Chopin - Piano Music [Serkin]The American Peter Serkin is the son of the famous Rudolf Serkin, but not just someone riding the coattails of his Father's fame, but a pianist in his own right too, i was surprised that he is already 63 years old.
This is a nice recital, recorded in 1986 i think, quite heavy on the Mazurka side of things, i must admit that he at times seems a little sloppy, not a very high level of true brilliance, and yet still a pleasing recital, there seems a somewhat bluntness to the piano sound, there isn't that lovely ring that should be there, it could be a fault of the piano, or maybe the acoustic.
The pieces i enjoyed the most were 2, 7-8, 10 & 13, with track 7 [Ballade 4] the most enjoyable, it's Chopin's last Ballade, and my favourite, right at the beginning it sounds like bells chiming [0:00-0:30], especially the first couple of seconds, a great effect, and then the main tune begins [0:31-2:18], nice and quiet, however i must admit that Serkin afterwards plays sections too slow, and there's a lack of intensity in certain places, the opening is repeated halfway through [6:42+], which is slightly louder and faster, there's a more difficult variation of the main tune [8:18-8:58], but even here there's a degree of nonchalance, as if Serkin's going through the motions, later there's a passage that should be filled with a culmination of passion and pathos [9:20-9:40], i hear other Pianists accentuate this passage well, with a tremendous 'sing' from the keyboard, Serkin seems to be somewhat detached, you know, the more i listen to Peter Serkin's playing, the more i now find that i have a problem with, however it's certainly not bad, and the music is beautiful.
Here's Krystian Zimerman playing Ballade No 4 on YouTube.
