Chopin Fantasie Impromptu, Opus 66

Just got Kissin CD. Excellent! Both the performance and the sound quality. Just awesome! Highly recommended.

Thanks, I will order it. I got the Hewitt SACD. While the performance is outstanding, the recording and sonics are surprisingly poor. It seems to have been recorded with very low gain necessitating a 3 O'clock position on my preamp, as well (necessitating a similarly high position on a friend's system). The piano seems distant and a bit fuzzy overall...not in crisp, sharp focus, nor very immediate. It's a shame as the performances on these two discs are very nice indeed. Certainly on the more romantic side as Newbee sussed out.

Jax2, Re your sonic observations of the Hewlett disc. I have it in 2 channel redbook cd. I do not have the SACD (or even a SACD player, for that matter). Which leads to my question - is the SACD you have a 2 channel, or multi channel?

I ask because what you have described about the recordings sonics in general, is exactly what I have experienced when I have listened to the redbook cd layer of a multi-channel SACD. I'm told it isn't so, so I only know what I 'think' I have heard. I've never had the two format (Redbook and SACD) discs to do an A/B comparison. But, I'd think that if the disc was recorded to play back in 5 channels it is going to sound different when only the front two channels are played back. I don't know if on a SACD player that will make a difference or not, but I heard a distinct difference playing a MC SACD on a redbook player than I hear when I play back the CD layer on a 2 channel SACD hybrid recording.

I'm really curious as I did not experienced the problems you described which seem to surpass my hearing inadequacies. The gain issue for instance. I had no issue with gain at all. Well with in my expectations of CD playback. Nor did I find the piano excessively recessed nor did I detect any mic's sitting on the soundboard either.

Very interesting...........

PS I'm happy you ordered this before you read my recommendationa - I don't have to take any responsibility for your disappointment. :-)

Rubinstein, John Ogdon, Yundi Li, Yvgeny Kissin,

Jax, Just for fun I put the Hewitt back on and I also played the Kissin's Carnagy Hall performance of Chopin Vol 1 which does not have Impromptus 4 but I assume its the same performance/recording session that produced Impromptus 4.

Without commenting on the performance itself, the sound differential was very interesting. The Kissin lower registers were in full bloom (big and warm) and the image was larger and more forward. The Hewlett was more laid back and had more of the highs dominating the image which did appear smaller/more recessed. The highs in the Kissin recording seemed less evident. Completely different recording styles. I think you will love the Kissin.

I guess I'll have to buy Vol 2 to get the Improptus (I assume that is where it is but I'll check). But, as to gain, the highs in the Hewlitt were very close to the same level as the bass in the Kissin. Choice of adjectives, but one might consider the Kissin recording as having more subdued highs and the Hewlett to have more subdued lower frequencies (Studio v Live or Carnagy Hall acoustic?).

But, one must consider that I voiced my system for smooth and clear, but not dominating, highs. Maybe that is the reason for my impression of these two recordings. If you don't hear the sonic's w/Kissin as I described, big, warm, w/out HF emphasis, then we may just be talking about the inadequacies of my system/setup or my aging ears. :-)

I was at an estate sale, and just picked up a sealed Rubinstein/Chopin 8 Polonaises-4 Imprompus RCA Victor Red Seal Dynagroove recording. 2 lp's, I beleive. I think it's from around 1964. I'm not into classical, so this, and 90 Carnegie Hall Library of Classical Music lp's, (all like new), will be listed for sale in a couple weeks, if anyone's interested.