Godowsky: 53 Piano Studies on the Chopin Études

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One of the most breathtaking feats of virtuosity ever accomplished by any pianist, let alone with such poetry and beauty. — BBC Music Magazine, September 2007 More…

Catalogue No: CDA67411-2
Label: Hyperion
Length: 2 hours 32 minutes

Gramophone Awards

2000

Winner - Instrumental

Usually despatched in 3 - 4 working days

Godowsky: Studies on the Chopin Etudes

Work length2:32:22

$59.40

$81.00

$110.70

Marc-André Hamelin (piano)

I. C major: 1st version from Étude in C major, Op 10 No 1

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II. D flat major: 2nd version from Étude in C major, Op 10 No 1

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III. A minor: 1st version from Étude in A minor, Op 10 No 2

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IV. A minor 'Ignis fatuus': 2nd version from Étude in A minor, Op 10 No 2

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V. D flat major: Étude in E major, Op 10 No 3

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VI. C sharp minor: Étude in C sharp minor, Op 10 No 4

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VII. G flat major: 1st version from Étude in G flat major, Op 10 No 5

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VIII. C major: 2nd version from Étude in G flat major, Op 10 No 5

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IX. A minor 'Tarantella': 3rd version from Étude in G flat major, Op 10 No 5

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X. A major 'Capriccio': 4th version from Étude in G flat major, Op 10 No 5

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XI. G flat major: 5th version from Étude in G flat major, Op 10 No 5

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XII. G flat major: 6th version from Étude in G flat major, Op 10 No 5

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No 12a. G flat major. 7th version from Étude in G flat major, Op 10 No 5

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XIII. E flat minor: Étude in E flat minor, Op 10 No 6

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XIV. C major 'Toccata': 1st version from Étude in C major, Op 10 No 7

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XV. G flat major 'Nocturne': 2nd version from Étude in C major, Op 10 No 7

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XVa. E flat major. 3rd version from Étude in C major, Op 10 No 7

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XVI. F major: 1st version from Étude in F major, Op 10 No 8

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XVIa. G flat major. 2nd version from Étude in F major, Op 10 No 8

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XVII. C sharp minor: 1st version from Étude in F minor, Op 10 No 9

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XVIII. F minor: 2nd version from Étude in F minor, Op 10 No 9

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XVIIIa. F sharp minor. 3rd version from Étude in F minor, Op 10 No 9

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XIX. D major: 1st version from Étude in A flat major, Op 10 No 10

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XX. A flat major: 2nd version from Étude in A flat major, Op 10 No 10

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XXI. A major: Étude in E flat major, Op 10 No 11

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XXII. C sharp minor: Étude in C minor, Op 10 No 12

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XXIII. A flat major: 1st version from Étude in A flat major, Op 25 No 1

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XXIV. A flat major: 2nd version from Étude in A flat major, Op 25 No 1

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XXV. A flat major: 3rd version from Étude in A flat major, Op 25 No 1

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XXVI. F minor: 1st version from Étude in F minor, Op 25 No 2

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XXVII. F minor 'Waltz': 2nd version from Étude in F minor, Op 25 No 2

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XXVIII. F minor: 3rd version 'version A' from Étude in F minor, Op 25 No 2

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XXVIII. F minor: 3rd version 'version B' from Étude in F minor, Op 25 No 2

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XXVIIIa. F sharp minor. 4th version from Étude in F minor, Op 25 No 2

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XXIX. F major: 1st version from Étude in F major, Op 25 No 3

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XXX. F major: 2nd version from Éude in F major, Op 25 No 3

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XXXI. A minor: 1st version from Étude in A minor, Op 25 No 4

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XXXII. F minor 'Polonaise': 2nd version from Étude in A minor, Op 25 No 4

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XXXIII. E minor: 1st version from Étude in E minor, Op 25 No 5

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XXXIV. C sharp minor 'Mazurka': 2nd version from Étude in E minor, Op 25 No 5

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XXXV. B flat minor: 3rd version from Étude in E minor, Op 25 No 5

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XXXVI. G sharp minor: Étude in G sharp minor, Op 25 No 6

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XXXVIII. D flat major: Étude in D flat major, Op 25 No 8

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XXXIX. G flat major: 1st version from Étude in G flat major, Op 25 No 9

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XL. G flat major: 2nd version from Étude in G flat major, Op 25 No 9

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XLI. B minor: Étude in B minor, Op 25 No 10

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XLII. A minor: Étude in A minor, Op 25 No 11

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XLIII. C sharp minor: Étude in C minor, Op 25 No 12

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XLIV. F minor: Nouvelle étude No 1 in F minor

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XLV. E major: 1st version from Nouvelle étude No 2 in A flat major

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XLVa. D flat major: 2nd version from Nouvelle étude No 2 in A flat major

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XLVI. G major 'Menuetto': Nouvelle étude No 3 in D flat major

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XLVII. G flat major 'Badinage': Études in G flat major, Op 10 No 5 and Op 25 No 9

Track length1:32

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XLVIII. F major: Études in E flat major, Op 10 No 11 and F major, Op 25 No 3

Track length3:06

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About
Reviews
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About

Godowsky's Studies on Chopin's Etudes have achieved a legendary status among piano enthusiasts. Few areas of the repertoire have such a notorious reputation for technical difficulty and audacious compositional invention. Far from being disrespectful maltreatments of Chopin's masterpieces, Godowsky's elaborations aim to extend the limits of modern piano technique. Some recast Chopin's right-hand passagework for the left hand while introducing new contrapuntal ideas; some treat the originals more freely, inverting, imitating or combining two Etudes; others are character pieces or variations based on Chopin's originals; and twenty-two of the Studies are for the left hand alone. Taken as a whole, these Studies revolutionized piano writing and expanded the polyphonic and polyrhythmic capabilities of the instrument. They remain among the most daunting challenges of the piano literature, their difficulties not always fully apparent to the listener. Pianists brave enough to tackle this music have often been content merely to get through the notes. Marc-Andre Hamelin, renowned for his superhuman technical control, injects them with the required range of character, colour and musicianship, as well as breathtaking virtuosity. Uniquely available on 2CDs, this will surely be the benchmark recording for all time. This set comes with a handsome booklet, including an essay by the Godowsky expert Jeremy Nicholas and individual commentaries by Marc-Andre Hamelin.

Reviews

September 2007

One of the most breathtaking feats of virtuosity ever accomplished by any pianist, let alone with such poetry and beauty.

2010

Godowsky's 53 studies on Chopin's 27 studies are the ne plus ultra of Romantic intricacy.
Godowsky's wily disclaimer that, far from wanting to 'improve' on Chopin's matchless originals, he merely wished to extend the parameters of technique, hardly convinces purists, who dismiss his magnum opus as an outrageous gilding of the lily, an unforgivable powdering and rouging of Chopin's genius. For others, Godowsky's ingenuity, his ear-tickling wit and elegance, create edifices, indeed 'miracles of rare device'. But if heated debate still rages around the music, the quality of Hamelin's recording is entirely uncontroversial. Rarely can such a gargantuan task have been accomplished with such strength, grace and agility, with an ease bordering on nonchalance. His virtuosity is pre-eminent because it's so musical, and it's impossible to think of another living pianist who could have carried off this enterprise with comparable success. In lesser hands these Etudes can seem overweight; with Hamelin, even the densest, seemingly impenetrable textures are kept as light as air and everything is mobile, fluent and adroit. And so, to evoke Schumann, it's 'hats off, gentlemen' to this handsomely presented and finely recorded set. A truly phenomenal achievement.

Godowsky: 53 Piano Studies on the Chopin Études

2 CDs

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