Chopin: Ballades and Fantasies (Peter Miyamoto)

TRACK LISTING

1 Ballade in G Minor, Op. 23     09:43      
2 Ballade in F Major, Op. 38     07:51      
3 Ballade in A-flat Major, Op. 47     08:24      
4 Ballade in F Minor, Op.52     11:18      
5 Fantaisie, Op. 49     12:15      
6 Polonaise-Fantaisie, Op. 61     14:07

REVIEWS

American Record Guide Reviews "Chopin" Ballades and Fantasies"
Miyamoto’s traversal of the four Chopin Ballades was a quite welcome opportunity to enjoy these venerable works with fresh and very personal interpretations. He does indeed make them his own, always musical and never missing any of the poetry or excitement. I was impressed to have the stories that inspired each Ballade included in his excellent booklet notes.
Chopin only wrote one work called “Fantasy”. It surely gets a strong performance, as does the concluding work, the Polonaise-Fantasy. Maybe the Fantasy-Impromptu should have also been included for completeness—but the “Fantasy” in that title was not Chopin’s, but a publisher’s. 
Over the past 40 years, I have sat in concert halls and listened to these works performed by the likes of Rubinstein, Horowitz, Ashkenazy, and Zimmermann. I have been both pleased and frustrated at my own performances. When a young pianist can make a recording such as this, holding my interest from beginning to end, and also give me a few of those “ah ha” moments with a new approach to a wellknown phrase, I know I have something I will return to.
Blue Griffin’s piano sound is top-notch; the label has supplied me with a consistent stream of exceptionally enjoyable recordings.
Even with the stellar competition in these works, you couldn’t go wrong with this release.
HARRINGTON

City Pulse
Miyamoto's Chopin is so good it makes the pupils dilate; it combines the restless glitter of moonlight with the tension of a suspension-bridge cable. 

Fanfare Magazine (Nov/Dec 2014)
“[Miyamoto’s] technique is flawless.”

“This [Polonaise-Fantaisie] is one of the most convincing performances…worthy to sit beside Pires and Horowitz.”