Chopin Davidovich - Ballades (33 tracks) +Album Reviews

Chopin, Davidovich
Ballades
Genre: Classical

Track Listings (8) - Disc #1
1. Ballade for piano No. 1 in G minor, Op. 23, CT. 2
2. Ballade for piano No. 2 in F major, Op. 38, CT. 3
3. Ballade for piano No. 3 in A flat major, Op. 47, CT. 4
4. Ballade for piano No. 4 in F minor, Op. 52, CT. 5
5. Impromptu for piano in A flat major, Op. 29, CT. 43
6. Impromptu for piano in F sharp major, Op. 36, CT. 44
7. Impromptu for piano in G flat major, Op. 51, CT. 45
8. Fantasy-Impromptu for piano in C sharp minor, Op. 66, CT. 46
Track Listings (25) - Disc #2
1. Preludes (24) for piano, Op. 28, CT. 166-189: No. 1 in C major. Agitato
2. Preludes (24) for piano, Op. 28, CT. 166-189: No. 2 in A minor. Lento
3. Preludes (24) for piano, Op. 28, CT. 166-189: No. 3 in G major. Vivace
4. Preludes (24) for piano, Op. 28, CT. 166-189: No. 4 in E minor. Largo
5. Preludes (24) for piano, Op. 28, CT. 166-189: No. 5 in D major. Allegro molto
6. Preludes (24) for piano, Op. 28, CT. 166-189: No. 6 in B minor. Lento assai
7. Preludes (24) for piano, Op. 28, CT. 166-189: No. 7 in A major. Andantino
8. Preludes (24) for piano, Op. 28, CT. 166-189: No. 8 in F sharp minor. Molto agitato
9. Preludes (24) for piano, Op. 28, CT. 166-189: No. 9 in E major. Largo
10. Preludes (24) for piano, Op. 28, CT. 166-189: No. 10 in C sharp minor. Allegro molto
11. Preludes (24) for piano, Op. 28, CT. 166-189: No. 11 in B major. Vivace
12. Preludes (24) for piano, Op. 28, CT. 166-189: No. 12 in G sharp minor. Presto
13. Preludes (24) for piano, Op. 28, CT. 166-189: No. 13 in F sharp major. Lento
14. Preludes (24) for piano, Op. 28, CT. 166-189: No. 14 in E flat minor. Allegro
15. Preludes (24) for piano, Op. 28, CT. 166-189: No. 15 in D flat minor. Sostenuto
16. Preludes (24) for piano, Op. 28, CT. 166-189: No. 16 in B flat minor. Presto con fuoco
17. Preludes (24) for piano, Op. 28, CT. 166-189: No. 17 in A flat major. Allegretto
18. Preludes (24) for piano, Op. 28, CT. 166-189: No. 18 in F minor. Allegro molto
19. Preludes (24) for piano, Op. 28, CT. 166-189: No. 19 in E flat major. Vivace
20. Preludes (24) for piano, Op. 28, CT. 166-189: No. 20 in C minor. Largo
21. Preludes (24) for piano, Op. 28, CT. 166-189: No. 21 in B flat major. Cantabile
22. Preludes (24) for piano, Op. 28, CT. 166-189: No. 22 in G minor. Molto agitato
23. Preludes (24) for piano, Op. 28, CT. 166-189: No. 23 in F major. Moderato
24. Preludes (24) for piano, Op. 28, CT. 166-189: No. 24 in D minor. Allegro appassionato
25. Rondo à la krakowiak for piano & orchestra in F major, Op. 14, CT. 194

CD Details

All Artists: Chopin, Davidovich
Title: Ballades
Members Wishing: 0
Total Copies: 0
Label: Brilliant Classics
Original Release Date: 1/1/2007
Re-Release Date: 12/4/2007
Genre: Classical
Styles: Chamber Music, Forms & Genres, Ballads, Concertos, Fantasies, Historical Periods, Classical (c.1770-1830), Instruments, Keyboard
Number of Discs: 2
SwapaCD Credits: 2
UPCs: 842977035285, 5028421935287

CD Reviews

Chopin playing that silences all criticism

Robert L. Berkowitz | Natick, MA United States | 12/20/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"It has been much too long since this recording of the Chopin Ballades left the catalog. It's first incarnation was on a Phillips Digital recording and was my introduction to Bella Davidovich's Chopin playing. I am so delighted that it is back that I purchased it, even though I still own the original Phillips recording. This one is a 2-CD set that also includes Davidovich's worthy performance of the Chopin Preludes Op. 28 and Krakowiak (with Neville Marriner and the London Symphony), previously unavailable on CD. The disc containing the Ballades also has the four Impromptus -- as did the original Phillips recording.

Davidovich shared first prize with Halina Czerny-Stefanska in the 1948 Chopin Competition in Warsaw. Both of these pianists went on to successful careers and served as jurors for subsequent Chopin competitions. For some reason, Davidovich's Chopin has never received the acclaim in this country that it so richly deserves. One professional pianist who hails from the same region of the world told me that she is the Queen of the piano back in her country but that here she was always unjustly compared to the great Russian virtuosos like Rachmaninov, Richter and Gilels. She doesn't have their technical prowess, but she has enough of her own, and she brings an incomparable capacity to communicate with exquisite tenderness and ardour. I can only hope that her outstanding recording of Schumann's Humoreske and Carnaval becomes available in time on the same Brilliant Classics label. They have done us a great service to restore these recordings to the CD catalog. Bravo!

These are among my favorite recordings of the Chopin Ballades. I played them once for a relative who spurned any Chopin that wasn't played by Rubinstein. Although he was initially very critical and dismissive, he had to eventually acquiesce because of the inarguable power of Davidovich's playing to emotionally communicate. It was that encounter that prompted the title for this review.

I hope you come to enjoy this disc as much as I have. I recommend it highly."

A Great Bargain

Carlton | CT, USA | 06/04/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"A two disc set of the Preludes, Ballades and Impromptus of Chopin performed by Bella Davidovich for around $11! This woman is one of my favorite Chopin interpreters. I wish she had recorded all his works. She performs with such grace and ease, yet with power and authority also. This recording of the Preludes is magnificent and should be owned by every Chopin fan.Her rendition of the final Prelude in D Minor is hair-raising to say the least! Her reading of the Impromptus, especially Opp 36 & 51, is so lucid and warm. And finally, her performance of the Ballades is stellar--projecting the delicacy and ferocity of these works in beautiful balance. Buying this 2 CD recording for $11 is like buying a Monet for $100!

"

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