Ivory Classics Online

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Disc.Contnets

Frederic Chopin (1810-1849):

• [01] Étude in C major, Op. 10 No. 1 02:15 ('92)
• [02] Étude in A minor, Op. 10 No. 2 01:35 ('92)
• [03] Étude in E major, Op. 10 No. 3 04:26 ('92)
• [04] Étude in C sharp minor, Op. 10 No. 4 02:07 ('92)
• [05] Étude in G-Flat major, Op. 10 No. 5 01:43 ('92)
• [06] Étude in E-Flat minor, Op. 10 No. 6 03:45 ('92)
• [07] Étude in C major, Op. 10 No. 7 01:36 ('92)
• [08] Étude in F major, Op. 10 No. 8 02:26 ('92)
• [09] Étude in F minor, Op. 10 No. 9 02:04 ('92)
• [10] Étude in A-Flat major, Op. 10 No. 10 02:09 ('92)
• [11] Étude in E-Flat major, Op. 10 No. 11 02:30 ('92)
• [12] Étude in C minor, Op. 10 No. 12 02:32 ('92)
• [13] Étude in A-Flat major, Op. 25 No. 1 02:40 ('92)
• [14] Étude in F minor, Op. 25 No. 2 01:30 ('92)
• [15] Étude in F major, Op. 25 No. 3 01:51 ('92)
• [16] Étude in A minor, Op. 25 No. 4 01:51 ('92)
• [17] Étude in E minor, Op. 25 No. 5 03:11 ('92)
• [18] Étude in G-Sharp minor, Op. 25 No. 6 02:02 ('92)
• [19] Étude in C-Sharp minor, Op. 25 No. 7 05:03 ('92)
• [20] Étude in D-Flat major, Op. 25 No. 8 01:10 ('92)
• [21] Étude in G-Flat major, Op. 25 No. 9 00:58 ('92)
• [22] Étude in B minor, Op. 25 No. 10 03:46 ('92)
• [23] Étude in A minor, Op. 25 No. 11 03:38 ('92)
• [24] Étude in C minor, Op. 25 No. 12 02:39 ('92)
• [25] Trois Nouvelles Étude in F minor, No. 1 02:15 ('92)
• [26] Trois Nouvelles Étude in A-Flat major, No. 2 01:46 ('92)
• [27] Trois Nouvelles Étude in D-Flat major, No. 3 01:48 ('92)

Disc.Reviews

The complete Etudes (Studies) were recorded and originally released in 1992 when Wild was seventy-seven. Again Wild favoured a Baldwin piano for the Columbus recording sessions. The first set of twelve Etudes, Op. 10 (1829-32) was published as such in 1833 and was dedicated by Chopin to Franz Liszt. The second set of twelve Etudes, Op. 25 (1832-36) was published as a single volume in 1837 bearing the dedication to Franz Liszt's mistress Countess Marie d'Agoult. In 1840 Ignaz Moscheles and Francois-Joseph Fetis published their celebrated piano instruction book Methode des Methodes de piano (Method of Methods for the Piano). Chopin's Trois Nouvelles Etudes (Three New Etudes) were composed in 1839 as his contribution to the supplementary volume to the Methode. Although the Trois Nouvelles Etudes were actually published in Chopin's lifetime in 1840 it was thought - incorrectly - that they had been published as posthumous works.

Of the Twelve Etudes, Op. 10 (1829-32) Earl Wild's interpretation of the Etude in C major, Op. 10/1 is noteworthy with his right hand arpeggios sounding like waves lapping on the shore. The soloist in the Etude in A minor, Op. 10/2 has a scurrying quality that feels like a fiendishly difficult exercise. I was impressed by the fun and frolics with the black notes in the 'Black Key' Etude in G flat major, Op. 10/5. One senses that Wild is less comfortable with the serious and nervous temperament of the Etude in E flat minor, Op. 10/6 than my benchmark interpretations from Murray Perahia on Sony Classical and Maurizio Pollini on Deutsche Grammophon. With the repeated notes and arpeggios of the tempestuous Etude in F minor, Op. 10/9 the soloist communicates anger and frustration. A strong feel of the parlour expressed by the Etude in A flat major, Op. 10/10 does not convey the technical difficulties of the study. The final work of the opus 10 set is the appropriately titled 'Revolutionary' Etude in C minor, Op. 10/12. Chopin was inspired to write the C minor by the invasion of Warsaw by the Russian army and Wild does not fail in providing power and tension in profusion.

In first of the Twelve Etudes, Op. 25 the Etude in A flat major, Op. 25/1, known as the 'Aeolian Harp', one marvels at the splendid embellishments and other wizardry that Chopin demands. In the Etude in F minor, Op. 25/2 known by the sobriquet of 'Les Abeilles' (The Bees) Wild convincingly suggests a picture of insects in flight and in the Etude in A minor, Op. 25/4 one feels the temperament of this restless and nervy study. His interpretation of the Etude in E minor, Op. 25/5 is evocative of birds darting around foraging for food. Unlike some performers he chooses not to accentuate the attractive melody in the central section. The brief Etude in G flat major, Op. 25/9 titled 'Butterfly' is a jovial and swift piece that contrasts with the frenzied attack by Wild in the Etude in B minor, Op. 25/10. The B minor study has a melodic central section that provides a welcome respite. I enjoyed the playing of the Etude in A minor, Op. 25/11 titled 'Winter Wind', a complex and turbulent work that sends a chill down the spine. The final piece of the opus 25 set is the Etude in C minor, Op. 25/12 that is noteworthy for its rapid left and right hand arpeggios over a noble melody.

With the Trois Nouvelles Etudes I particularly enjoyed the Slavic feel to the forthright Etude, No. 1 in F minor. In the Etude, No. 2 in A flat major Wild imparts a disconcerted and restless quality and in the Etude, No. 3 in D flat major a generally pensive mood is established with undercurrents of petulance.

This Ivory Classics release was recorded by Earl Wild in 1992 at Fernleaf Abbey, Columbus, Ohio. The digital quality of this 20-bit State-of-the-Art Original recording is of a high standard, being especially bright and clear with an impressive balance. For those technically minded we are informed that the recording has been remastered at 24-bit using the SADiE Artemis High Resolution digital workstation. James E. Frazier again provides the liner-notes and essay; a model of the finest annotation.

Wild with this complete set of Etudes is up against extremely strong competition. There are magnificent sets from Perahia on Sony Classical and Pollini on Deutsche Grammophon that rank amongst their finest recordings (see details below). In the Etudes Perahia is highly compelling, displaying remarkable pianism with a broad expressive range. The digital sound on Perahia's Sony recording has outstanding presence and clarity. Pollini's magisterial accounts of the Etudes are brilliantly characterised totally engaging the listener. I found the admirable analogue sonics for Pollini on Deutsche Grammophon of eminent quality being especially cool and clear.