Chopin Piano Concerto 1 in hires?

[Bugsrus]

Hi All:

 

Question from a newbie. One of the recent free downloads from Linn's 24 bits of Christmas that really caught my ear was the slow movement from Chopin Piano Concerto 1 by Ingrid Fliter and the Scottish Chamber Orchestra. Wonderful sound and balance. Checking the Linn site this will not be released until Feb. Does anyone have other hires recommendations for this piece.

Thanks in advance.

Cheers

Rob

[Musicophile]

I'd go for this, right now available as special price:

 

http://www.qobuz.com/album/krystian-zimerman-los-angeles-philharmonic-carlo-maria-giulini-chopin-piano-concerto-nos-1-2/0002894159702

[Musicophile]

Or, obviously, Chopin: Piano Concertos | HDtracks - The World's Greatest-Sounding Music Downloads

[CatManDo]

I would rather recommend Zimerman. It's a reference performance of the two concertos. The first CD release sounds very good, I don't know if the hi-rez download is worth the upgrade.

 

The Rubinstein is one of the poorer sounding Living Stereo recordings IMHO. I have it on SACD (which cost half the price of the download BTW).

[Musicophile]

I would rather recommend Zimerman. It's a reference performance of the two concertos. The first CD release sounds very good, I don't know if the hi-rez download is worth the upgrade.

 

The Rubinstein is one of the poorer sounding Living Stereo recordings IMHO. I have it on SACD (which cost half the price of the download BTW).

I wouldn't disagree.

 

To make things worse, there is also a second recording available with Zimerman leading the Polish festival orchestra, which is also very good. Unfortunately this one is redbook only, and the OP asked for high-res.

 

Chopin: Piano Concertos Nos.1 & 2 | Frédéric Chopin par Polish Festival Orchestra – Télécharger et écouter l'album

[Bugsrus]

Thanks ! I will check them out.

[Musicophile]

Thanks ! I will check them out.

A word of caution on the Zimerman/Polish festival recording I recommended above. While it is clearly among the best recordings of the two concertos, see e.g.

 

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/28/arts/music/28chopinweb.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0

 

it is also one of the slowest I know, which in some passages works miraculously, but in some other parts may not appeal to all.