Argerich Plays Chopin

Universal Classical Album of the Month, February 2010

[1] Ballade No. 1 in G minor Op. 23 [2] Etude in C sharp minor Op. 10 No. 4 [3] Mazurka in C sharp minor Op. 41 No. 4 [4] Mazurka in E minor Op. 41 No. 1 [5] Mazurka in C major Op. 24 No. 2 [6] Mazurka in F minor Op. 63 No. 2 [7] Mazurka in D major Op. 33 No. 2 [8] Nocturne in F major Op. 15 No. 1 [9] Nocturne in E flat major Op. 55 No. 2 [10] Mazurka in A minor Op. 59 No. 1 [11] Mazurka in A flat major Op. 59 No. 2 [12] Mazurka in F sharp minor Op. 59 No. 3 [13-16] Piano Sonata No. 3 in B minor Op. 58

A sensational solo Chopin recital for Chopin Year 2010 – previously unreleased radio recordings from 1959/1967.

Includes works new to the Argerich discography (Ballade No.1, Four Mazurkas, C# minor Etude). Taken from radio recordings made in Berlin and Cologne in 1959 and (mainly) 1967, here is over an hour of newly-discovered Martha Argerich solo recordings of Chopin, all released for the first time and including works otherwise not recorded by her (Ballade No. 1, Mazurkas Opp. 24/2, 33 /2,41/1&2, C# minor Etude).

From her epic First Ballade to the overpowering live Third Sonata - with exquisite performances of Mazurkas and Nocturnes in between - the recital demonstrates what a force of nature she already was in her first decade on the international music scene - “a veritable powerhouse of the emotions”, as Jürgen Otten writes in his liner notes.