CHOPIN The Complete Preludes
SHAUN CHOO, Piano
MusicShaun / *****
With
this self-produced and self-recorded album, young pianist Shaun Choo became
only the second Singaporean (after Azariah Tan) to record an all-Chopin disc.
First prize-winner of the Asia-Pacific International Chopin Competition in
Daegu, South Korea in 2012, his programme closely follows that of the debut
Deutsche Grammophon album of Seong-Jin Cho, 1st prize-winner of the 2015
Chopin International Piano Competition.
The
main work is the complete set of 24 Préludes (Op.28). Having mastered it
during his teenaged years, Choo finds a wealth of nuances and kaleidoscopic
responses in this seemingly disparate set of miniatures. There is also a
narrative sweep that is all-absorbing and impossible to put down. Instead of
the Funeral March Sonata in Cho's recording, Choo has the scintillating Grande
Valse Brillante in E flat major (Op.18), which combines elegance with
exuberance.
The
programme is completed by the brooding Nocturne in C minor (Op.48 No.1)
and the very familiar “Heroic” Polonaise in A flat major (Op.53),
performed with passion and polish. Presently a postgraduate student at the
Salzburg Mozarteum, Choo is a compelling home-grown artist destined for even
bigger things.
This
disc is available at amazon.com and online/streaming platforms like Spotify and
Deezer.
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