An ideal coupling that's hardly ever coupled,
Cédric Tiberghien's disc joining the four ballades of
Chopin with the four ballades of
Brahms is a brilliant idea. And, thank heavens, it's brilliantly executed as well.
Tiberghien clearly has the virtuoso technique necessary to play these excruciatingly difficult works. But, more importantly, he has the interpretive soul to make them deeply moving. So while one is amazed and astounded by his reckless magnificence in
Chopin's ballades -- few pianists have ever as skillfully articulated all the lines in the close of the First Ballade -- one is even more impressed by his heart-swelling passion in
Brahms' ballades -- few pianists have ever as ably expressed the despairing emotions of the Fourth Ballade. While one may legitimately prefer some earlier recordings of the works -- say,
Horowitz or
Michelangeli in
Chopin's ballades or
Gilels or
Arrau in
Brahms' ballades --
Tiberghien's recording should be heard by anyone who loves the music. Harmonia Mundi's sound is a bit recessed but still clear enough and quite evocative in the quiet passages.