[Pugg]

Maurizio Pollini and Rafal Blechacz are doing a very good job.

 

[PeterF]

My favorites are:
Argerich
Arrau
Rubinstein
Moravec

 

[almondandsoy]

I love the Cortot recording, however sound quality makes it a tough companion. Reason why the Argerich version is still my go to, and also one of my favourite recordings of anything. The Preludes being the marvellous and unique beasts they are, it feels like they deserve a legendary / unique reading; Argerich packs the panache and technical skills to make this happen, more so than anybody else. Pollini's, whilst amazing, seem quite morose and grey in comparison, and heavy at times. Listen to Argerich's insane Prelude no.16 - ridiculously explosive-, no.3 -touch of gold-, or no. 9 -unmatched fluidity-, they will give you an idea of what to expect. Enjoy.

 

[Fan66]

After sampling many many recordings, my favorites are as follows:

Luganksi
Blechacz
Shelley
Yundi* (still have not listening extensively)
Zaritzkaya

 

[Oldhoosierdude]

I'm having an odd sense of deja vu...I distinctly remember answering this question, but I don't see my reply anywhere in this thread! Maybe it was in another thread on the same topic.

Anyway, my favorite recording of the Chopin preludes is by a rather obscure pianist: Adam Harasiewicz. He brings out the contrapuntal textures very clearly. Unlike many pianists, who emphasize mainly the right-hand melodies, he does justice to all the polyphonic lines.

I picked up a 2 cd set for a few $. Haven't listened yet.

 

[Pugg]

I picked up a 2 cd set for a few $. Haven't listened yet.

I did too, €5.00 shipped, on the way still.

 

[Bettina]

Oldhoosierdude and Pugg, I'm glad that my recommendation was useful to you! I hope you enjoy the Harasiewicz set as much as I do. When you've had a chance to listen to it, please come back to this thread and let me know what you think.

 

[Pugg]

Oldhoosierdude and Pugg, I'm glad that my recommendation was useful to you! I hope you enjoy the Harasiewicz set as much as I do. When you've had a chance to listen to it, please come back to this thread and let me know what you think.

How can I resist such a nice request. :kiss:

 

[mollig]

Another vote for Sokolov.

 

[andrzejmakal]

Sokolov, Pogorelich.

 

[joen_cph]

I re-visited the Pogorelich recently, and found it surprisingly good and interesting.

Of complete sets, I've got

• Pogorelich /dg
• Blechacz/dg
• Karolyi /arkadia
• Cortot 1942-43 /piano library + international media
• Cortot 1933 (?)/melodiya LP
• Katsaris /sony
• Kissin /rca
• Argerich /dg
• Sofronitsky /brilliant
• Gulda /membran
• R.Kerer /melodiya-emi LP
• Moravec /connoisseur society LP
• Magaloff /philips LP
• Arrau /philips ca.1980 LP
• J M Darre /vanguard LP (not very interesting)
• Pollini live 1960 /joker LP
• Fiorentino /saga LP
• Alexeev /emi LP

I'm sure there are dozens of potentially interesting, other ones out there (including Sokolov, his Etudes and Sonata 2 also on Naive are very good, for example), but that's pretty much enough for me these days.

 

[Mandryka]

Good to see Kerer and Karolyi there @joen_cph

 

[Op.123]

Cortot surpasses all others, not just in terms of poetry of phrasing but also in terms of the multitude of colours he elicits from the piano. Although, as brilliant as they are and as much as they have received classic status, I don't find them quite as unimpeachable as his recordings of the etudes and ballades. I also enjoy Argerich for a more technically assured approach in better sound.

 

[AndresVel]

My personal favorites: Argerich, Pogorelich (both of these belong to my all-time favorite recordings of any work, the palette of colors they achieve is out of this world), Pollini.
More recent recordings I find superb too: Tharaud, Blechacz

 

[Montarsolo]

Recently purchased Pogorelich's recording at a thrift store. When I listened to it I immediately sat up straight. The preludes are exciting masterpieces when he plays them. Then listened to Kissin's recording. Then suddenly they became normal piano pieces.