Chopin: Nocturnes

This famous pair of discs, recorded in 1965, has been remarkably well remastered in 2012 and is presented here. The playing itself is an object lesson in understated excellence and stands out in that respect from all other recordings that have appeared in my collection over the years.What one notices about this set above all else, is the gentle sense of self communion that Moravec brings to these works. This is not so much a set of performances as a set of personal recollections appearing to be improvised as they unfold before our ears. There is none of the pearl-like brilliance of a Rubinstein or the more dramatic approach of an Ashkenazy for instance. There is nothing remotely approaching self-awareness or the idea of an interpretation. There is instead, a tremendous sense of peace, rather as one might be led to expect from a title such as 'nocturne' yet just enough structural grip to avoid any sense of aimless meandering.This is a very special set of Nocturnes that deserves to be in every collection of Chopin or of great and inspiring piano playing. In this case the combination of those two ideas is totally appropriate. There is no really valid comparison to be made. Moravec is quite simply Moravec playing music that is an inseparable part of his very being.I would suggest that this set is close to being an essential purchase and, at the very least, deserves the most serious consideration. This remastered set is clearly the one to buy.

Really glad that this has now been re-released with the sound further improved - what a fantastic mid-1960's recording!The modern music business is a noisy world of over-hyped sensationalism represented by air-brushed photo montages, so it is a simple pleasure to find a quiet-corner where you can experience the art of Chopin through the medium of one of his most gifted disciples.These performances have a magnetic concentration and a deep-toned, long-breathed calm that provides a peep into the truth of Chopin's art. Somebody once defined a 'Classic' as a moment when something is true...here is such a moment.To me this simply dwarfs Lang Lang and all the other 'tear-up' merchants of today, banging-out the great composers with all the integrity of Bobby Crush or Liberace. I've seen Moravec whenever I can in the concert hall and he is peerless as a musician...particularly in Chopin & Debussy.Recommended to anyone who has the heart, ears and patience for something a bit special.

I do not have any other Moravec recordings. However, I do have several of the Nocturnes (Reisenberg,Rubinstein,Pires,Pollini)all of which have merit, some much more than others. However, I read about the buzz that surrounded this release back in 1965 and thought would give it a go. First few bars in I thought it was a capricious reading, and felt here we go, another bad case of over hype. How wrong could I be. It wasn't long before I was completely captivated by the interpretation. Quite hypnotic, and it just felt right. I am not a pianist so cannot comment on how well the composer's text is interpreted. However, I have 100's of classical piano discs, and this is one of those rare occasions where by the end I just felt that,whether or not it was a faithful rendition, it's exactly how I wanted the music to sound. An absolute masterpiece, and a steal at Amazon's early release price.

It is worth pointing out that however great this recording may be, it is missing the two posthumous nocturnes (20 and 21).

One of the finest recordings of the nocturnes ever. Both sound and interpretation are breathtaking.A must-have for every pianist.

Best recording

Good performance by good pianist

Einstein argues that time is not a linear, tripartite concept. In his later years, he contended that the past, present and future co-exist simultaneously, converging into a continuum. He writes, ". . . for us physicists believe the separation between past, present, and future is only an illusion, although a convincing one."Evidence is not to be found in atom-smashers or chalkish runes on a blackboard. Chopin's Nocturnes are its Q.E.D: quod erat demonstrandum. Part of us lives outside of time. Who among us is rooted to the mere present at the behest of these miraculous works? They return us to the Garden, to older dispensations, to see things as they once were. Was and Will Be become the eternal Is.Moravec facilitates this like none other. This is wizardry. Could one suggest, however stutteringly, that it's sacrilege to verbalise this experience? It might be. To revert to a Narnian cliché, this is Deep Magic masquerading as art (and in doing so, he's more successful than Arrau whose rubato is a tad too calculated). As one listens on, there seems to be no other way to play this music. Strange: Vasary recorded the Nocturnes near-simultaneously in spring of 1965: there must have been sorcery in the air at the time.The reissue has been met with universal acclaim. It's an instance where Auden's maxim, "alienation from the collective is always a duty" does not apply. Join us!