Photo: Lois Greenfield

Emanuel Ax is among the greatest pianists alive today. He has made his reputation playing works of the standard repertoire drawn primarily from the Classical and Romantic periods. He is known as a superlative chamber musician as well, and customarily collaborates with Isaac Stern, Yo-Yo Ma and sometimes Jaime Laredo in concerts and recordings. Now, in mid-career, this Grammy-winning artist has taken a revolutionary step in his approach to the music of Chopin. He has recorded this repertoire on an Érard piano, one which could have been used in Chopin's time in the mid-19th century. On the recording he performs with the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, conducted by Sir Charles Mackerras. This orchestra specializes in "original instruments" versions of the standard repertoire. Thus, this interpretation of Chopin's very familiar concerto will sound quite different from what Romantic music enthusiasts are used to hearing. This is a radical departure for Ax, who very much enjoyed the experience and has also recorded Chopin's First Piano Concerto with a similar approach, and with the same forces. Concerto No.1 (SK 60771) was released in March 1999.