Artur Pizarro - Chopin Piano Sonatas - Linn records CKD 250 (2006) SACD rip via PS3 to iso (3.83GB) 24bit/88.2kHz flac | 4.1ch (2.76GB) DR23 (?) (+6dB gain) | 2ch (1.15GB) DR15 (+6dB gain) | Artur Pizarro's second Chopin album, following on from his hugely successful 'Reminiscences' album, about which the Herald commented: 'some of the finest Chopin playing on record'. The DR report for 6ch has to be wrong! I play track 4 the one with the biggest DR(28) and it looks like stereo in foobar. Linn webite says it's 4.1, so we have the same old problem with DR plugin not able to deal with mute channels Artur Pizarro biog: http://www.linnrecords.com/artist-artur-pizarro.aspx The Sonata in B-flat minor, Op. 35, was written in 1839 and published the following year. Unusually, Chopin initially approved the Sonata fùnebre title, but later took out the adjective in the 3rd French edition. He described the work in an August 1839 letter to Julian Fontana thus: “Here I am writing a Sonata in B-flat minor, containing the march that you know. There is an allegro, then a Scherzo in E-flat minor, the march and short finale, perhaps 3 of my pages; the left hand in unison with the right, gossiping after the march.” As is apparent from this remark, the Funeral March was composed earlier, probably in 1837, as witnessed by an album leaf containing the first eight bars of the Trio and dated “Paris, 28. September 1837”. This movement was orchestrated by Henri Reber to be played in the Madeleine’s Church in Paris at Chopin’s own funeral in October 1849. The other three movements were concluded in the summer of 1839, in George Sand’s manor house at Nohant, right after their return from Majorca. While quickly gaining popularity, the work was misunderstood by critics from the very beginning. Thus, while Anton Rubinstein called the piece “Death poem”, Robert Schumann was baffled by it, admitting it possessed beauty, but apparently misunderstanding its musical ideas and the structure, since he referred to it as “four of Chopin’s maddest children under the same roof” and to the last movement, devoid of melody and clear key, as “a jeer, but not music”. It has been suggested that this sonata was modelled on Beethoven’s Sonata Op. 26 in A-flat major, also known as the “Funeral march”, which Chopin often played and taught. Written five years after the Second Sonata and published in 1845, the Sonata in B minor, Op. 58, lies on the other side of the transition period that many see as pivotal in Chopin’s life. This work was completed a few months after the Berceuse, and was written in times of tranquillity and relatively good health. The largest of all of Chopin’s works for piano solo, it represents – together with the Fantasie and the 4th Ballade – the apotheosis of his creativity. Called “the most beautiful nocturne of all” by A. Hedley, “ravishing” by J. Rink, “messianic” by K. Stromenger and “stunning” by H. Leichentritt, Chopin’s Barcarolle was also greatly admired by artists such as von Bülow and was found by M. Ravel to be “the synthesis of the expressive and sumptuous art of this great Slav”, and to express “languor in excessive joy” by A. Gide. The Barcarolle represents a case in point of Chopin’s ornamental genius. Ravel wrote: “Chopin was not content merely to revolutionize piano technique. His figurations are inspired. Through his brilliant passages one perceives profound, enchanting harmonies. Always there is the hidden meaning which is translated into poetry of intense despair.” Chopin may have begun his work on the Barcarolle because he suddenly found himself with time on his hands, an idea of a trip to Italy in the autumn of 1845 having been cancelled due to the opposition of George Sand’s son, Maurice. The work carried over into the next year, which is when the piece was finalized and published. Originally the typical song of Venetian gondoliers, the barcarolle was often used in the Romantic period due to its exotic ambience and the 6/8 or 12/8 lilting rhythm. J. Chantavoine suggested that Chopin’s Barcarolle may have been a result of George Sand’s stories about Venice. Chopin constructed it formally as one of his nocturnes, in three sections, where the middle one draws particularly on the boat-song 12/8 rhythm and imagery. Harmonically, it is one of his most advanced works and it also explores trills in a way that Beethoven has done in his late sonatas. © 2005 Robert Andres Recorded at Potton Hall, UK, 17 - 24th June 2004 Produced by Philip Hobbs Engineered by Julia Thomas Post Production at Finesplice, UK Photographs of Artur Pizarro by Sven Arnstein ------------------------------------------------ Chopin: Variations Brillantes Op. 12, Sonata No. 2 in B flat minor Op. 35, Barcarolle in F sharp major Op. 60, Sonata No. 3 in B minor Op. 58 Tracks: 01 Variations Op.12 - Sonata No.2 In B-flat Minor Op.35 02 Grave 03 Scherzo 04 Marche Funébre 05 Finale 06 Barcarolle In F-sharp Major Op. 60 - Sonata No.3 In B Minor, Op. 58 09 Allegro Maestoso 10 Scherzo 11 Largo 12 Presto Non Tanto ------------------------------------------------------- Checksum for iso: f721ed9d4941916442bc05fb42adff7a *Artur Pizarro - Chopin Piano Sonatas.iso Checksums for flac tracks 4.1ch: 8dfe62779632adb30957fa8c0d342077 *01-Variations Brillantes op.12.flac 001916b1f06cbeb1779e10ed22a9ae82 *02-Sonata No.2 in B flat Minor, op.35 - Grave.flac 2e9a29d2c72c28058210a0c7081d951c *03-Sonata No.2 in B flat Minor - Scherzo.flac 48b0a0223a67809b75bcbe1c97df69c9 *04-Sonata No.2 in B flat Minor - Marche Funebre.flac 4528e76a1033596b2561629e723c63f7 *05-Sonata No.2 in B flat Minor - Presto.flac 1175f22c6061dc0d58b7f7ebb778624d *06-Barcarolle in F# major, Op.60.flac 4520b42a711c853e8e19591077461ee8 *07-Sonata No.3 in b minor, op. 58 - Allegro maestoso.flac 04072ecb11568ce435ab436f4931f013 *08-Sonata No.3 in b minor - Scherzo.flac 1e0767762d5241f0d020668bd9d3dbff *09-Sonata No.3 in b minor - Largo.flac b898fcac0b54217f7fe8cda3db7d1ba8 *10-Sonata No.3 in b minor - Presto non tanto.flac Checksums for flac tracks 2ch: 432e820cf09e15ac2570850d7428c823 *01-Variations Brillantes op.12.flac 1602ae7fda1309c2431f095f0b752067 *02-Sonata No.2 in B flat Minor, op.35 - Grave.flac 6a19557c7f6e348fc1aaf36a66eb6791 *03-Sonata No.2 in B flat Minor - Scherzo.flac 05d83054692b542fb684f8a883b8bb5b *04-Sonata No.2 in B flat Minor - Marche Funebre.flac e4ddbb501f7780643c42177a4da7126d *05-Sonata No.2 in B flat Minor - Presto.flac 3626de47cde5fca5b932a0e2cd9ae83c *06-Barcarolle in F# major, Op.60.flac 6337664a6cb9dbabc1aeb15e5da02382 *07-Sonata No.3 in b minor, op. 58 - Allegro maestoso.flac 5bbbb8f149f9090cf4820bfd1e3a018d *08-Sonata No.3 in b minor - Scherzo.flac d0190d6f0965098b857f08627ea32e4f *09-Sonata No.3 in b minor - Largo.flac 3b131fdcf41342ab29ef85c4b46409e6 *10-Sonata No.3 in b minor - Presto non tanto.flac