Samson François - Chopin: Piano Works (2017)

Tracklist

01. Piano Concerto No. 1 in E Minor, Op. 11: I. Allegro maestoso
02. Piano Concerto No. 1 in E Minor, Op. 11: II. Romance. Larghetto
03. Piano Concerto No. 1 in E Minor, Op. 11: III. Rondo. Vivace
04. Piano Concerto No. 2 in F Minor, Op. 21: I. Maestoso
05. Piano Concerto No. 2 in F Minor, Op. 21: II. Larghetto
06. Piano Concerto No. 2 in F Minor, Op. 21: III. Allegro vivace
07. 2 Polonaises, Op. 26: No. 1 in C-Sharp Minor
08. 2 Polonaises, Op. 26: No. 2 in E-Flat Minor
09. 2 Polonaises, Op. 40: No. 1 in A Major "Military"
10. 2 Polonaises, Op. 40: No. 2 in C Minor
11. Polonaise in F-Sharp Minor, Op. 44
12. Polonaise in A-Flat Major, Op. 53 "Heroic"
13. Polonaise-fantaisie in A-Flat Major, Op. 61
14. Andante spianato et Grande polonaise brillante, Op. 22 (Solo Piano Version)
15. 3 Polonaises, Op. Posth. 71: No. 1 in D Minor
16. 3 Polonaises, Op. Posth. 71: No. 2 in B-Flat Major
17. 3 Polonaises, Op. Posth. 71: No. 3 in F Minor
18. Fantasy in F Minor, Op. 49
19. Tarantelle in A-Flat Major, Op. 43
20. Barcarolle in F-Sharp Major, Op. 60
21. Rondo for Two Pianos in C Major, Op. Posth. 73
22. Ballade No. 1 in G Minor, Op. 23
23. Ballade No. 2 in F Major, Op. 38
24. Ballade No. 3 in A-Flat Major, Op. 47
25. Ballade No. 4 in F Minor, Op. 52
26. Scherzo No. 1 in B Minor, Op. 20
27. Scherzo No. 2 in B-Flat Minor, Op. 31
28. Scherzo No. 3 in C-Sharp Minor, Op. 39
29. Scherzo No. 4 in E Major, Op. 54
30. Grande valse brillante in E-Flat Major, Op. 18
31. Waltz No. 2 in A-Flat Major, Op. 34 No. 1
32. Waltz No. 3 in A Minor, Op. 34 No. 2
33. Waltz No. 4 in F Major, Op. 34 No. 3
34. Waltz No. 5 in A-Flat Major, Op. 42
35. Waltz No. 6 in D-Flat Major, Op. 64 No. 1 "Minute"
36. Waltz No. 7 in C-Sharp Minor, Op. 64 No. 2
37. Waltz No. 8 in A-Flat Major, Op. 64 No. 3
38. Waltz No. 9 in A-Flat Major, Op. Posth. 69 No. 1 "Farewell"
39. Waltz No. 10 in B Minor, Op. Posth. 69 No. 2
40. Waltz No. 11 in G-Flat Major, Op. Posth. 70 No. 1
41. Waltz No. 12 in F Minor, Op. Posth. 70 No. 2
42. Waltz No. 13 in D-Flat Major, Op. Posth. 70 No. 3
43. Waltz No. 14 in E Minor, Op. Posth., B. 56
44. Impromptu No. 1 in A-Flat Major, Op. 29
45. Impromptu No. 2 in F-Sharp Major, Op. 36
46. Impromptu No. 3 in G-Flat Major, Op. 51
47. Fantaisie-impromptu in C-Sharp Minor, Op. Posth. 66
48. Piano Sonata No. 2 in B-Flat Minor, Op. 35 "Funeral March": I. Grave-Doppio movimento
49. Piano Sonata No. 2 in B-Flat Minor, Op. 35 "Funeral March": II. Scherzo
50. Piano Sonata No. 2 in B-Flat Minor, Op. 35 "Funeral March": III. Marche funèbre. Lento
51. Piano Sonata No. 2 in B-Flat Minor, Op. 35 "Funeral March": IV. Finale. Presto
52. Piano Sonata No. 3 in B Minor, Op. 58: I. Allegro maestoso
53. Piano Sonata No. 3 in B Minor, Op. 58: II. Scherzo
54. Piano Sonata No. 3 in B Minor, Op. 58: III. Largo
55. Piano Sonata No. 3 in B Minor, Op. 58: IV. Finale. Presto non tanto
56. Mazurka No. 1 in F-Sharp Minor, Op. 6 No. 1
57. Mazurka No. 2 in C-Sharp Minor, Op. 6 No. 2
58. Mazurka No. 3 in E Major, Op. 6 No. 3
59. Mazurka No. 4 in E-Flat Minor, Op. 6 No. 4
60. Mazurka No. 5 in B-Flat Major, Op. 7 No. 1
61. Mazurka No. 6 in A Minor, Op. 7 No. 2
62. Mazurka No. 7 in F Minor, Op. 7 No. 3
63. Mazurka No. 8 in A-Flat Major, Op. 7 No. 4
64. Mazurka No. 9 in C Major, Op. 7 No. 5
65. Mazurka No. 10 in B-Flat Major, Op. 17 No. 1
66. Mazurka No. 11 in E Minor, Op. 17 No. 2
67. Mazurka No. 12 in A-Flat Major, Op. 17 No. 3
68. Mazurka No. 13 in A Minor, Op. 17 No. 4
69. Mazurka No. 14 in G Minor, Op. 24 No. 1
70. Mazurka No. 15 in C Major, Op. 24 No. 2
71. Mazurka No. 16 in A-Flat Major, Op. 24 No. 3
72. Mazurka No. 17 in B-Flat Minor, Op. 24 No. 4
73. Mazurka No. 18 in C Minor, Op. 30 No. 1
74. Mazurka No. 19 in B Minor, Op. 30 No. 2
75. Mazurka No. 20 in D-Flat Major, Op. 30 No. 3
76. Mazurka No. 21 in C-Sharp Minor, Op. 30 No. 4
77. Mazurka No. 22 in G-Sharp Minor, Op. 33 No. 1
78. Mazurka No. 23 in D Major, Op. 33 No. 2
79. Mazurka No. 24 in C Major, Op. 33 No. 3
80. Mazurka No. 25 in B Minor, Op. 33 No. 4
81. Mazurka No. 26 in C-Sharp Minor, Op. 41 No. 1
82. Mazurka No. 27 in E Minor, Op. 41 No. 2
83. Mazurka No. 28 in B Major, Op. 41 No. 3
84. Mazurka No. 29 in A-Flat Major, Op. 41 No. 4
85. Mazurka No. 30 in G Major, Op. 50 No. 1
86. Mazurka No. 31 in A-Flat Major, Op. 50 No. 2
87. Mazurka No. 32 in C-Sharp Minor, Op. 50 No. 3
88. Mazurka No. 33 in B Major, Op. 56 No. 1
89. Mazurka No. 34 in C Major, Op. 56 No. 2
90. Mazurka No. 35 in C Minor, Op. 56 No. 3
91. Mazurka No. 36 in A Minor, Op. 59 No. 1
92. Mazurka No. 37 in A-Flat Major, Op. 59 No. 2
93. Mazurka No. 38 in F-Sharp Minor, Op. 59 No. 3
94. Mazurka No. 39 in B Major, Op. 63 No. 1
95. Mazurka No. 40 in F Minor, Op. 63 No. 2
96. Mazurka No. 41 in C-Sharp Minor, Op. 63 No. 3
97. Mazurka No. 42 in G Major, Op. Posth. 67 No. 1
98. Mazurka No. 43 in G Minor, Op. Posth. 67 No. 2
99. Mazurka No. 44 in C Major, Op. Posth. 67 No. 3
100. 0Mazurka No. 45 in A Minor, Op. Posth. 67 No. 4
101. 1Mazurka No. 46 in C Major, Op. Posth. 68 No. 1
102. 2Mazurka No. 47 in A Minor, Op. Posth. 68 No. 2
103. 3Mazurka No. 48 in F Major, Op. Posth. 68 No. 3
104. 4Mazurka No. 49 in F Minor, Op. Posth. 68 No. 4
105. 5Mazurka No. 50 in A Minor "Notre temps"
106. 6Mazurka No. 51 in A Minor "Émile Gaillard"
107. 712 Études, Op. 10: No. 1 in C Major
108. 812 Études, Op. 10: No. 2 in A Minor "Chromatique"
109. 912 Études, Op. 10: No. 3 in E Major "Tristesse"
110. 012 Études, Op. 10: No. 4 in C-Sharp Minor
111. 112 Études, Op. 10: No. 5 in G-Flat Major "Black Keys"
112. 212 Études, Op. 10: No. 6 in E-Flat Minor
113. 312 Études, Op. 10: No. 7 in C Major
114. 412 Études, Op. 10: No. 8 in F Major
115. 512 Études, Op. 10: No. 9 in F Minor
116. 612 Études, Op. 10: No. 10 in A-Flat Major
117. 712 Études, Op. 10: No. 11 in E-Flat Major "Arpeggio"
118. 812 Études, Op. 10: No. 12 in C Minor "Revolutionary"
119. 912 Études, Op. 25: No. 1 in A-Flat Major "Aeolian Harp"
120. 012 Études, Op. 25: No. 2 in F Minor
121. 112 Études, Op. 25: No. 3 in F Major
122. 212 Études, Op. 25: No. 4 in A Minor
123. 312 Études, Op. 25: No. 5 in E Minor
124. 412 Études, Op. 25: No. 6 in G-Sharp Minor
125. 512 Études, Op. 25: No. 7 in C-Sharp Minor
126. 612 Études, Op. 25: No. 8 in D-Flat Major
127. 712 Études, Op. 25: No. 9 in G-Flat Major "Butterfly"
128. 812 Études, Op. 25: No. 10 in B Minor
129. 912 Études, Op. 25: No. 11 in A Minor "Winter Wind"
130. 012 Études, Op. 25: No. 12 in C Minor
131. 13 Nouvelles Études: No. 1 in F Minor
132. 23 Nouvelles Études: No. 2 in D-Flat Major
133. 33 Nouvelles Études: No. 3 in A-Flat Major
134. 4Nocturne No. 1 in B-Flat Minor, Op. 9 No. 1
135. 5Nocturne No. 2 in E-Flat Major, Op. 9 No. 2
136. 6Nocturne No. 3 in B Major, Op. 9 No. 3
137. 7Nocturne No. 4 in F Major, Op. 15 No. 1
138. 8Nocturne No. 5 in F-Sharp Major, Op. 15 No. 2
139. 9Nocturne No. 6 in G Minor, Op. 15 No. 3
140. 0Nocturne No. 7 in C-Sharp Minor, Op. 27 No. 1
141. 1Nocturne No. 8 in D-Flat Major, Op. 27 No. 2
142. 2Nocturne No. 9 in B Major, Op. 32 No. 1
143. 3Nocturne No. 10 in A-Flat Major, Op. 32 No. 2
144. 4Nocturne No. 11 in G Minor, Op. 37 No. 1
145. 5Nocturne No. 12 in G Major, Op. 37 No. 2
146. 6Nocturne No. 13 in C Minor, Op. 48 No. 1
147. 7Nocturne No. 14 in F-Sharp Minor, Op. 48 No. 2
148. 8Nocturne No. 15 in F Minor, Op. 55 No. 1
149. 9Nocturne No. 16 in E-Flat Major, Op. 55 No. 2
150. 0Nocturne No. 17 in B Major, Op. 62 No. 1
151. 1Nocturne No. 18 in E Major, Op. 62 No. 2
152. 2Nocturne No. 19 in E Minor, Op. Posth. 72 No. 1
153. 324 Preludes, Op. 28: No. 1 in C Major
154. 424 Preludes, Op. 28: No. 2 in A Minor
155. 524 Preludes, Op. 28: No. 3 in G Major
156. 624 Preludes, Op. 28: No. 4 in E Minor
157. 724 Preludes, Op. 28: No. 5 in D Major
158. 824 Preludes, Op. 28: No. 6 in B Minor
159. 924 Preludes, Op. 28: No. 7 in A Major
160. 024 Preludes, Op. 28: No. 8 in F-Sharp Minor
161. 124 Preludes, Op. 28: No. 9 in E Major
162. 224 Preludes, Op. 28: No. 10 in C-Sharp Minor
163. 324 Preludes, Op. 28: No. 11 in B Major
164. 424 Preludes, Op. 28: No. 12 in G-Sharp Minor
165. 524 Preludes, Op. 28: No. 13 in F-Sharp Major
166. 624 Preludes, Op. 28: No. 14 in E-Flat Minor
167. 724 Preludes, Op. 28: No. 15 in D-Flat Major "Raindrop"
168. 824 Preludes, Op. 28: No. 16 in B-Flat Minor
169. 924 Preludes, Op. 28: No. 17 in A-Flat Major
170. 024 Preludes, Op. 28: No. 18 in F Minor
171. 124 Preludes, Op. 28: No. 19 in E-Flat Major
172. 224 Preludes, Op. 28: No. 20 in C Minor
173. 324 Preludes, Op. 28: No. 21 in B-Flat Major
174. 424 Preludes, Op. 28: No. 22 in G Minor
175. 524 Preludes, Op. 28: No. 23 in F Major
176. 624 Preludes, Op. 28: No. 24 in D Minor


When it came to complete recordings of the solo piano works of Chopin in the middle years of the 20th century, there was a time Samson François represented the French school and Artur Rubinstein represented the Polish school, and then there was everybody else. But François' was the only truly complete set, since he recorded all the published and some of the unpublished works, while Rubinstein conspicuously left out the etudes. Beyond completeness, François represented the French school in more than name; he was an individualist who did things his own way. In practice, this works out spectacularly well in some cases and less well in others. Much of it depends on the difficulty of the piece or the passage. Some of the etudes are sensitively played, and parts of the G minor Ballade are very beautifully phrased. The more difficult etudes and the conclusion of the Ballade are hit or miss, with more misses than hits. And so it goes, with the easy preludes like the E minor and the A minor coming off as fresh and spontaneous, while all of the Scherzos seem at any moment ready to go spinning out of control. Anyone interested in studying the evolution of Chopin playing in the 20th century should have an interest in these recordings, but it seems unlikely that François' style of playing will experience a revival because of the reissue of this 10-disc set.

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