Jed discusses Czech pianist Stanislav Knor (1929-1984) and his early 1960s recording of the Chopin Scherzos, available to download here:

https://archive.org/details/fbgsf

And here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fdSRZ_yOL7E&t=1890s

We continue rebroadcasting earlier Chopin-centered episodes of The Piano Maven with Jed Distler, this time with six recommended cycles of the complete Nocturnes.

Here are some relevant links:

Jan Smeterlin Op. 48 No. 1 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3lssPl98jDk

Moura Lympany link: https://www.classicstoday.com/review/sublime-sounds-sacred-space/

Stephen Hough link to Hyperion video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YqD7AHQAKyk

Ivan Moravec plays Chopin Op. 48 No. 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5BaLVjoLUAQ

Continuing our rebroadcasts of selected Piano Maven episodes centered around Chopin, here's Jed's evaluation of a genuine download bargain.

Here's a link to purchase and download Bach Guild’s Big Chopin Box here: https://www.classicselectworld.com/products/big-chopin-box-7-hour-digital-download-boxed-set?_pos=1&_sid=598a0a1ad&_ss=r

Consider making a donation to The Piano Maven podcast by subscribing to our Substack page (https://jeddistlermusic.substack.com/..., which you also can access by clicking on the "Donate" button here: https://rss.com/podcasts/pianomaven

To mark Eric Lu’s first prize victory in the 19th Warsaw International Chopin Competition, I’m offering a rebroadcast of my episode about the pianist’s July 2nd 2022 recital in Leipzig, which included Chopin’s Piano Sonata No. 2 – here’s a link to listen:

https://archive.org/details/3_20240904_20240904_1534

And here's a link to purchase his Warner solo debut CD –

https://www.prestomusic.com/classical/products/8732850--chopin-preludes-op-28-schumann-ghost-variations

Consider making a donation to The Piano Maven podcast by subscribing to our Substack page (https://jeddistlermusic.substack.com/..., which you also can access by clicking on the "Donate" button here: https://rss.com/podcasts/pianomaven

As we decompress from the 19th International Chopin Competition, my 100th episode in this second season of The Piano Maven podcast rebroadcast will be a repeat of the 2024 episode where I compare Arthur Rubinstein's three integral edition of the Chopin Mazurkas.

Here are download links for all three cycles:

1. https://www.prestomusic.com/classical/products/8079160--rubinstein-collection-vol-6-chopin-mazurkas-scherzos;

2. https://www.prestomusic.com/classical/products/8079130--rubinstein-collection-vol-27-chopin-mazurkas-impromptus;

3. https://www.prestomusic.com/classical/products/7933105--rubinstein-collection-vol-50-chopin-51-mazurkas

On this episode, Jed offers a list of both historic and modern recommendations for each major Chopin work or cycle of works, without repeating a pianist.

Here are selected links to some of the recordings that Jed discusses:

Poloniases – Maurizio Pollini: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H-OK5a1h07s&list=PLC3ZgwGAh0c9yect11lXvWOIhHs8vRjUO

Poloniase Op. 26 No. 1 - Arthur Rubinstein: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8mVaLArwr80

Etudes – Paul Badura-Skoda: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m2n7NMgzjwY&list=PL4D14bmfCxVVkhor7FZs6mJeC9n_854gH

Fantasy in F Minor Op. 49 – Solomon: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rTY5CybIEaA

Barcarolle Op. 60 – Richard Goode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DL7bM0DYjik

Piano Sonata No. 2 Op. 25 – Sergei Rachmaninov: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TrQG-Z5gdfg

Piano Sonata No. 3 Op. 58, 4. Finale – Percy Grainger: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LE_ftBizu0E

Preludes Op 28 – Alfred Cortot: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6J1R6Bpo-CQ

Scherzo No. 1 in B Minor Op. 20 – Benjamin Grosvenor: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_XFdKFWJ618

Jed Distler is in Warsaw as official Gramophone blogger for the 19th International Chopin Competition, as well as hosting a daily video "Chopin Report"

Here are links to five performances that Jed considers special:

Yanyan Boa - Ballade No. 4 in F Minor Op. 52 (at 37:21, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PjQQa0YtGq0)

Pedro Lopez Salas - Nocturne in E Major Op. 62 No. 2 (at 00:02, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gZ0ZwM7Hz4Y&t=1151s)

Kevin Chen - Etudes Op. 10 (at 15:14, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MsaCHVBpGvI)

Shiori Kuwahara - Polonaise in A-Flat Major Op. 53 (at 38:23, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tq02Z3Pvz_g)

WIlliam Yang - Andante Spianato ed Grande Polonaise Op. 22 (at 21:14, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kcv0suUQNYQ)

Here are video links to Jed's first four episodes of The Chopin Report:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-kPMJ9wvmTc&t=69s

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uNDkPdla2xA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dh0MeCpROVQ&t=17s

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DE9llDb71HM

Consider making a donation to The Piano Maven podcast by subscribing to our Substack page (https://jeddistlermusic.substack.com/about), which you also can access by clicking on the "Donate" button here: https://rss.com/podcasts/pianomaven

Tying in with Jed's live onsite coverage of the 19th Warsaw International Piano Competition this month, all of October's episodes are devoted to recordings of Chopin's music. On this episode, Jed discusses Deutsche Grammophon's 2021 box set reissue The Chopin Masters, featuring 28 CDs with 28 pianists.

Here are links to some of the performers and performances covered:

The original DG YouTube promotional trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j2oBU-hb2KA

Roberto Szidon plays Scherzo No. 3 in C-Sharp Minor Op. 39 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BKIRQBFB2_M

Adam Harasiewicz plays Ballade No. 1 in G Minor Op. 23 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QAsOmf3EWeI

Fou Ts'ong plays Mazurka in B-Flat Minor Op. 24 No. 4 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m81GFTfo3Fk

Vladimir Ashkenazy plays Scherzo No. 4 in E Major Op. 54 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=olKoS6Q1AM4

Shura Cherkassky plays Polonaise-Fantasie in A-Flat Major Op. 61 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1lzfx2n6iCI

Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli plays Prelude in C-Sharp Minor Op. 45 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RHbxF0SP8Bg