Chopin: Polonaise-Fantaisie Op.61 in A-flat (Richter)

One of Chopin's best works, and -- like most of his very last works, but to an even greater degree -- a construction of incredible harmonic ambiguity and structural intricacy. Think, for example, of the harmonically misleading and rather mysterious transitions to and from the lyrical middle section (which in itself modulates with surprising abandon).

The Op.61 (like the Barcarolle) has a justified reputation for being incredibly difficult to perform effectively. The structure is sprawling, there is no obviously emergent melody at many points (once again, this rubbishes the notion that Chopin was primarily a great melodist),the harmonic shifts are sudden and bewildering, and the rhythmic pulse of the piece varies wildly (this is a polonaise in only the loosest sense of the word). Richter's performance of this piece is a triumph, from the transcendent silences in the opening bars to the rhythmically ecstatic ending, not because of individual moments of brilliance, which there are, but because the piece manages rather miraculously to sound like a coherent whole.