Cortot - Chopin Nocturne No. 2 in E flat major, Op.9 No.2

[JulianoAlberto2005]

Thumbs up if Dexter brought you here!

[oneginee]

Rachmaninoff got the aristocratic side of chopin but with more abandon, the hidden messages behind the somptuous melodic line. Cortot's piano playing sounds more beautiful pleasing to the soul. Both of them the best Chopin interpreter.

[svendiamond]

wow I keep seeing all these comments about how this guy is the "best" at interpreting Chopin and I'd have to agree. He let's the tempo slow down and speed up just right... it's crazy!

[SatchmoSings]

And I always thought that Rachmaninoff's was the best.

Fantastic!

[veolixoa]

Is Cortot playing left hand octaves from 3:30-3:37? Sounds so different to my ears but I love the way it sounds. I suppose that's the genius of Cortot.

[Matlopsa94]

The best version of it without any doubt.

Gotta love Cortot.

[jmflaten]

Detective Lundy music! lol.

[JayIvory87]

I've heard other versions but oh this just hits the spot. I think it's because he's not afraid to play it outside of the box. So much rubato, expression, and beauty. When I listen to this while looking at the notes its extremely difficult to decipher what he did exactly. Almost like an impromptu as it should sound like. Just wonderful.. I could go on with more but I think you get the point.

[yenhoho]

i like how the piano sounds in the Cortot's time

[larbo1616]

Beautiful music...

[T3hL337Sesshy]

Some how, it sounds way too pretentious to me. The rubato is sickening at moments, and he blithely throws in extra notes here and there. It's not surprising that he was a Nazi sympathizer.

[MrNobleSavagery]

somehow you sound like a bigot

[DevilsInstrument]

@T3hL337Sesshy Wow, way to make even musical style, that most benign of subjects, into a political statement. 'Pretentious'? Talk about the pot calling the kettle black...

[T3hL337Sesshy]

@DevilsInstrument Benign? Rather than being benign, musical style is a matter of personal taste. I wasn't making a political statement, I was being glib. Style reflects the character of the performer, and yes, Cortot's style does make him come across as pretentious to me. On top of that, it's a known fact that Chopin himself despised excessive rubato above all else. Aside from being little more than an opinion, I feel my evaluation is fairly just.

[DevilsInstrument]

@T3hL337Sesshy The lesson we learn from performers like Cortot is that one doesn't have to do everything the way the composer intended it, one can take interpretative license. One 'historical' performance is quite enough, thanks much; we don't need every performer in existence to follow what the composer thought was appropriate. Other than not doing everything as it's marked on the page, how does rubato make Cortot pretentious?

And anyway, how are 'benign' and 'personal taste' opposites?

[T3hL337Sesshy]

@DevilsInstrument You use "interpretative license" as an apparent euphemism for "a license to diametrically oppose the intentions of the composer to the point that the quality of the music is severely compromised." I'm not saying every performer in existence needs to obey Chopin's every minute direction to be good, I'm just saying that in this case it results in a pretty shitty-sounding performance. The rubato isn't what makes him pretentious in and of itself, although it contributes.

[DevilsInstrument]

@T3hL337Sesshy Only one of us seems to think that "the quality of the music is severely compromised", so no, I'm not using it as a euphemism. If the rubato isn't what makes it pretentious, what does?

[T3hL337Sesshy]

@DevilsInstrument Are you really trying to debate me about my own opinion, or are you so mystified as to how anybody could possibly dislike this recording? And refer to my reply to my own response for the rest of my explanation. I don't know what kind of answer would satisfy you, though; shall I say "because this note here is played relative to that note there with this specific velocity and that interval of time, that's why he's pretentious"?

[DevilsInstrument]

@T3hL337Sesshy Perhaps an answer that didn't rely so much on calling him pretentious? It is obvious that I will convince you nothing; however, lest you go so far as to dismiss all of Cortot's playing as 'saccharine', I should remind you that he's considered by many to be the greatest interpreter of Chopin ever for a reason. This is far from the best recording he ever made. But the same expressive freedom you dismiss is what gives him his enormous, nearly unrivaled power over music.

[T3hL337Sesshy]

@DevilsInstrument So let me get this straight... you asked me to explain why I think he's pretentious... and you'd like me to do that without calling him pretentious. This debate has devolved into nonsense already. I have not yet gone so far as to dismiss all of his playing as such, no, but this particular recording has left enough of an impression on me that I would be heavily biased towards doing so upon further listening. Perhaps you could direct me to a more accessible recording.

[DevilsInstrument]

@T3hL337Sesshy I could have phrased that clearer, sorry. I meant actually providing solid reasons for calling him that rather than just saying "I think he's pretentious", as you have done so far. I just think 'pretentious' is, well...kind of a pretentious word to use here. 'Saccharine', 'maudlin', OK. 'Pretentious'? What does that even mean applied to music?

Better recordings? Etudes 1933/34, Preludes, Ballade No.4, Barcarolle, Debussy Preludes, anything by Ravel or Beethoven (try Op.109).

[T3hL337Sesshy]

@T3hL337Sesshy As to exactly how I feel it's pretentious, I don't know if I really feel like attempting to explain a very subjective observation in objective terms. His interpretation lacks subtlety and modesty as it sounds to me, let's say. It's saccharine, maudlin. As much as he completely ignores Chopin's particular disdain for an exaggerated rubato, he doesn't seem to "get" the composer well enough to bring out the true beauty of the piece.

[beeteep60]

I think the top 4 guys who play this well is 1.Cortot

2.Horowitz

3.Rubinstein

4.Rachmainoff

[fledgehog]

@beeteep60 rachmaninoff should be higher on that list -- his interpretation is genius. and it is true that no modern-day pianist can compare with the soul of those older pianists who still had true romantic roots.

[beeteep60]

@fledgehog i agree but there not in any kind of order based on there playing just the ones i think play it well

[djehoti]

WOW! I'm not sure but I think I've listened to just about every YT video of this piece and this is the best. I'ts like he plays it like my soul wants to hear it.

[petrof4056]

so musician, surnatural! my brother's godfather was an Alfred Cortot assistant, for him he was not human. what a touch!

[paulostroff99]

Along with Lipatti-IMHO-the best of all the recorded versions. After these two Chopin gods,I'd pick Hofmann third. Bravo! TY..

[gabrielajael]

Excelente!!!!

[billyguns2]

Too many hesitations for my taste. Listen to Rosenthal, dePachmann, and von Sauer, all who maintain a steadier left hand and more judicious use of rubato; they also are gentler and more poetic.