Chopin: Piano Concertos Nos.1 & 2

For the 150th anniversary of Chopin's death, Polish pianist Krystian Zimerman set out to honor his most famous musical compatriot with a series of concerts showcasing two of the composer's greatest works. Sparing neither effort nor expense, Zimerman handpicked all the musicians for his orchestra, rehearsed meticulously as both soloist and conductor, then electrified audiences and critics alike during a three-month concert tour. Even though the interpretations Zimerman had committed to disc twenty years earlier stood as benchmarks, these spacious yet detailed recordings incredibly top the earlier offerings, capturing the legendary alchemy of that commemorative concert tour.