas
play them live in the early 00s, and
it was complete trainwreck from
start to end, even accounting for
20 extra years of age.

dk

Dan Koren

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Jun 7, 2023, 3:45:34 PM6/7/23

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Here is a link to Jed Distler's website:

http://www.jeddistler.com/

dk

HT

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Jun 7, 2023, 4:28:34 PM6/7/23

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Op woensdag 7 juni 2023 om 20:38:40 UTC+2 schreef Graham:

> Who do you favour? I have been enjoying Chochieva's version recently.

Yes, I like her very much. Have all her CDs, as far as I know. I probably like Anda's set most, among the lesser known.

Henk

Dan Koren

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Jun 7, 2023, 4:50:12 PM6/7/23

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Frederci Chiu's traversal is
uniquely individual:

https://youtu.be/2KrVRUHJ21g

Definitely one of the finest.

dk

Dan Koren

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Jun 7, 2023, 4:54:20 PM6/7/23

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On Wednesday, June 7, 2023 at 12:19:54 PM UTC-7, Dan Koren wrote:

> On Wednesday, June 7, 2023 at 7:58:08 AM UTC-7, Gerard wrote:
> >
> > https://www.gramophone.co.uk/features/article/chopin-s-etudes-a-deep-dive-into-the-best-recordings
>
> What a surprise! Jed Distler practically
> invented Juana Zayas. IIRC he penned
> the first review of her 1983 set that he
> annointed the "best of the best", or
> something like that. Was it Fanfare?

I stand corrected: the Fanfare review was
by John Wiser. Mea culpa maxima! Sorry.

dk

Dan Koren

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Jun 8, 2023, 5:51:40 AM6/8/23

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On Wednesday, June 7, 2023 at 7:58:08 AM UTC-7, Gerard wrote:
>
> https://www.gramophone.co.uk/features/article/chopin-s-etudes-a-deep-dive-into-the-best-recordings

Here is a perfect trainwreck:

https://youtu.be/-ST7wEu48aw

dk

Dan Koren

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Jun 8, 2023, 6:01:55 AM6/8/23

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Here is another trainwreck:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g48Y-H4l2Rg&t=1070s

She sounds like a high grade
amateur. Her tone production
is uneven, her attacks and her
releases are unsteady, there is
no depth or color to her sound.
She can barely hold a line.

She should have retired a long
time ago.

dk

HT

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Jun 8, 2023, 8:08:10 AM6/8/23

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Op donderdag 8 juni 2023 om 12:01:55 UTC+2 schreef Dan Koren:

The Schumann is not really a trainwreck. It's just not good enough. I don't like her tone and she doesn't really have a grip on the piece. It may be her age - age certainly doesn't help, and she should have retired, as most pianists older than 60 should . But so should the sound engineer, who is probIably half her age. What a miserable dry sound!

Henk