Smeterlin: Chopin Nocturnes 12-19 + Op. posth. - Philips A 00257 L

$

35

ITEM DESCRIPTION:

This beautiful and rare LP from Philips (A 00257 L, Dutch pressing, plum/silver "Minigroove" label, mono – no stereo edition exists, front laminated jacket) features that great Chopinist Jan Smeterlin in a masterly presentation of Chopin's Nocturnes for Piano, Nos. 12-19, as well as the Nocturne Op. posth., all recorded at the Salle Apollo, Paris in October 1954.

Included then are the following:

Nocturne No. 12 in G Major Op. 37 No. 2

Nocturne No. 13 in C minor Op. 48 No. 1

Nocturne No. 14 in F-sharp minor Op. 48 No. 2

Nocturne No. 15 in F minor Op. 55 No. 1

Nocturne No. 16 in E-flat Major Op. 55 No. 2

Nocturne No. 17 in B Major Op. 62 No. 1

Nocturne No. 18 in E Major Op. 62 No. 2

Nocturne No. 19 in E minor Op. 72 No. 1

Nocturne in C-sharp minor Op. posth.

Smeterlin is completely inside Chopin's world and plays with an aristocratic refinement, and yet with such naturalness and beauty of tone, that one is completely drawn in – superb!

Wrote the wonderful critic and artist Jed Distler for ClassicsToday:

“The Polish pianist Jan Smeterlin (1892-1967) left a small discography, crowned by his Chopin Nocturne cycle recorded for Philips in 1954, reissued 40 years later on CD as part of the label's short-lived "The Early Years" series, and now available again through Arkivmusic.com's "on-demand" reprint program. Annotator James Methuen-Campbell accurately discusses Smeterlin's tendency to go his own way with Chopin's markings, often reversing the dynamics and alternating articulations. Tempos are fast to the point of rushing through passages that could use more breathing room, such as Op. 32 No. 2's shockingly brisk middle section, Op. 55 No. 2's transitional measures, and Op. 72 No. 1's climaxes.

“However, the genius behind Smeterlin's Nocturnes lies in his mesmerizing handling of melodies. Phrases transpire in conversational fashion, oblivious to barlines, with nearly every accent and dynamic inflection falling in an unexpected yet logical place. Each selection bears this characteristic out. Memorable examples include Op. 15 No. 3's magically-voiced central chorale-like episode; the refreshing freedom from sentimentality Smeterlin brings to the often hackneyed Op. 9 No. 2 E-flat Nocturne; Op. 37 No. 2's delicately honed double notes; and the rarefied textural layering he achieves in Op. 48 No. 2's final pages. You might generalize Smeterlin's Nocturnes as an "old school" counterpart to Nelson Freire's similar, intimately scaled traversals. While the sonics are boxy even by 1954 standards, Smeterlin's multi-hued tonal palette definitely comes across. No Chopin connoisseur should miss this release.”

There are extensive liner notes, provided only in English, on the reverse side of the jacket.

CONDITION – PLEASE READ CAREFULLY:

The gradations of condition I use are as follows: MINT, Near-Mint, Excellent, Very Good, Good, Fair, Poor.

The condition of the jacket is EXCELLENT. There is minor bumping at corners, slight creasing, and some mild ringwear and discoloration to the rear panel, but that is all. There are no seamsplits, bends, or owners' markings, and the album remains solid, bright, glossy, and extremely attractive and striking in appearance – in all, an excellent collector's copy.

The condition of the LP itself is VERY GOOD. Though there is light surface noise throughout, in general the playback remains enjoyable. However, those wanting a flawless or near-MINT copy are kindly advised to look elsewhere. Overall, this rates as a very good collector's copy.