Chopin: Piano Concerti 1 & 2
I suppose if I had to choose a single recording coupling both of Chopin's concertos, it would be this one. Perahia is a sensitive, extremely persuasive artist who understands his own particular gifts better than anyone. He's not a muscle-bound virtuoso by any means--neither was Chopin, for that matter. All of Perahia's interpretations are finely graded, carefully prepared, and sensitive to the music's every nuance, but they never sound stiff or studied. In fact, his natural eloquence and grace at the keyboard makes him an ideal Chopin pianist, though he has been very selective in the music that he has actually recorded. Here then is a superb example of artist and composer in perfect harmony with one another.--David Hurwitz