Composer: Frédéric François Chopin
Performer: Vladimir Ashkenazy
Number of Discs: 13
Format: FLAC (tracks)
Label: Decca
Catalogue: 4782282
Release: 2010
Size: 2.57 GB
Recovery: +3%
Scan: cover
CD 01
Preludes, Op. 28
01. No. 1 in C Major: Agitato
02. No. 2 in A Minor: Lento
03. No. 3 in G Major: Vivace
04. No. 4 in E Minor: Largo
05. No. 5 in D Major: Molto allegro
06. No. 6 in B Minor: Lento assai
07. No. 7 in A Major: Andantino
08. No. 8 in F-Sharp Minor: Molto agitato
09. No. 9 in E Major: Largo
10. No. 10 in C-Sharp Minor: Molto allegro
11. No. 11 in B Major: Vivace
12. No. 12 in G-Sharp Minor: Presto
13. No. 13 in F-Sharp Major: Lento
14. No. 14 in E-Flat Minor: Allegro
15. No. 15 in D-Flat Major: Sostenuto “Raindrop”
16. No. 16 in B-Flat Minor: Presto con fuoco
17. No. 17 in A-Flat Major: Allegretto
18. No. 18 in F Minor: Molto allegro
19. No. 19 in E-Flat Major: Vivace
20. No. 20 in C Minor: Largo
21. No. 21 in B-Flat Major: Cantabile
22. No. 22 in G Minor: Molto agitato
23. No. 23 in F Major: Moderato
24. No. 24 in D Minor: Allegro appassionato
25. Prelude Op. 45 in C sharp minor (No. 25)
26. Prelude Op. posth. in A flat major (No. 26)
27. Impromptu No. 1 in A flat major, Op. 29
28. Impromptu No. 2 in F sharp major, Op. 36
29. Impromptu No. 3 in G flat major, Op. 51
30. Impromptu No. 4 in C sharp minor, Op. 66 ‘Fantaisie-Impromptu’
CD 02
01. Ballade No. 1 in G minor, Op. 23
02. Ballade No. 2 in F major, Op. 38
03. Ballade No. 3 in A flat major, Op. 47
04. Ballade No. 4 in F minor, Op. 52
05. Scherzo No. 1 in B minor, Op. 20
06. Scherzo No. 2 in B flat minor, Op. 31
07. Scherzo No. 3 in C sharp minor, Op. 39
08. Scherzo No. 4 in E major, Op. 54
CD 03
01. Nocturne No. 1 in B flat minor, Op. 9 No. 1
02. Nocturne No. 2 in E flat major, Op. 9 No. 2
03. Nocturne No. 3 in B major, Op. 9 No. 3
04. Nocturne No. 4 in F major, Op. 15 No. 1
05. Nocturne No. 5 in F sharp major, Op. 15 No. 2
06. Nocturne No. 6 in G minor, Op. 15 No. 3
07. Nocturne No. 7 in C sharp minor, Op. 27 No. 1
08. Nocturne No. 8 in D flat major, Op. 27 No. 2
09. Nocturne No. 9 in B major, Op. 32 No. 1
10. Nocturne No. 10 in A flat major, Op. 32 No. 2
11. Nocturne No. 11 in G minor, Op. 37 No. 1
12. Nocturne No. 12 in G major, Op. 37 No. 2
CD 04
01. Nocturne No. 13 in C minor, Op. 48 No. 1
02. Nocturne No. 14 in F sharp minor, Op. 48 No. 2
03. Nocturne No. 15 in F minor, Op. 55 No. 1
04. Nocturne No. 16 in E flat major, Op. 55 No. 2
05. Nocturne No. 17 in B major, Op. 62 No. 1
06. Nocturne No. 18 in E major, Op. 62 No. 2
07. Nocturne No. 19 in E minor, Op. 72 No. 1
08. Nocturne No. 20 in C sharp minor, Op. post.
09. Nocturne in C Minor, B. 108
CD 05
Études, Op. 10
01. No. 1 in C Major “Waterfall”
02. No. 2 in A Minor “Chromatique”
03. No. 3 in E Major “Tristesse”
04. No. 4 in C-Sharp Minor
05. No. 5 in G-Flat Major “Black Keys”
06. No. 6 in E-Flat Minor
07. No. 7 in C Major
08. No. 8 in F Major
09. No. 9 in F Minor
10. No. 10 in A-Flat Major
11. No. 11 in E-Flat Major
12. No. 12 in C Minor “Revolutionary”
Études, Op. 25
13. No. 1 in A Flat “Harp Study”
14. No. 2 in F Minor
15. No. 3 in F
16. No. 4 in A minor
17. No. 5 in E minor
18. No. 6 in G sharp minor
19. No. 7 in C sharp minor
20. No. 8 in D flat
21. No. 9 in G flat, “Butterfly Wings”
22. No. 10 in B minor
23. No. 11 in A minor “Winter Wind”
24. No. 12 in C Minor
CD 06
01. Polonaise No. 1 in C sharp minor, Op. 26 No. 1
02. Polonaise No. 2 in E flat minor, Op. 26 No. 2
03. Polonaise No. 3 in A major, Op. 40 No. 1 ‘Military’
04. Polonaise No. 4 in C minor, Op. 40, No. 2
05. Polonaise No. 5 in F sharp minor, Op. 44
06. Polonaise No. 6 in A flat major, Op. 53 ‘Héroïque’
07. Polonaise No. 7 in A flat major, Op. 61 ‘Polonaise-fantaisie’
CD 07
01. Polonaise No. 8 in D minor, Op. 71 No. 1
02. Polonaise No. 9 in B flat major, Op. 71 No. 2
03. Polonaise No. 10 in F minor, Op. 71 No. 3
04. Polonaise in B flat minor, “Adieu” Op.posth.
05. Polonaise No. 16 in G flat major B36 / KKIVa:8
06. Polonaise In G Minor, Op.posth.
07. Polonaise No. 12 in B flat major B3 / KKIVa:1
08. Polonaise No. 13 in A flat major B5 / KKIVa:2
09. Polonaise No. 14 in G sharp minor B6 / KKIVa:3
CD 08
01. Waltz No. 1 in E flat major ‘Grande Valse Brillante’, Op. 18
02. Waltz No. 2 in A-Flat Major, Op. 34 No. 1 “Valse brillante”
03. Waltz No. 3 in A minor ‘Grande Valse Brillante’, Op. 34 No. 2
04. Waltz No. 4 in F major ‘Grande Valse Brillante’, Op. 34 No. 3
05. Waltz No. 5 in A flat major, Op. 42
06. Waltz No. 6 in D flat major, Op. 64 No. 1 ‘Minute Waltz’
07. Waltz No. 7 in C sharp minor, Op. 64 No. 2
08. Waltz No. 8 in A flat major, Op. 64 No. 3
09. Waltz No. 9 in A flat major, Op. 69 No. 1 ‘Farewell Waltz’
10. Waltz No. 10 in B minor, Op. 69 No. 2
11. Waltz No. 11 in G flat major, Op. 70 No. 1
12. Waltz No. 12 in F minor, Op. 70 No. 2
13 .Waltz No. 13 in D flat major, Op. 70 No. 3
14. Waltz No. 14 in E minor, Op. post., KKIVa:15, B 56
15. Waltz No. 15 in E major, Op. post., KKIVa:12, B 44
16. Waltz No. 19 in A minor, Op. post., KKIVb:11, B 150
17. Waltz No. 16 in A flat major, Op. post., KKIVa:13, B 21
18. Waltz No. 18 in E flat major ‘Sostenuto’, Op. post., KKIVb:10, B 133
19. Waltz No. 17 in E flat major, Op. post., KKIVa:14, B 46
CD 09
01. Mazurka No. 1 in F sharp minor, Op. 6 No. 1
02. Mazurka No. 2 in C sharp minor, Op. 6 No. 2
03. Mazurka No. 3 in E major, Op. 6 No. 3
04. Mazurka No. 4 in E flat minor, Op. 6 No. 4
05. Mazurka No. 5 in B flat major, Op. 7 No. 1
06. Mazurka No. 6 in A minor, Op. 7 No. 2
07. Mazurka No. 7 in F minor, Op. 7 No. 3
08. Mazurka No. 8 in A flat minor, Op. 7 No. 4
09. Mazurka No. 9 in C major, Op. 7 No. 5
10. Mazurka No. 10 in B flat major, Op. 17 No. 1
11. Mazurka No. 11 in E minor, Op. 17 No. 2
12. Mazurka No. 12 in A flat major, Op.17 No.3
13. Mazurka No. 13 in A minor, Op. 17 No. 4
14. Mazurka No. 14 in G minor, Op. 24 No. 1
15. Mazurka No. 15 in C major, Op. 24 No. 2
16. Mazurka No. 16 in A flat major, Op. 24 No. 3
17. Mazurka No. 17 in B flat minor, Op. 24 No. 4
18. Mazurka No. 18 in C minor, Op. 30 No. 1
19. Mazurka No. 19 in B minor, Op. 30 No. 2
20. Mazurka No. 20 in D flat major, Op. 30 No. 3
21. Mazurka No. 21 in C sharp minor, Op. 30 No. 4
22. Mazurka No. 22 in G sharp minor, Op. 33 No. 1
23 .Mazurka No. 23 in D major, Op. 33 No. 2
24. Mazurka No. 24 in C major, Op. 33 No. 3
25. Mazurka No. 25 in B minor, Op. 33 No. 4
26. Mazurka No. 26 in C sharp minor, Op. 41 No. 1
27. Mazurka No. 27 in E minor, Op. 41 No. 2
28. Mazurka No. 28 in B major, Op. 41 No. 3
29. Mazurka No. 29 in A flat major, Op. 41 No. 4
CD 10
01. Mazurka No. 30 in G major, Op. 50 No. 1
02. Mazurka No. 31 in A flat major, Op. 50 No. 2
03. Mazurka No. 32 in C sharp minor, Op. 50 No. 3
04. Mazurka No. 33 in B major, Op. 56 No. 1
05. Mazurka No. 34 in C major, Op. 56 No. 2
06. Mazurka No. 35 in C minor, Op. 56 No. 3
07. Mazurka No. 36 in A minor, Op. 59 No. 1
08. Mazurka No. 37 in A flat major, Op. 59 No. 2
09. Mazurka No. 38 in F sharp minor, Op. 59 No. 3
10. Mazurka No. 39 in B major, Op. 63 No. 1
11. Mazurka No. 40 in F minor, Op. 63 No. 2
12. Mazurka No. 41 in C sharp minor, Op. 63 No. 3
13. Mazurka No. 42 in G major, Op. 67 No. 1
14. Mazurka No. 43 in G minor, Op. 67 No. 2
15. Mazurka No. 44 in C major, Op. 67 No. 3
16. Mazurka No. 45 in A minor, Op. 67 No. 4
17. Mazurka No. 46 in C major, Op. 68 No. 1
18. Mazurka No. 47 in A minor, Op. 68 No. 2
19. Mazurka No. 48 in F major, Op. 68 No. 3
20. Mazurka No. 49 in F minor, Op. 68 No. 4
21. Mazurka No. 42 in G major, Op. 67 No. 1
22. Mazurka No. 43 in G minor, Op. 67 No. 2
23. Mazurka No. 52 in B flat major
24. Mazurka No. 53 in G major
25. Mazurka No. 58 in A flat major
26. Mazurka No. 57 in C major
27. Mazurka in B flat major (1832) BI 73
28. Mazurka in D major (1832)
29. Mazurka In D (1820)
30. Mazurka No. 49 in F minor, Op. 68 No. 4
CD 11
Piano Sonata No. 2 in B flat minor, Op. 35 ‘Marche funèbre’
01. 1. Grave – Doppio movimento
02. 2. Scherzo – Più lento – Tempo I
03. 3. Marche funèbre (Lento)
04. 4. Finale (Presto)
Piano Sonata No. 3 in B minor, Op. 58
05. 1. Allegro maestoso
06. 2. Scherzo (Molto vivace)
07. 3. Largo
08. 4. Finale (Presto non tanto)
09. Fantasia in F minor, Op. 49
CD 12
Piano Sonata No. 1 in C minor, Op. 4
01. 1. Allegro maestoso
02. 2. Minuetto (Allegretto)
03. 3. Larghetto
04. 4. Finale (Presto)
05. Introduction and Variations on a German National Air, Op. post.
06. Rondo in C minor Op. 1
07. Ecossaise No.1 in D, Op.72 No.3
08. Rondo a la Mazurka, Op. 5
09. Marche Funebre, Op. 72 No. 2
10. Contredanse in G flat major, KKAnh.Ia / 4
11. Rondeau for 2 Pianos in C, Op.73 – Version for solo piano
12. Introduction, Theme and Variations on a Theme of Moore
CD 13
01. Variations in A – Souvenír de paganini
02. Variations brilliantes in B flat major on ‘Je Vends des Scapulaires’, Op. 12
03. Rondo in E flat major, Op. 16
04. Bolero, Op. 19
05. Cantabile in B Flat, B.84
06. Hexaméron KKIIb / 2
07. Largo in E flat
08. Allegro de Concert in A major Op. 46
09. Trois Nouvelles Études: Étude in F minor
10. Trois Nouvelles Études: Étude in D flat major
11. Trois Nouvelles Études: Étude in D flat major
12. Tarantella in A flat major, Op. 43
13. Fugue in A minor
14. Albumblatt in E major
15. Wiosna B117
16. Two Bourrees B160B
17. Galop in A flat major ‘Marquis’, WN 59
18. Berceuse in D flat major, Op. 57
19. Barcarolle in F sharp major, Op. 60
Reissued in 2010 to coincide with the 200th anniversary of Frédéric Chopin’s birth, Vladimir Ashkenazy’s recordings of the solo piano pieces have long been admired and held to be among the pianist’s best work. This 13-CD box set brings together all the major works, including the piano sonatas, preludes, nocturnes, ballades, scherzos, polonaises, mazurkas, waltzes, and études, along with other miscellaneous pieces that are less familiar for not being included in less comprehensive collections. Ashkenazy recorded these selections between 1974 and 1984, so they fall in the transitional period where analog technology reached its apex but was replaced by digital recording processes that had not quite been perfected. To the extent that an experienced listener can detect the differences in reproduction, the tracks will be a little variable, but because there is no chronological layout or clear division of ADD and DDD tracks, it is difficult to judge the value of the set on its sound quality. One should let Ashkenazy’s bravura style be the determining factor, for his playing is energetic, exciting, and fun to hear; even though there are a few rhythmic inaccuracies and he sometimes sounds like a thumper in the loudest passages, Ashkenazy is deserving of praise for highlighting the inner voices and for coaxing an almost orchestral variety of timbres from the instrument. Whether his Chopin is tasteful, subtle, or sufficiently refined can be debated, and more rarefied performances of this music can be found. But this collection is hard to beat for its communicability and forthright vigor, and Ashkenazy certainly matches anyone else for charisma.