Chopin played by Madeleine Forte” on the Erard Piano Paris 1881. Yale Collection of Musical Instruments
Earlier I have had the pleasure of reviewing Madeleine Forte´s recordings produced by Connoisseur Society, which included music by 1) Maurice Ravel, 2) Frédéric Chopin, 3) Claude Debussy, and 4) Olivier Messiaen. This time Mme Forte is back on another label; Roméo Records CD 7214.
1) Ballade No. 4 in F minor, Op. 51
2) Etude in G-sharp minor, Op. 25, No. 6
3) Etude in G-flat Major, Op. 10, No. 5
4) Nocturne in F Major, Op. 15, No. 1
5) Nocturne in E-flat Major, Op. 55, No. 2
6) Barcarolle in F-sharp Major, Op. 60
Préludes, Op. 28
7) No. 13, F-sharp Major
8) No. 14, in E-flat minor
9) No. 15, in D-flat Major
10) No. 16, in B-flat minor
11) No. 17, in A-flat Major
12) No. 18, in F-Major
13) Prélude in C-sharp minor, Op. 45
14) Mazurka, Op. 17, No. 2
15) Mazurka, Op. 17, No. 3
16) Polonaise in A-flat Major, Op. 53, No. 6
The background of this CD is a fascinating recital recorded on a historic instrument, an 1881 Erard. The instrument is owned by Yale University, and Forte presented exactly this programme live at Yale a few days prior to this recording. One of the reviewers of “Fanfare”, the highly recognised periodical of music criticism, makes the following statement: “The Erard was a favorite of Ravel, but its crucial mechanism was patented in 1821. Hence, though it was later improved, the instrument existed in Chopin´s time. It has, we are told, a light action. What we hear is a fast decay in the notes that allows for exceptional clarity of sound in even the thickest passages. The tone has that slightly wooden sound we hear in fortepianos, but nowhere near the brilliance of a Steinway”.
It´s no exaggeration to say that Madeleine Forte´s recording helps to increase our knowledge and understanding of Chopin´s musical imagination and dreamlike landscape. The nocturnes and préludes are among Chopin´s most intimate works. Forte´s pianissimo, her singing rubato, and poetic interpretation are crucial components in this regard. Especially Préludes No. 15, in D-flat Major and No. 17 in A-flat Major become very sensuous under Forte´s fingertips.
The piano sonorities, like those we listen to in the Préludes, Op. 28, were unknown before Chopin. These pianistic miniatures were composed at a time when Chopin was immersed even more deeply than usual in the music of Bach. Like the préludes in the Well-Tempered Clavier, these brief, sharply defined mood pictures, which go through all the major and minor keys, are an important source of later developments in harmony. Chopin´s extraordinary genius for chromatic harmonies and modulations is evident in many of the préludes. No. 14 on this recording provides a small sample. Thanks to Mme Forte´s brilliant finger technique, Préludes No. 16, in B-flat minor and No. 18, in F-minor give a musical experience based upon rapid scales and passage work. In these préludes Chopin´s extreme gift for concentration.
Chopin´s shorter works, the études, nocturnes, and préludes, are characterized by a successful synthesis of dimension, form, and content. They are distinguished by thoughtful handicraft, even in places where the musical material is of lesser importance. Because of its characteristic conscientiousness and integrity, Chopin´s works are treated with great respect from the musicians. Forte´s strong technique and her mature musical talent articulates the music´s varied atmospheres and moods in the most persuasive way.
Chopin´s études are fascinating as each of them focuses on a specific technical device. Mme Forte´s tour de force in her dealing with trills, scales, and broken note passages in thirds in Op. 25, No. 6 in G-sharp minor is nothing less than impressive, and her crystalline “jeu perlé” and fine feeling for ornamentation is a perfect match for Op. 10, No. 5 in G-flat Major. In the outer sections of Nocturne in F major, Op. 15, No. 1 the delicacy of Chopin´s ornamentation and pianistic texture is charged with a lazy sensuality. As a contrast to this beautiful bel canto aria Forte forms a successful dramatic and passionate middle section.
The Ballade No. 4 in F minor, Op. 52 and the Barcarolle in F-sharp Major, Op. 60 count among Chopin´s most comprehensive works. In these compositions Chopin´s unique qualifications are well demonstrated. Through them his perfect and proper understanding of the nature of the piano is obvious. Both Ballade No. 4 and Barcarolle Op. 60, deal with lyric themes and beautifully-wrought ornamentation. Chopin´s genius in forming idiomatic melodies for the piano, and his ease in weaving a rich and full-bodied texture are clearly articulated. Forte´s confident readings of Ballade No. 4 and Barcarolle Op. 60 are characterized by expressiveness in detail, sensitivity as well as drama, intensity, and awareness of form.
The Polish mazurka and other dances form the basis for several of Chopin´s smaller compositions. Chopin´s mazurkas – basically ternary – spanning the composer´s entire creative career, show the greatest variety in mood and contain some of the most interesting melodic and harmonic ideas of any of his compositions.
Chopin´s rhythm, though dominated by the dance is highly flexible. He has two kinds of rubato: one kind where the right hand cantilena – often in irregular groupings – lives its own life, while the steady left hand accompaniment “must keep time”. (Barcarolle Op. 60). Another kind of Chopin´s rubato involves an alteration of tempo, either slowing or quickening, necessary for his nocturnes or stylized dances. Under Madeleine Forte´s fingers, this kind of musical rubato is demonstrated with ease in Mazurkas Op. 17, Nos. 2 and 3.
After the rustic rhythmic and dynamic pattern of the “rural” mazurkas, their aristocratic counterpart, the polonaise, articulates the very end of Mme Forte´s CD. Chopin´s six mature polonaises are considered his most important group of compositions.
The young Frédéric already – at the age of seven – starts cultivating the Polonaise, a dance of his native Poland. In Chopin´s compositions, however, this dance is successfully transformed into brilliant and flourishing music for piano. Chopin´s polonaises display a wide variety of mood: while some of the dances articulate delicacy, funeral lament, a stirring processional quality, and wildness. Polonaise in A-flat Major, Op. 53 demonstrates powerful virtuosity. Thanks to Forte´s enviable finger technique, and dynamic energy, the drama, intensity, and propulsive rhythms of the dance become evocative. In her performance, Madeleine Forte puts an emphasis on the poetry, lyricism and expressive pathos of Chopin´s music in a wonderful manner.
August 28 2002 the Norwegian audience had the great pleasure of listening to Madeleine Forte´s interpretation of Chopin´s oeuvres at The Norwegian Academy of Music in Oslo. Her recital was played on an Erard Piano 1853.
My earlier reviews of Madeleine Forte´s recordings are:
Maurice Ravel
Sonatine, Miroirs, Pavane pour une infante défunte, Gaspard de la nuit,
Jeux d´eau
Connoisseur Society
CD 4226
Frédéric Chopin
Polonaise-Fantaisie, Sonata in B minor, Four Scherzi
Connoisseur Society
CD 4229
Madeleine Forte plays music of Claude Debussy
Images, Books I and II, Three Ètudes pour le Piano, and L´Isle Joyeuse
Connoisseur Society
CD 4233
Olivier Messiaen
Five of the Préludes and Six of the Vingt Regards sur L´Enfant-Jésus with commentary by Allen Forte
Roméo Records
CD 7208
