Search - Frederic Chopin, Claude Debussy, Maurice Ravel :: Chopin: Scherzo No. 4, Op. 54; Nocturne, Op. 62, No. 1; Debussy: L'Isle Joyeuse; Ravel: Gaspard de la Nuit

Exceptional Performances of Chopin, Debussy and Ravel From V

John Kwok | New York, NY USA | 07/28/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This early recording from Vladimir Ashkenazy, part of the Decca The Originals series, demonstrates his lyrical and poetic sensibilities at the keyboard, coupled with exceptional technical brilliance too. The recording opens with the Chopin Scherzo No. 4 in E major, op. 54, which sounds almost exhilaratingly fresh and bright in Ashkenazy's hands, playing it with alacrity, but without missing the lyrical qualities of the music. The next piece, the Chopin Nocturne in B major, op. 62 no. 1, would sound almost trivial in the hands of a lesser pianist, but again, Ashkenazy emphasizes the work's vibrant lyricism, without sounding banal at all. However, for me, Ashkenazy's early strengths as an artist of great sensitivity are really put to the test in his playing of Debussy's L'Isle joyeuse and Ravel's Gaspard de la nuit, which are both technically demanding works. The Debussy work is an intense toccata that demands virtuoso playing of the highest order; while Ashkenazy may seem to perform it with reckless abandon, he still demonstrates ample technical proficiency in its difficult measures, while playing with an exuberant sense of joy. For an entirely different set of reasons, the three movement Ravel work is technically challenging too, yet Ashkenazy not only masters these challenges, but, more importantly, demonstrates ample affinity for this work, playing with all the subtle dramatic flair which he can muster. Although this studio recording was made in July, 1965 at London's Decca Studios, it has the atmosphere and intensity of a recent recording thanks to state-of-the-art 24-bit digital remastering. Without question, this ought to be a highly prized recording for those who are not only fans of Chopin's, Debussy's and Ravel's piano works, but especially, Ashkenazy's brilliantly poetic playing.

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