Pianophilia

Frederic CHOPIN
Mazurkas part C (edited by Stefan Askenase)

fleubis wrote:--quite an eye opener.

...ear opener?!

Alfred, I was debating the linguistic propriety of the appropriate aphorism to express my surprise and delight at what I heard in Warsaw, and I guessed wrong. The "ears" have it!

Much thanks for the "C" volume of the Mazurkas. I look forward to retiring the Paderewski Edition of the mazurkas I've use lo these many years as I re-learn some pedaling and quite a few other details courtesy of Askenase. Did I mention how pristine this scan is? It prints beautifully!! I hope there is more Chopin/Askenese in our future.

fleubis wrote:Alfred, I was debating the linguistic propriety of the appropriate aphorism to express my surprise and delight at what I heard in Warsaw, and I guessed wrong. The "ears" have it!

Much thanks for the "C" volume of the Mazurkas. I look forward to retiring the Paderewski Edition of the mazurkas I've use lo these many years as I re-learn some pedaling and quite a few other details courtesy of Askenase. Did I mention how pristine this scan is? It prints beautifully!! I hope there is more Chopin/Askenese in our future.

Akanase...... what a great edition (my previous favorite is Eiker edition). May i know more about this pianist-editor. I really like his suggestion. Any more of his edition??

soh choon wee wrote:...I hope there is more Chopin/Askenese in our future...
...Akanase...... what a great edition (my previous favorite is Eiker edition). May i know more about this pianist-editor. I really like his suggestion. Any more of his edition??

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stefan_Askenase

Although in his later years mainly known as a Chopin specialist, his early repertoire included some modern music like Szymanowski and Prokofiev (in fact he debuted at the Salzburg Festival with Prokofiev's Piano Cto. No. 3 - in 1926, if I recall correctly). He often was called "The nobleman of the piano", being in some respect the true heir of his teacher Emil Sauer. From his - unfortunately rather small - discography (mainly Chopin) I especially recommend the mono recordings (1950s) of the Polonaises, Nocturnes, Waltzes and Sonatas 2 & 3. The beauty of his tone, the culture of his legato and rubato are unsurpassed imho. As far as I know he only edited Chopin (planned as a complete edition, only the Nocturnes, Mazurkas and Waltzes were realized.)

P.S. It is neither "Askenese" ( ) nor "Akanase" ( ) - nor "Askenazy", but simply "A-S-K-E-N-A-S-E"!

Frederic CHOPIN
Valses part A (edited by Stefan Askenase) audio:
Stefan Alkanase
plays Chopin Valses
(first recording, 1950s)

alfor wrote:
audio:
Stefan Alkanase
plays Chopin Valses
(first recording, 1950s)

Thanks for more Chopin! The pieces are not new, but it is nice to have different editions of them.

P.S: Stefan Alkanase? I'm really excited to hear it. Rumour has it that he was created by a mad scientist, using the nucleic codes of Charles Valentin Alkan and Stefan Askenase

Dani_area_51 wrote:...Stefan Alkanase? I'm really excited to hear it. Rumour has it that he was created by a mad scientist, using the nucleic codes of Charles Valentin Alkan and Stefan Askenase

...that might well be true...

fleubis wrote:...I look forward to retiring the Paderewski Edition of the mazurkas...

Few people know that most of the so-called "Paderewski Edition" was published after P.'s death. All the fingering is by co-editor Józef Turczynski. The main evil and simply a no-go in this otherwise good edition is the "correction" of Chopin's orthography!

Well, Allfred, we are joyfully proceeding on to the final series of postings featuring Askenase--the Valses. These consistently follow the very high standard of his other volumes. Alas, that we do not have the polonaises, ballades, scherzo's and etudes to look forward to, but am very grateful to be introduced to his great sensitive editing. Did not know about Józef Turczynski hand in altering Chopin's orthography, however such crimes pale besides many of the 19th century editions which are now happily gathering a well-deserved heaping of dust on library shelves, so I guess my other Paderewski editions will do that do not have the great Askenase alternates. I say his edition of the Mazurkas is pure pianistic gold.