Boris Berezovsky - Chopin, Godowsky: Etudes (2017)

Leopold Godowsky's "transcriptions" of Chopin's etudes are notorious for being technically difficult beyond the originals and, therefore, are rarely played, much less recorded, unless the pianist is a super-virtuoso like Marc-André Hamelin. Boris Berezovsky is another who has proven himself up to the task of successfully performing the fiendish studies. For this recital recording (the only indication of its live recording is the applause at the beginning and end), Berezovsky selected 11 of Godowsky's studies, and for all but two of them, he first played Chopin's etude before Godowsky's arrangement. This makes it much easier for the listener to understand the changes Godowsky made and the difficulties of their performance. It's obvious that he's inverted the arpeggios of Chopin's Op. 10/1 and that he's moved the running figures of Chopin's Op. 10/2 from the right hand to the left in his "Ignus Fatuus." Godowsky gave the Op. 25/1 a similar treatment, but gave the accompaniment even more filigree than Chopin. Berezovsky actually performs three of Godowsky's arrangements of the Etude, Op. 10/5. The first transposes the "Study on Black Keys" in G sharp major to a "Study on White Keys" in C major. The second transforms its meter and rhythm into a wild tarantella. The final version here is Godowsky's study called "Badinage," where the Op. 10/5 etude is ingeniously combined with the Etude, Op. 25/9. Berezovsky gives this last one a very appropriate glib and playful reading. He can play very softly and touchingly, as in the Etude, Op. 10/6 or Godowsky's mazurka version of the Etude, Op. 25/5, but there is always a sense of strength and conviction behind his playing. It's most striking in Godowsky's transcription for left hand alone of Chopin's "Revolutionary" Etude. Berezovsky's ability to separate the lines of music and his expert use of the pedals frequently make it sound as if he's using two hands, instead of just the one. His speed is minimally less than the original in these left-hand transcriptions, giving us amateurs comfort that even virtuosos have some weaknesses, even if it's not much of one. Berezovsky finishes the recital with Godowsky's sentimental favorite Alt-Wien and his transcription of Chopin's "Minute" Waltz, which gives the original some of that Viennese dancing glamour. It is an all-around very impressive recital, well planned, performed, and recorded.