Chopin

Album review

This 2023 Sony Classical release by Florian Krumpöck makes a good comparison with a similar Chopin album by pianist Janne Mertanen that appeared around the same time. Both feature substantial works from later in Chopin's career; both are by Chopin-specialist pianists who are highly esteemed by cognoscenti but are hardly household names. Also, oddly enough, both are on Sony Classical. That might seem like a catalog redundancy, but Sony's people know what they are doing, for Chopin interpretation is arguably among the most subjective tasks a pianist can take on. Where Mertanen cultivates a dreamy interiority, Krumpöck's readings are imposing and public-facing. Hear the opening of the Ballade in G minor, Op. 23, where he gets maximal resonance out of the opening note. The centerpiece of his program is the Piano Sonata No. 2 in B flat minor, Op. 35, with its famous funeral march coming out suitably imposing in Krumpöck's hands. This is tumultuous, passionate Chopin that reminds the listener why Chopin and Liszt, who might easily have played these works this way, had quite a rivalry. The recording was made at the Kurhaus Semmering in 2018; there is no word on why it took until 2023 to be released, but the sound, catching the intensity of Krumpöck's performances, is ideal. The bottom line is that both of Sony's 2023 Chopin albums are worth hearing.

© James Manheim /TiVo