Edna Stern plays Chopin

Frédéric Chopin's solo piano music is most often heard on modern grand pianos, and because of the increased volume, improved mechanisms, and greater strength of these instruments over the smaller, quieter models of composer's day, the quality of sound production is considerably different than what he heard. To the extent that Chopin's musical world can be re-created, it's necessary to find pianos from the early to mid-19th century that still retain their essential colors and function as smoothly as possible. For her 2010 ... Read More

Frédéric Chopin's solo piano music is most often heard on modern grand pianos, and because of the increased volume, improved mechanisms, and greater strength of these instruments over the smaller, quieter models of composer's day, the quality of sound production is considerably different than what he heard. To the extent that Chopin's musical world can be re-created, it's necessary to find pianos from the early to mid-19th century that still retain their essential colors and function as smoothly as possible. For her 2010 album of the Sonata No. 2 in B flat minor, the Trois nouvelles études, and a selection of ballades, waltzes, and preludes, Edna Stern plays an 1842 Pleyel piano, of the vintage and design that was known to Chopin and which had the same operational features before the development of modern double-escapement action. This is a dark-hued piano, with a slightly muted, subdued quality that requires extra effort from Stern to sound bright where it needs to and a great variety of attacks to... Read Less