Chopin: The Piano Works -Ashkenazy

[b3n]

I was thinking of buying this complete box set of chopin performed by V.Ashkenazy.

http://www.amazon.com/Chopin-Piano-Work ... F8&s=music

Is it any good? Does anyone else have this box set?

[citrine_peridot]

well, I only sorta like the some of the etudes...the sonata one is a bit crap for me, just IMO

[MindenBlues]

I think there are several performers who a great Chopin interprets in different fields. I personally would not choose Ashkenazy because it is sometimes a bit cold playing to me, technically certainly perfect, but often not more. Cannot imagine that he nails the nocturnes really soft...

I would choose
Murray Perahia for the Etudes,
A. Cortot for the Preludes,
I. Moravec for the Nocturnes,
and...
Rubinstein probably for the "rest", his ballades are really great recordings, also his waltzes and Berceuse, Barcarolle, the Piano concerts etc...

Only very personal choice of course.

[jre58591]

if youre gonna buy a complete set, get rubinstein, or the DG set. ashkenazy just doesnt cut it. either that, or id choose pollini or orozco (very rare) for the etudes, argerich for the preludes, pires for the nocturnes, and possibly a mixture of rubinstein and DG's set for the rest.

[elvenpianist]

Monkey- Argerich for the preludes? Psssh Cortot.

I'd recommend Rubinsteins's for a complete set. Ashkenazy was really good (so I've heard) in his early years, but his later recs are sorta.. umm.. meh. Plus, what I've heard of his mazurkas I quite dislike. Hah.

-elfzurka

[jre58591]

Monkey- Argerich for the preludes? Psssh Cortot.

well, cortot is good, but the sound quality sucks. and im a man that considers sound quality highly. argerich's are pretty good on the whole, including both playing quality and sound quality.