Album

Ivory Classics has reissued Earl Wild's recording of Chopin's Four Scherzos and Four Ballades, previously released on the Chesky label shortly after their recording in 1990. The extremely transparent, but not raw, remastered sound adds an extra kick to Wild's performance. Wild is often associated with Liszt, and Liszt is often associated with Chopin, so does that mean that Wild should be associated with Chopin? The way Wild performs these, they do sound something like Liszt's large etudes or tone poems. Wild has a strength and purposefulness in his playing that make these pieces grand and majestic and at times, thrilling. Even in the softer, quiet moments, such as the openings of Ballade No. 2 and Ballade No. 3, the directness and clarity of each note is the defining feature of the moment, rather than a silky phrasing. He does use well-shaped phrasing and fervent emotion in these, but no matter how passionate the music is, there is always that sense of texture in it. The clarity and almost complete detachment of each note from the next is like running your hand over a patch of fresh grass: it is smooth, yet not smooth. The energy of his playing is the other notable feature of these. It is a testament to his technique that he can play so precisely and yet still be compelling. At the moments of the greatest emotion, such as at the end of the Scherzo No. 2, the intensity does not quite build to a heart-stopping pitch, but it is still brilliant and gripping in its own way. Other performers may make these pieces more fluid, more nuanced in expression, but if these works are thought of as somewhat flashy and theatrical narratives or character pieces, Wild's candidness, energy, and strength make the syllogism true.

© Patsy Morita, Rovi

CD 1
Frédéric François Chopin Composer Scherzo No.1 in B-, Op.20 Work Earl Wild Piano
1	Scherzo No.1 in B-, Op.20	9:12			$1.49
Frédéric François Chopin Composer Scherzo No.2 in Bb-, Op.31 Work Earl Wild Piano
2	Scherzo No.2 in Bb-, Op.31	8:55			$1.49
Frédéric François Chopin Composer Scherzo No.3 in C#-, Op.39 Work Earl Wild Piano
3	Scherzo No.3 in C#-, Op.39	6:38			$0.99
Frédéric François Chopin Composer Scherzo No.4 in E, Op.54 Work Earl Wild Piano
4	Scherzo No.4 in E, Op.54	10:28			$1.99
Frédéric François Chopin Composer Ballade No.1 in G-, Op.23 Work Earl Wild Piano
5	Ballade No.1 in G-, Op.23	10:28			$1.99
Frédéric François Chopin Composer Ballade No.2 in F, Op.38 Work Earl Wild Piano
6	Ballade No.2 in F, Op.38	8:40			$1.49
Frédéric François Chopin Composer Ballade No.3 in Ab, Op.47 Work Earl Wild Piano
7	Ballade No.3 in Ab, Op.47	6:54			$0.99
Frédéric François Chopin Composer Ballade No.4 in F-, Op.52 Work Earl Wild Piano
8	Ballade No.4 in F-, Op.52	10:28			$1.99