Search - Fryderyk Chopin, Franz Liszt, Sergey Rachmaninov :: Hélène Grimaud plays Rachmaninoff, Chopin, Liszt, Schumann, Brahms, Ravel (Box Set)

Gorgeous Music - Great Value

David Enzel | Chevy Chase, MD USA | 07/30/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This box set consists of 5 CDs of Helene Grimaud's beautiful piano playing. These CDs were originally released by Denon which has a great reputation for audio quality. Grimaud plays Rachmaninoff (Piano Concerto 2, Piano Sonata No.2 and others), Ravel (Piano Concerto in G major), Chopin (Ballade No. 1), Schumann (Piano Sonata No. 1 and Kreilserana), Liszt (Apres une lecture de Dante), Brahms (Piano Sonata Nos. 2 and 3 and Klavierstucke Op. 118).



A lot of great music beautifully played and recorded without breaking the bank.



Highly recommended."

Not just exceptional piano playing for a teen-ager - excepti

Discophage | France | 12/02/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Brilliant Classics, a cheapo-cheapo label based in the Netherlands, has licensed from Denon the five recordings which launched Helene Grimaud's career, and marketed them at a price which makes them a steal. Miss Grimaud was 15 when she recorded the first of these five, the Rachmaninoff collection, in 1985, comprising his second piano sonata (in Horowitz' abridged edition) and a selection of Etude-Tableaux, plus two Preludes. She went on with Schumann (1st piano sonata in 1987, Kreisleriana in '88), Chopin (1st Ballade) and Liszt (Dante Sonata - both in '87), Brahms (second piano sonata in '88 followed by third piano sonata and Klavierstücke opus 118 in '91), and it was all topped-off, in 1992, by the concerto recordings: Ravel's G major and Rachmaninoff's 2nd, with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra conducted bu Jesus Lopez-Cobos. She then moved own to Erato, and now DG - and that was it for Denon.



So these discs span the 7 first years of her recording career, and it is not easy stuff that she tackled either. These are among the most daunting compositions of the piano repertoire, not only technically but also musically.



It would be unfair to Miss Grimaud to say that these are astounding recordings for a 15-to-22 year-old girl. These are astounding recordings, period. Throughout she displays unflinching muscularity, gripping rhythmic bite, magnificent control of the long line and the succession of variegated moods, from drama to lyricism, and admirable attention to the inside voicing and complexities of contrapuntal writing. All these recordings are not just fine visiting cards for a fledgling pianist - they are equal to the best. Brilliant as reissued the Denon discs as they were originally, short timings and all - the Rachmaninoff is 44 minutes long and the longest of the five is under the hour - but given the price and the excellence of piano playing it is still a bargain.



Miss Grimaud is now in the public's eye almost more for her infatuation with wolves than for her pianistic skills - and the Brilliant release surfs on the wave, albeit with some discretion, by the choice of its cover art. But judging from these recordings, one suspects that this kind of claptrap is almost detrimental to her cause. The wolf hype would easily lead you to think that some wise-axxed PR was trying to make up by that tacky attention-catcher for what her mere pianism was unable to achieve. Not so. Miss Grimaud's pianistic and musical gifts can amply stand on their own. Let the wolves howl, and hats off to the pianist.



"

An Admirable, Distinguished Collection Of Helene Grimaud's E

John Kwok | New York, NY USA | 05/25/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is truly a magnificient box set which demonstrates the early artistry of one of our finest contemporary pianists, the celebrated French pianist Helene Grimaud. It's an amazing collection not only because it was recorded when Grimaud was in her teens and early twenties when she was contracted to Denon, but more importantly, it demonstrates just how accomplished a musician she was at the start of a brilliant career. Her excellent playing of these works, especially of the Schumann and Brahms pieces, can hold their own against legendary competition from the likes of Claudio Arrau, Alfred Brendel and Murray Perahia, to name but a few of the most noteworthy interpreters - past and present - of these scores. However, I think the real gems are her spellbinding, exquisite performances of the Rachmaninov piano concerto and solo pieces, which I find as admirable as those I've heard from Vladimir Ashkenazy and Zoltan Kocsis, to name but a few. Those unfamiliar with the earliest phase of Helene Grimaud's distinguished career as a celebrated solo pianist will find this box set most rewarding."