Brahms - 4 Ballades [Dalberto]
This is my one hundredth Blog entry for Brahms, it has been neck and neck between Beethoven and Brahms to reach 100, i always wondered who would get there first, and it's a surprise in a way, as Brahms remains my fourth favourite Composer [after Beethoven, Schubert, and Chopin], so maybe there's something more to the old bearded guy after all, let's see who gets to 200!, this is the second time Dalberto has appeared in my Blog with this work [2nd October 2010], and what a lovely disc this is, Dalberto has a certain way with Brahms, bringing out the real poetry and finesse of these pieces, it's still hard to believe that this is early Brahms [1854 when he was 21], as much of it sounds so much like the mature guy looking back nostalgically over his shoulder, i'm not keen on his Piano Sonata 3 [from one year before in 1853], and that has a tendency to represent him better in this era, mainly super virtuosity, but little poetic substance, i need to delve more into Dalberto, as he seems to really have his fingers on the keys.
Michel Dalberto is French, he is now 57, he recorded this work in 1982 at the age of 27, yes a 30 year old recording, but it still sounds great, the front cover photo [by Jacques Sarrat] is very nice, however these early Erato discs have a poor logo, crummy green borders, and the lettering is only fair, yet the whole thing still looks good.
It's always Ballades 2 & 4 which i find so mesmerizing,
Here's Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli playing Ballade 4 on YouTube.
Michel Dalberto is French, he is now 57, he recorded this work in 1982 at the age of 27, yes a 30 year old recording, but it still sounds great, the front cover photo [by Jacques Sarrat] is very nice, however these early Erato discs have a poor logo, crummy green borders, and the lettering is only fair, yet the whole thing still looks good.
It's always Ballades 2 & 4 which i find so mesmerizing,
Here's Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli playing Ballade 4 on YouTube.
