Ivory Edition

Hi peoples.
This week I'm 'pawley'(tm) so can't do much with one paw and the other is having to be rested so sorry in advance for not being on certain websites and that.
Seeing paws are a constant theme I thought I'd put together an entry featuring music played by paws on another kind of keyboard I've been listening to during this period.
I've always loved the Polish composer Chopin from a very early age having records of his music but during a period where classical music migrated to the cd, I lost many of mine only getting around to replacing a recording of his Piano Concertos.
Late last year DG issued a special box set marking the 70th birthday of the Italian pianist Maurzio Pollini featuring all his solo recordings of Chopin's piano works (477 990-8) housing 9 cds as originally issued of the Etudes, Preludes, Polonaises, Scherzos, Nocturnes as well as the Second and Third piano sonatas complete with reproduction card covers and a inset.
Many of these performances are among the very best ever issued and best of all while to have bought each new would of set you back over £100, I was able to get it for just over £23 which is quite a saving!

At the same time I spotted a 5 cd set of Liszt's solo piano works going cheap by the Hungarian Georges Cziffra on EMI (648351 2) recorded from the late 1950's thru 1985.
His talent lay in finding what inspired Liszt and playing it back - some said he was the reincarnation of him - and although he adds a few touches of his own compared to some more modern  recordings, he keeps you rivetted to the Hungarian Rhapsodies and other featured works  from start to finish.
I did have a few of this performances originally on lp so it was nice to be acquainted with them again.
At the same time I ordered Liszt: Piano concertos 1 &2 plus two other works to round off the collection.
EMI Encore 7243 574736 2 0
Orchestra de Paris conducted by  Georgy Cziffra Jr with Georges Czaffra on piano
Electrifying performances from 1971/2.

Finally, we all know about my love for ballet, right? well coming soon - and Mr Postman before Easter please - is a special 6 cd set of the full music from Swan Lake, The Nutcracker and Sleeping Beauty that has the recordings the London Symphony Orchestra made with André Previn in the 1970's that I used to own each work on 2 separate cds issued by EMI France so the rather full notes about the history of the scores and commentary on each part of the ballets are in French, not that that bothers me.
EMI France 50999 6483777 2 1
Plenty of character in this performance giving you that 'at the ballet' feel.

Before I forget Blogger has changed it's layout to a slimmed down type so I'm having to get used to new places for various settings like labels (aka tags).