Those familiar with the early-2000s recording of
Chopin's complete mazurkas by
Andrew Rangell may be surprised to see another one, but should know that this Steinway release is a reissue of that same recording. Steinway has released mostly original material, but they've already done well with one
Chopin recital by
Rangell, and his intelligent, often unorthodox, rather intimate style fits the Steinway concept. It's good to have this back in the catalog, for this is a mazurka set that's definitely outside the box with lots to contribute.
Rangell freely admits (his notes are an attraction of the package) that his specialties have been
Bach and
Beethoven, and to an extent, what you have here is
Chopin played by an expert in
Bach, who, of course, influenced
Chopin profoundly. The pedal is sparse, and the gauzy romantic mood that so often surrounds
Chopin is absent.
Rangell's clean approach puts the focus on the daring harmonic turns in these mazurkas, but even more so on the ornamentation, which is carefully traced out. This disturbs the dance rhythms of the pieces, something else to which
Rangell not only admits, but proudly takes credit for: he sees the blurring of phrase boundaries as central to
Chopin's accomplishment. You may or may not like his approach, but it's consistently thought out and very elegantly executed. Sample one of the well-known pieces, like the Mazurka in A minor, Op. 17, No. 4, to gauge your reaction: a wistfulness associated with this piece is missing, but the way
Rangell puts its basic structure across by keeping tight control over quiet dynamics is impressive. Other pluses include the presence of some rare early mazurkas and of two versions of the late Mazurka in F minor, Op. 68, No. 4, whose authentic text remains a matter of dispute. The sound quality is excellent; the music was not recorded in the American sonic miracle often employed by original issue label Dorian, the Troy Savings Bank, but at the nearly as good Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston. Recommended, especially for those who've encountered
Rangell before and know what they're getting into.