Chopin Piano Concertos

Beautiful fresh readings
Hard on the heels of the excellent Warsaw 2010 Accentus production (the Chopin concertos with Demidenko, Kissin and Wit, see my review) comes Barenboim with the Staatskapelle Berlin conducted by Andris Nelsons in a live recording from the 2010 Ruhr Festival. A direct comparison is not productive, because the three soloists - each technically perfect and very much in tune with the music's idiom - display a radically different approach to the concertos: where Demidenko is thoughtful and introverted, Kissin temperamental and overwhelmingly brilliant, Barenboim appears to be exploring the spirit of these scores anew in an almost searching way. He can be ham-fisted and hard- hitting (see his DVD recording of the Beethoven concertos), but certainly not in his approach to Chopin which is refined and sensitive to every nuance. His performances are fresh and unique and I will return to them often. The Staatskapelle under the baton of the inspired and enthusiastic Nelsons marvelously supports...

The Chopin Piano Concertos DVD
This is no doubt my most favorite DVD of Daniel Barenboim. He has got to be the most wonderful pianist I have ever heard. I wish I could see and hear him in person some day. The music on this DVD reduces me to tears every time I listen to it. Daniel Barenboim puts so much expression and feeling into it. The music just reaches deep down inside. I have shared it with others and know I will listen to it over and over again.

Barenboim plays two Chopin Piano Concertos and a Waltz at the Ruhr Piano Festival in 2010
Barenboim never disappoints an audience whether he is conducting Wagner or playing piano concertos on a blu-ray. This is one of his best performances.

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