Review: 'Chopin Intime" - Justin Taylor, Pianino Pleyel 1839

This program centers around the recorded instrument—an upright “pianino” built in 1839 by Pleyel. Chopin took this model (though not the exact instrument) with him during his stay in Mallorca in 1838, composing around a third of his Op. 28 Preludes there.

Chopin Intime

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Presto

Apple

A modest instrument in size and especially in sound, the pianino has a soft, singing quality and a natural resonance, noticeable even without the use of the sustaining pedal. The dynamic range is somewhat limited, yet it allows for a nuanced differentiation between various shades of piano and pianissimo, which pianist Justin Taylor explores to the fullest.

In the accompanying booklet interview, Taylor explains that he selected repertoire he felt best suited this pianino: 17 Preludes, 5 Nocturnes, and a few Mazurkas and Études. Compared with a modern grand piano, certain dynamic peaks are less impactful here —the endings of Prelude No. 4 and the first Nocturne Op. 9 (tracks 11 and 22) serve as good examples. The instrument occasionally resists fast passagework, evident in the first and third Preludes (tracks 19 and 3, respectively).

However, it’s fascinating to hear how Taylor communicates these climaxes through other means, such as emphasizing the bass or employing expressive rubato. Hear, for example, the whisper-quiet conclusion of the second theme in the first Nocturne, and how it leads delicately into the return of the main subject (track 4, 3’25”).

Justin Taylor and the pianino (image: ©Jean-Baptiste Millot)

The most effective performances here are those of pieces originally intended to be, well, intimate. The famous “Raindrop” Prelude (track 2) shows impressive chord voicing and subtle coloration of the repeated notes, while the selected Mazurkas maintain a delicate, dance-like quality. Taylor also includes his own arrangement of Casta Diva from Bellini’s Norma, which further highlights both the pianino’s and the pianist’s singing capabilities.

Alpha’s engineering captures the instrument’s unique character with care. I would gladly hear the rest of the Op. 28 Preludes and Nocturnes. With such delightful playing, Taylor and the Alpha team would be doing listeners a great service by offering a second volume.