Chopin: Piano Concerto No. 2 Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		0.0
Audio		3.5
Extras		0.0
Overall		3.5

Chopin: Piano Concerto No. 2 Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Jeffrey Kauffman May 1, 2011

When is the first the second, and vice versa? No, this isn’t some Biblical parable, it’s a simply question of musical history. Chopin fans know that the pianist-composer wrote both of his piano concerti within just a few months of each other, when Chopin was still quite young. His second completed concerto was actually published first, while his premier foray into the genre reached the publisher second. These sorts of historical vagaries may not be incredibly important in the long run, but they help to explain why the putative First Piano Concerto may seem just slightly more developed and assured than the Second. It’s interesting to note (no pun intended) that Chopin crafted both of these pieces in minor keys, actually only a half step apart, and they both do share certain similarities in structure and even thematic approach. Both of Chopin’s entries in the piano concerto repertoire are frequently dismissed as rote, uncreative and second- or even third-rate, but a less cynical appreciation of either of these works shows a solid, if not especially innovative, craftsman, especially considering Chopin’s tender age when he wrote these. Both of the concertos offer sumptuous melody, appealing rhythms and absolutely daunting solo piano passages. While it’s true they probably don’t rise to the masterpiece level of, say, Beethoven’s or Brahms’ contributions, there is much to be loved in each of these pieces, and we’re lucky that with the advent of the 200th anniversary of Chopin’s birth, we’ve had a rather remarkable series of releases of Chopin’s music, including several nice outings distributed by premier classical label Naxos. Naxos has offered us Blu-ray audio discs of two releases, one for each Chopin piano concerto (with a smattering of bonus musical content), by Uzbekistan pianist Eldar Nebolsin which the label released on CD a couple of years ago. Both of these releases make for interesting contrast with some of the other Naxos distributed releases of Chopin music. Nebolsin treads a rather interesting middle ground between flashiness and introspection that frequently offers at least dribs and drabs of the best of both worlds, even if the overall impression he gives can be toward the conservative, restrained side of things.

In some ways, this putative “Second” concerto is more rhythmically facile and propulsive than the first, as evidenced by the lightly swinging dotted rhythm which accents the first movement. Chopin also musically investigates a descending chromatic sequence upon which he builds his typically filigreed melodic statements, and Nebolsin is able to articulate both the vertical and horizontal strands of Chopin’s thinking in a very clear exposition. There’s almost a quasi-martial feel to this movement which conductor Antoni Wit is able to evoke without making it too bombastic. As pedestrian as some people have accused this concerto of being, there are moments that sound positively Brahmsian, though perhaps without Brahms’ elegance and orchestration brilliance. Wit manages some fine work in this movement with the winds and reeds with the Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra, and the string section is also quite decisive in the declamatory opening statements. As with Chopin's other concerto, there's an unusually long orchestral statement before the piano makes its first forceful entrance, but once Nebolsin has entered the fray, his playing assumes a nicely dramatic edge which maintains focus squarely on the solo instrument.

Nebolsin’s seemingly innate reserve once again equips him perhaps genetically to really cull the most out of this concerto’s quieter, more introspective second movement, a charming Larghetto, much as Nebolsin did with the first’s interior movement. The lyrical, meditative nature of the Larghetto is lovingly fussed over by Nebolsin here, who stretches time appealingly in several of the heavily ornamented phrases.

The charming quasi-waltz Allegro vivace Mazruka which closes out the concerto is given a rhythmically astute reading by Wit, who veers from too aggressive a tempo and instead lets the natural accents of the phrasing provide quite a bit of the momentum. Nebolsin’s phrasing here is distinct and fiery, able to quickly navigate the insanely fast passages with no problem. The lovely folk-song quality of this movement is highlighted by the excellent interplay between Nebolsin and the Warsaw Philharmonic, as if two old friends who know the same melody are having a song filled conversation. This movement also at least partially puts the lie to the critics who claim Chopin didn't have an innovative bone in his orchestral body, especially with regard to orchestration. The strings' col legno moments are just one creative use of various sections in this movement, which in fact is fully alive with a number of colorful effects.

The extra-concerto offerings on this disc are two interesting and rather disparate choices, Variations on 'La ci darem la mano' from 'Don Giovanni', Op. 2, and Andante spianato and Grande Polonaise brillante in E flat major, Op. 22. It's fascinating to hear Chopin's "take" on Mozart's music, and indeed Chopin's approach is almost like twisting Mozart's typical scalar propensities into chromatic pretzels of pianistic virtuosity. The Variations prove what a protean arranger Chopin could be, as each of the eight movements has a very distinctive character. This is actually the piece that brought Chopin to the attention of Schumann. While the Andante and Grande Polonaise are in fact two separately composed pieces which were joined together (as was frequently the custom back then) by an enterprising music publisher, the two actually work rather well together. Though this is yet another piece often thought of as one of Chopin's "miniatures," the Polonaise section at least offers some bracing orchestral playing that is invigorating and which is very proudly delivered here by the Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra.

Chopin: Piano Concerto No. 2 Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

As with other Naxos "audio only" Blu-rays, there is indeed some minimal video content, a main menu screen where you can toggle between movements and select which audio output you wish to listen to. It's not necessary to actually utilize a video monitor with any of these audio only releases, as the red button on your remote will select the DTS-HD Master Audio 5.0 mix and the green button will do the same for the LPCM 2.0 mix, and simply pressing the chapter skip button will get you from track to track.

Chopin: Piano Concerto No. 2 Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

As with the contemporary release of the first concerto on Naxos audio Blu-ray, there are some niggling issues to report about the two lossless audio options, a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.0 and an LPCM 2.0, both, as is Naxos' usual custom, delivered via 24-bit/88.2kHz recordings. In poking around for background information on these releases, it seems that perhaps Naxos did not use their own engineers for these releases, and that may account for what our User Review refers to as a "muddy" sound. I personally wouldn't use that appellation, as I find the clarity of this recording rather exceptional, especially with regard to the piano. What strikes my ears, especially in the DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 mix, is the lack of discrete channel utilization for various sections and instruments, giving the orchestra a more "massed" sound than is typical of the best high definition surround recordings. That makes the orchestra sound more monolithic than it might otherwise, and as such, individual lines (especially interior lines) are sometimes lost in the shuffle. Whether this is due to unusual, or perhaps even inadequate, microphone placement or is the result of less than artful mixdown is anyone's guess, but my personal hunch is that microphone placement played at least a part in this "curtain" of orchestral sound. All of this shouldn't frighten potential listeners off, as my equal hunch is that few are going to be dramatically bothered by the sort of massed orchestral sound this audio Blu-ray presents. The recording itself is clear, especially with regard to the piano, and if amplitude is an issue, a quick adjustment of the volume can help to overcome that aspect.

Chopin: Piano Concerto No. 2 Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

No supplements are included on this audio Blu-ray.

Chopin: Piano Concerto No. 2 Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

As with this release's "sibling" offering of the First Piano Concerto, this 2009 performance utilizes the first recording of the new Polish National Chopin Edition, which seeks to restore the composer's works to their original form, as opposed to the often over-revised and re-scored versions which cropped up over the years as various "experts" attempted to "improve" Chopin, especially with regard to orchestration. While Wit and the Warsaw Philharmonic turn in an appealing performance here, as with their account of the First, some listeners may be wanting a little more fire than is offered here, for better or worse. Nebolsin is a completely competent pianist who is able to tow a middle line between flashy brilliance and a more introspective meditative quality. That propensity makes him ideally suited for this Concerto's central movement, a lovely romantic oasis between two stormier bookends. There are some (in my opinion) minor audio issues here which deprive the orchestral aspect from being as spacious as listeners have grown accustomed to hearing in a high definition surround recording, but for the budget price these new Blu-rays are going for, that aspect can probably be overlooked by many. As such, this release is Recommended.