Twelve Etudes, Op. 25: No. 9 In G-Flat Major, Op. 25, Allegro assai
Twelve Etudes, Op. 25: No. 10 In B Minor, Op. 25, Allegro con fuoco
Twelve Etudes, Op. 25: No. 11 In A minor, Op. 25, Allegro con brio
Twelve Etudes, Op. 25: No. 12 In C Minor, Op. 25, Molto allegro con fuoco
Twelve Etudes Without Opus Number: No. 1 In F Minor,
Twelve Etudes Without Opus Number: No 2 In A-Flat Major
Twelve Etudes Without Opus Number: No. 3 In D-Flat Major
At 77, Earl Wild realized his long-held ambition to record all the Chopin etudes, which have been in his repertoire for years. Given the legendary pianist's flamboyant reputation, however, the results are more mild than ... more »wild. His legendary technique, to be sure, is more than up to the task, but the inhibiting aura of posterity and permanence hover over the proceedings, not to mention the Urtext police. One misses the fire, abandon, and sense of risk Wild unfailingly brings to these works in concert. It is obvious that a seasoned master is at work, although I wish he had been more at play! The engineering is superb. --Jed Distler« less
At 77, Earl Wild realized his long-held ambition to record all the Chopin etudes, which have been in his repertoire for years. Given the legendary pianist's flamboyant reputation, however, the results are more mild than wild. His legendary technique, to be sure, is more than up to the task, but the inhibiting aura of posterity and permanence hover over the proceedings, not to mention the Urtext police. One misses the fire, abandon, and sense of risk Wild unfailingly brings to these works in concert. It is obvious that a seasoned master is at work, although I wish he had been more at play! The engineering is superb. --Jed Distler
CD Reviews
WILD ABOUT WILD (AGAIN!!!)
Melvyn M. Sobel | Freeport (Long Island), New York | 01/23/2003
(5 out of 5 stars)
"When I first heard Mr. Wild's interpretation of the complete Chopin Etudes, I wasn't immediately reminded of any other pianist. Cornerstone artists of this repertoire--- Pollini, Ashkenazy, Arrau, and a multitude of new names, such as Ohlsson (whose own performance on Arabesque I reviewed here 12 December 2001), Gavrilov, Berezovsky and Lugansky, all of whom I've lent an ear--- never entered my mind.Why? It's simple, I suppose. Rather than astound us by the strength of his virtuosity, by slapdash bravado incurred merely to impress, or by exerting the forefront of his persona, instead of allowing the music to reveal itself, Mr. Wild impresses completely by his lack of artifice, his utter sensitivity, and his uniquely distinctive approach. By no means is there a want of passion or fire; afterall, Earl Wild is still Earl Wild. However, and this is the key issue, the reason Mr. Wild's Chopin keeps us unfailingly mesmerized is the endless and absolute poetry of his glowing performance.Every etude impresses; every etude leaves an emotional mark; every etude, in Mr. Wild's hands, sounds newly-written, whether dreamy or impulsive, steeped in the deepest musical understanding and conception, the most penetrating awareness and clarity.Yes, certain liberties are taken by Wild, but never at the expense of the music; in fact, the idiosyncrasies make the etudes all the more intriguing, all the more compelling. One can only speculate on how all these "facets" of Chopin's marvelously inventive miniatures escaped our noticing.... until now. This is Mr. Wild's "magic." And, in his case, would that it were so for us all--- with age has come a great, wondrous wisdom, generously shared.[Running time: 66:15]"
Track Listings (27) - Disc #1