Album

This recording of pianist Alexander Paley playing works of Chopin is on the Blüthner label, a recording entity created by the German piano maker of the same name to showcase artists performing on their instruments. This is not unusual; Steinway also makes frequent recordings of "Steinway Artists" showing off their instruments. What is unusual is that Blüthner makes no comment on the piano in the liner notes. It seems a shame not to get to learn something about the instrument itself if that's one of the things they label is hoping to highlight in making this recording. Nonetheless, the piano on which Paley plays seems like a fine instrument, even in tone across its range, powerful and solid in forte passages while subtle and gentle during pianos. The sound is actually quite reminiscent of another great German maker, Carl Bechstein. As for Paley's playing, it is certainly adequate but also nothing that connoisseurs of great Chopin interpreters Rubinstein or Pollini are likely to settle for. His technique is abundant, but his sense of timing is disjunct and at times even erratic. Tempo rubatos occur far too often, making the true pulse of any given movement difficult to locate. This is especially true in the Scherzi, which speed up and slow down so frequently that driving character of the pieces is lost.

© Mike D. Brownell, All Music Guide

CD 1 of 2
Frédéric François Chopin Composer Sonata No.3 in B-, Op.58 Work 37:51 Alexander Paley Piano
1	1.Allegro maestoso	17:41			$2.99
2	2.Scherzo: Molto vivace	2:53			$0.99
3	3.Largo	10:29			$1.99
4	4.Finale: Presto, ma non tanto	6:48			$0.99
Frédéric François Chopin Composer Ballade No.1 in G-, Op.23 Work Alexander Paley Piano
5	Ballade No.1 in G-, Op.23	10:51			$1.99
Frédéric François Chopin Composer Ballade No.2 in F, Op.38 Work Alexander Paley Piano
6	Ballade No.2 in F, Op.38	7:55			$1.49
CD 2 of 2
Frédéric François Chopin Composer Ballade No.3 in Ab, Op.47 Work Alexander Paley Piano
1	Ballade No.3 in Ab, Op.47	8:41			$1.49
Frédéric François Chopin Composer Ballade No.4 in F-, Op.52 Work Alexander Paley Piano
2	Ballade No.4 in F-, Op.52	13:27			$2.49
Frédéric François Chopin Composer Scherzo No.1 in B-, Op.20 Work Alexander Paley Piano
3	Scherzo No.1 in B-, Op.20	11:24			$1.99
Frédéric François Chopin Composer Scherzo No.2 in Bb-, Op.31 Work Alexander Paley Piano
4	Scherzo No.2 in Bb-, Op.31	13:01			$2.49
Frédéric François Chopin Composer Scherzo No.3 in C#-, Op.39 Work Alexander Paley Piano
5	Scherzo No.3 in C#-, Op.39	8:53			$1.49
Frédéric François Chopin Composer Scherzo No.4 in E, Op.54 Work Alexander Paley Piano
6	Scherzo No.4 in E, Op.54	11:32			$1.99