LIPATTI’S LEGACY

Five recommended recordings

Chopin Waltzes

Dinu Lipatti (piano)

Alto ALC 1056

Lipatti sent his Waltzes recording to Nadia Boulanger who, in all 14, could only question the accentuation of one note.

Schumann Piano Concerto etc

Dinu Lipatti (piano); L’orchestre de la Suisse Romande/ernest Ansermet Decca 480 0078

Although the Concerto is only one work on this Schumann disc, it’s worth hearing just for the piano’s melting response to the orchestra’s opening phrase.

Liszt Petrarch Sonnet 104 Ravel Alborada del gracioso Schubert Two Impromptus, D899

Dinu Lipatti (piano); Philharmonia Orchestra, Lucerne Festival Orchestra/ Herbert von Karajan

Praga DSD350088

In the Schubert, what Charles Owen calls Lipatti’s ‘translucent and polished tone’ is allied to phrasing that sings with life. The Ravel Alborada is quite simply to die for.

Immortal Dinu Lipatti Works by JS Bach, Chopin, Mozart, Ravel and Schubert

Dinu Lipatti (piano)

Warner Classics 9029586789 Hear Lipatti’s last recital, recorded in Besançon in 1950, including the two Schubert Impromptus, and a second recording of 13 of the 14 Waltzes – he was too ill to play No. 2.

Dinu Lipatti: The Master Pianist Works by JS Bach, Bartók, Brahms, Chopin, Enescu, Grieg, Liszt, Mozart, Ravel et al

EMI 207 3182 (7 discs)

This set adds two Scarlatti Sonatas, a prize-winning performance of Chopin’s B minor Sonata, and Bartók’s Third Piano Concerto to the above discs, among other pieces.