Bernd Glemser presents Chopin’s Ballades and Scherzos in an unusual yet effective running order. He alternates between each group in ascending numerical order, beginning with Scherzo No. 1, then breaks the pattern by following the Third Ballade with the Fourth Ballade, concluding with the Fourth Scherzo.
There’s much to admire in his thoughtful though ultimately inconsistent interpretations. The First Scherzo’s demonically articulated outer sections feature arguably outstretched ritenutos, while a firmer than usual accompaniment supports the Trio’s lullaby. I suspect that Glemser is playing the First Ballade more for the microphone and his editors than for his listening audience. Otherwise, why would he dissipate the dynamic momentum he creates at the climax in measure 106 by slowing down for the building octaves in measures 119 and 121, or slightly hold back power in the coda?
The Second Scherzo emerges as a sectionalized array of fascinating details that never quite jell. In the Second Ballade Glemser effectively mixes lyricism and power in the agitato sections, yet the opening Andantino is introspective to a fault. Though solidly and flawlessly dispatched, Glemser’s Third Scherzo doesn’t match the scintillation and telling dynamic contrasts with which pianists like Earl Wild, Stephen Hough, Martha Argerich, and Simon Trpceski pin your ears to the wall. The Third Ballade better absorbs Glemser’s tendency to taper phrase endings, while his eloquent spinning out of the second part’s rapid passages (especially in the left hand, as in the sotto voce measures 157-164) should not go unnoticed.
However, these qualities work less well in the Fourth Ballade, especially when Glemser’s tempo adjustments don’t jibe with Chopin’s. For example, at measure 169 the pianist’s unwritten tenutos in the D-flat major section prior to the coda undercut the textural novelty implied by the leggiero left-hand triplets. Fortunately, everything comes together for Glemser in his pointed, well characterized and rhythmically focused Fourth Scherzo.
As you’ve probably gathered, I wouldn’t recommend these recordings alongside the references listed above, yet Chopin lovers surely will want to sample at least Glemser’s Third Ballade and First and Fourth Scherzos. The superb engineering reflects the usual high standards we’ve come to expect from piano recordings that stem from Oehms Classics’ Bavarian Radio co-productions.
