Chopin: The Complete Nocturnes/The Complete Impromptus

Claudio Arrau is a very underrated Chopin interpreter. He is best known for his Olympian Beethoven, intellectual yet technically superb Liszt, and his unmatched Schumann.
Chopin's nocturnes contain beautiful melodies, audacious harmonic ingenuity, sentimental and nostalgic echoes, sultry and seductive episodes filled with requited and unrequited passions. Arrau takes a very methodical approach without sacrificing the alluring emotional and exotic aspects of these unique works.
A few of his interpretations must be highlighted. Arrau soars in the Nocturne Op 15 n 2 - especially in the agitated middle section. The nocturnes of Op 27, which Mendelssohn fancied that Chopin wrote with "a pen dipped in moonlight", are inspired - especially in both codas. The great C Minor Nocturne Op 48 n 1 finds him majestic in the exposition and devastating in the impassioned recapitulation. The cantabile of the Op 48 n 2 in Arrau's hands is melancholic rapture. The beautiful nocturnes of Op 62, especially the second in E major are captivating. The posthumous nocturne in E minor, one of Chopin's early masterpieces, is exceptional. Arrau brings out the aspiration of the second subject perfectly.
Regarding the four impromptus, Arrau gives one of the finest performances of the first, the Op 29 in A-Flat Major. Yes, I know he plays it slower than just about every other pianist, but listen to the close. No one draws out the dissonance to resolution better.
The second impromptu, OP 36 in F-Sharp Major is a masterpiece. Again, Arrau may be slower than most, but his attention to color and detail brings a warmth and grace that only Davidovich and Rubinstein rival.
The third impromptu, Op 51 in G-Flat, is much more difficult than it sounds. Once again Arrau is not as mercurial as most others, but remains more interested in the musical content rather than exhibiting flashy technique. His performance of the middle section with the melody in the bass is magnificent.
The final impromptu, published posthumously in 1855, has been known traditionally as "Fantaisie-Impromptu". Arrau recorded the 1855 so-called Fontana version twice in the 1950's. For Philips he decided to use the version that Arthur Rubinstein purchased at auction in 1960. Rubinstein published it shortly thereafter. There are some fairly significant changes in this version. Although I like Arrau's performance, it doesn't inspire the same level of enthusiasm as the previous impromptus.

One final note regarding the nocturnes: Rubinstein plays them with an élan, grace and directness that is irresistible. Ashkenazy's recording is also formidable. Tamas Vasary is also excellent. One surprising performance is that of Brigitte Engerer. She records for Harmonia Mundi. It can be obtained for the price of one CD on their 1+1 line. It's worth the price. If you're interested, I reviewed it earlier this year.

This double CD represents a beautiful dreamy interpretation of Chopin's nocturnes...Claudio Arrau is a truly trusty Chopin interpreter.
The sound is crisp and not over-produced/mastered.
My golden retriever dog Laura,who I believe could be a re-incarnation of Clara Schumann, especially likes Nocturne No.5 in F sharp...she hums along and falls into a deep semi-coma while showing all signs of total bliss and comfort...as does her master !

This is a biased review... Chopin is my favorite classical composer. These two CD's contain all his nocturnes and impromptus and they are beautifully and passionately played by Claudio Arrau. My future children will listen to his nocturnes as they lay in their cribs, as should yours.

My only problem is that you can clearly hear Arrau breathing. It can be annoying at times. But, that is common with piano recordings. Still annoying.

Great CD's. I highly recommend. I have one or the other in my car CD changer at all times. Driving in Washington, DC traffic can drive anyone crazy, but just like a baby, Chopin's nocturnes will make it a bit easier.

The interpretations that Claudio Arrau has put forth for Chopin do not lack any of that beauty that one comes to expect from the romantic composer. However, my hearing is very apt and even when I listen to these recordings on a lower volume than I normally admit for most pieces, I can distinctly hear obnoxious gasps for breath from the pianist on the majority of tracks. It is very sad that the recording studio couldn't remove this extremely distracting noise because it really takes you away from a genuine Chopin experience. I listened to the cd on several systems, the noise is noticeable on everyone. If you don't have very sharp ears, this album will fulfill your need to have Chopin's nocturnes and impromptus together (and the music itself is very good on the cd).

Hope this will inform others who are very particular about the quality of the recording they buy.

The eloquence of this enchanting artist is an absolute joy.
Excellent recording. A treasure in my collection.