Chopin - Claudio Arrau - 4 Ballades (rec. 1953)

[@sergiocontreras8372]

Perhaps the best pianist of all time interpreting one of my favorite pieces, the Ballade 1. What a great pianist. Thanks, Claudito, for ever.

[@hyramesshiramess1035]

One forgets all too easily how very great Claudio Arrau was in his prime. Listeners who like to believe they know something will doubtless want to quibble endlessly about little things they don't like or wish he'd dine differently, etc. but only a fool could fail to recognize the magnitude of this achievement. All of the ballades are played thoughtfully, masterfully with the kind of musicality that goes far beyond mere brilliance. Comparisons never fail to be odious. There are any number of others I respect greatly, some I like as well or better for different reasons, but this is very great playing by any known standard. Just wonderful.

[@noblerkin]

+Hyramess Hiramess So very well said! (And you must have a great liking for Dame Myra Hess)

[@pianogus]

Hyramess Hiramess I can't agree more. You may or may not like a particular rendition of his, but Arrau is Arrau. No one questions that.

[@Obaysch]

Hyramess Hiramess amen, brother

[@meredith218461]

The thing that was so impressive with Arrau was his fierce artistic integrity. He possessed a formidable technique that was never used for shallow display, but always used intelligently to hone meaningful and thoughtful performances from his vast repertoire. I always loved the bigness and sanity of his tonal range which was free of bogus or empty rhetoric. Arrau is heard here as you imply in his absolute prime producing one finest accounts ever of the four Ballade.

[@berthill2305]

Absoluely agree. The later recordings of the ballades are a little slower, but the integrity is there in both. Great stuff.

[@robertsoverall8760]

I love Claudio Arrau. He doesn't rush through everything...you get to hear notes, not just speed.

[@marekvollach7831]

Thx for saying that because I DO MOT APPREHEND those guys who think poor unformed and immature yuja wang’s speed is musical interpretation. For example She mimics Horowitz’s fantasy on Carmen and plays it like a ticking clock: there is no breath, no pause and certainly devoid of drama.

[@paulchristensen7276]

Agreed

[@pianogus]

Arrau is unparalleled in every way. Some people may have diverging opinions, but at the end of the day no one can ignore this absolute genius of an interpreter.

[@miryambarnabas2424]

*W❤W*

[@meredith218461]

The thing I love about Arrau is his big rounded sonority, a unique sound he produced completely without affectation. He presents the Chopin 4 Ballade with a noble strength and passion plus lyricism that never descends into mawkishness. He was a pianist of huge artistic integrity.

[@guillearacenag]

"El Emperador", "Emperador de la "Intercomunicación", "Intercomunicación" con los "Clásicos", "Clásicos" de hace Siglos. DON CLAUDIO, al igual que aquellos "clásicos", MERECE ser recordado "por los siglos de los siglos, ARRÁU🙏". Saludos desde Chile🇨🇱.

[@rossellafiorda9811]

Grande pianista. Le note che prendono vita! Stupendo!

[@Elagabus]

Brings back such happy memories of seeing and hearing Claudio Arrau perform when I was still at school. Pure magic.

[@miltongajardo9800]

I listenes the Ballade In G minor, hundreds of time,,,today I discovered for the very fist time it's very sound. Mr. Arrau was magnificent, in this old recording.

[@wallyssalas]

Arrau understood well Chopin's innate romanticism and dramatism in his compositions. It is not only the precision in which Claudio Arrau read Chopin's written notes and all his markings and musical notations, but also how he was able to transfer to his piano Chopin's dramatic tones, emotional underscores of his themes, and the passionate definition of his notable piano pieces. When Arrau plays Chopin I get the feeling, the strong impression, that his hands, his extraordinary fingers are physically, directly connected to his brain: the fountain of his art.

[@georgesmelki1]

Outstanding! One of the giants of the 20th century!

[@themusicalgerbil192]

I very much like how Mr. Arrau played Chopin. The meno mosso section of the first Ballade was astounding.

[@francoissaillard1050]

Bravo, interprétation superbe. Elle reste une référence encore aujourd'hui après 65 ans ! malgré les dizaines d'autres plus récentes.

[@miryambarnabas2424]

*Tres bien dit Fran¢ois!* Je me suis inscrite a Votre Collection!

[@JohanHerrenberg]

This is so great, it's almost frightening.

[@bosendorferboy]

This is far beyond the ordinary! Love this recording, love Arrau's playing.

[@miryambarnabas2424]

*W❤W*

[@procuralink]

excelente interpretación, no cabe duda que la madurez de Don Claudio y si escuela nos hacen disfrutar cada nota de esta hermosa balada.

[@lernerprogettomemoria4455]

This is beyond music performance. It is a universal and yet intimate story telling. Devine and yet very personal. The structure is so logical and credible with its emotional instabilities. I admire such fusion between elegance and passion. One of the greatest

[@miryambarnabas2424]

*Greatest Message!*

[@WarinPartita6]

WOW.​ What​ a​ real​ revelation! I​ was​ told​ not​ to​ listen​ to​ ARRAU​'s​ playing​ Chopin​ because​ it​ was​'​strange.' Now​ i​ know​ that​ he​ has​ another​ way​ to​ interpret the​se​ masterpiece​s​ and​ it​ sure​ is​ not​ only​ very​ convincing but​ also​ gorgeous​ and​ insightful.​ Thanks​ for​ sharing​ this​ great​ Master​'s​ artistry.​

[@miryambarnabas2424]

🙌💖🙌🕊️

[@nataljagolomb5960]

Моя любимая баллада с детства до зрелого возраста. Шопен всегда дарит свет и надежду . Спасибо ему за это . Спасибо исполнителю и авторам этого ролика за прекрасную музыку .

[@chisato0033]

chopin の balledeは、いろんなピアニストの演奏を何百回も聴いてきましたが、4番の良さを初めて認識できました。1とか3は派手で目立つから分かりやすいけど、4、隠れた名曲ですね。

[@JoseMedina-sv8uy]

Consideroque Arrau es uno de los grandes pianistas de todos los tiempos. También me gusta mucho su ejecución de los conciertos de piano de Beethoven. Orgullo Chileno y Latinoamericano. Saludos desde México. Muchas Gracias por compartir.

[@miryambarnabas2424]

*Orgullo Chileno y Sur-Americano! Claro!*😊

[@marekvollach7831]

What beautiful phrase shaping.. original, personal and artistically interpreted.. sensitive yet powerfully effective rubato

[@berlinzerberus]

One channel more! ;-) Arrau and Chopin´s 4 Ballades, that´s truly an internal musical elective affinity - Superb!

[@goldenboy886]

Mr. Arrau you will be disappointed to witness the slow depreciation of such masterpieces in today's world.

[@mariovillalobos3904]

En efecto. Hoy predomina hacer gala de gran destresa técnica por sobre la interpretación.

[@Obaysch]

MikeACastillo work on improving your understanding, my dear

[@kumotakagami9228]

MikeACastillo Yundi Li plays like a shit.

[@zuhairbakdoud2464]

Speed for its own sake deservedly boomerangs on the superficial show-off ass

[@zuhairbakdoud2464]

Clarity and appropriate speed enables the listener to hear the notes. I hope the Dumkoepfe who stupidly intend to impress via speed will read he above. I do NOT apologize for my bluntness ...

[@joost505]

Arrau is still one of the best pianists of all time. Even when a piece is very overplayed he can still baffle me with his interpretation.

[@miryambarnabas2424]

Well said! Me too... Love the Chilean Maestro!

[@박수현-b4e8r]

Soft & brilliant touches. True Chopin 's Ballades Great Maestro Claudio Arrau

[@hannastaszak1684]

Ta muzyka będzie zachwycać wiecznie. Wspaniałe i ponadczasowe. Dzieło stuleci i symbol naszego narodu polskiego.

[@miryambarnabas2424]

Amen! Chopin!

[@skayc1009]

Unsure who I like more- Chopin or Arrau hahaha Claudio Arrau ..assolutamente magnifico

[@baybeegurlee5173]

Claudio Arrau is one of my favorites

[@zorrderschnitter2]

Arrau is the one, where close listening is the most rewarded

[@annabelboulton1227]

Uno de los más grandes intérpretes de Chopin de toda la historia!!!

[@SergioCerdaUIC]

Sin duda. También he podido escuchar sus tremendas interpretaciones de Beethoven. Una lástima no haber podido verlo en vivo, nací en una época equivocada.

[@zuhairbakdoud1360]

Has anyone heard Arrau play the Chopin etudes? I never knew he could play so dashingly.

[@germanruiz7144]

Un verdadero Maestro,artista!!!!

[@freddysaezvelasquez4320]

gracias por tanto maestro Arrau sublime ! orgullo chileno

[@JoseMedina-sv8uy]

Y también latiniamericano.

[@jimhendricks88]

I especially love his tone in the 4th Ballade!

[@CarmenReyes-em9np]

Arrau uno de los grand🧡✅es de siempre CHILE

[@miryambarnabas2424]

*CHILE*

[@davisatdavis1]

Just remember, this guy was able to play all of Liszt's transcendental etudes at age 11, and could read notes before he could read words...

[@coquimbo53]

Exactly..!...and at the age of 5 , he performance his first concert in front of the Chilean President, his Gabinete and Diplomatic...that awarded him with a scholarship to study in Germany....Genius.!

[@germanruiz7144]

El más grande !!!!!

[@alvarogarciabarbosa3199]

Súper genio el maestro Arrau, uno de los mejores pianistas de la historia.

[@BEETHOVEN_H_]

Sí señor! .. Este gran master tenía sus 4 espíritus de 4 grandes pianistas de allí su magistral habilidad y pureza musical que llega hasta lo más profundo de nuestras almas.. ❤🔥♪🔥❤👌

[@Wolfman26]

magistral.

[@Barettix]

Gracias por estas baladas. Era cerca de medianoche, había luna, y las disfruté muchísimo.

[@silviacervellati4290]

Meraviglioso in una musica sublime🌹

[@arturozeballos1]

MAGISTRAL COMO SIEMPRE!!!!!

[@user-sy5sq4wc5q]

Sí, es fuera de serie, extraordinario.

[@Dylonely_9274]

Great interpretations, Arrau is really good on Chopin pieces.

[@Dylonely_9274]

36:36

[@eduardoguzman6103]

simplemente mágico...

[@miryambarnabas2424]

*Que SI!*

[@Schubertd960]

Wow. That fourth ballade was something else. Haven't heard the likes of it since Richter or Cho.

[@carmen6169]

Se escuchan divinas en manos de Arrau. 🇮🇷💞

[@miryambarnabas2424]

Amen! 💕🕊️🙌

[@myriammarchant8536]

Era genial!

[@heikkimesterton]

Pidän tätä tulkintaa ehdottomasti parhaana!

[@arsflores52]

La Balada que ilumina la escena de "El Pianista"...bueno mi ex también la tocaba de forma magistral...

[@carmen6169]

Sus manos perfectas para el piano. 🇮🇷💞🌹

[@newpasserby]

Superb!

[@ivangusev6381]

wonderful

[@carmen6169]

Baladas Claudio Arrau. 🇮🇷✅💞💯

[@NN-rn1oz]

Played on a Baldwin grand.

[@carmen6169]

Que hermoso niño 🇮🇷💞🌹

[@zuhairbakdoud1360]

When l have a piece of music which I cannot understand because it is so fast that l cannot hear the components piece

[@AlexanderArsov]

Strikingly similar to his 1977 remakes. Tremendous performances anyway, highly individual yet musically coherent if one does resist the passion for comparisons which is the lowest, the cheapest and the most meretricious form of "criticism". What a pity Arrau was so poorly recorded for most of his career!

[@rayakh6752]

👍🙏❤️

[@Chaconne33]

)

[@Dylonely_9274]

37:20

[@TiticatFollies]

Wonderful as these are, I still prefer Moravec's exquisite and incomparable renditions.

[@galanis38]

Just how many renditions of these very oft-played and recorded works have you heard? So many great pianists have interpreted them -- you have ONE preference among all?

[@ewaldsteyn469]

I certainly prefer the Arrau over the Moravec. But taste differ and if you like the Moravec more, enjoy it. We won't all like the same things.

[@TwelfthRoot2]

People that say polish pianists have more insight to Chopin either know nothing about piano or are just trying to claim Chopin as their own (I'm talking to you, Artur Rubinstein).

[@papa_mia4495]

+TwelfthRoot2 *Facepalm*

[@PrincessDesert]

Why are you Taking it out on him? Artur Rubinstein is the one who Found Claudio Arrau, Recognized him, and Gave him Fame

[@TwelfthRoot2]

I don't think Arrau's fame needed Rubinstein. He was a marvelous pianist.

[@PrincessDesert]

TwelfthRoot2 Rubinstein did Arrau a Favor. You have to be a true Hungarian or at least have studied under a Hungarian Master in order to play Franz Liszt (there's no way around it.) Notice only Cziffra has real knowledge when it comes to Hungarian Rapsodies.

[@zuhairbakdoud2464]

Whenever I listen to a piece of music which makes no sense to me, l listen to Arrau in order to hear the notes, understand structure, phrasing

[@papa_mia4495]

I prefer Lang Lang over these performances..... Said no fuck ever.

[@TiticatFollies]

Who's Lang Lang?

[@papa_mia4495]

TiticatFollies Exactly.

[@williamshakespeare1775]

Yes, Lang Lang is the greatest, along with the oldtimers Liberace and Chico Marx.

[@mcoldewey]

Perfect. I never listen to Arrau without being struck by how ... he plays the same notes as everyone else, but ... they don't sound like his playing - it's as if he knew something about the pieces that nobody else understood.

[@alicialopez3150]

Papa