Mikhail Pletnev - Chopin: Piano Works (1997)

This all-Chopin disc marked Mikhail Pletnev's debut as a pianist on Deutsche Grammophon. Although Pletnev's interpretive approach was castigated in some corners, his playing is admirable and extraordinarily manly, with a decidedly Slavic cast and yet with all kinds of elegance. One is struck repeatedly by Pletnev's crystalline arpeggiations, the velocity of his passage work, his singing tone, his rhythmic suppleness, and, above all, the grandeur of his sound. And does DG ever do a number on that! If you've ever turned pages or played on a real stage, this is the sound you hear: big, resonant, incredibly solid, rich in overtones, and slow to decay. The weight and immediacy of the lower octave are better captured here than on most other recordings, as is the action of the dampers. -- Ted Libbey