Chopin/Prokofiev: Piano Concertos

On this CD:

1. Concerto for piano & orchestra No. 1 in E minor, Op. 11, CT 47
Composed by Fryderyk Chopin
Performed by Texas Music Festival Orchestra with James Dick
Conducted by Heiichiro Ohyama

2. Piano Concerto No. 3 in C major, Op. 26
Composed by Sergey Prokofiev
Performed by Texas Music Festival Orchestra with James Dick
Conducted by Heiichiro Ohyama

Tracks:

Piano Concerto No.2 In C Minor, Op.18
Piano Concerto No.3 In D Minor, Op.30
Piano Concerto No.6 In B Flat, K.238
Piano Concerto No.8 In C, K.246 "Lzow"
Piano Concerto No.9 In E Flat, K.271 - "Jeunehomme"
Concert Rondo For Piano And Orchestra In D. K.382
Piano Concerto No.20 In D Minor, K.466
Piano Concerto No.27 In B Flat, K.595
Piano Concerto No.1 In B Flat Minor, Op.23
Piano Concerto No.2 In F Minor, Op.21
Concerto For Harpsichord, Strings, And Continuo No.1 In D Minor, Bwv 1052
Piano Concerto No.2 In B Flat, Op.83
Piano Concerto No.4 In G, Op.58
Piano Concerto No.5 In E Flat Major Op.73 -"Emperor"
Piano Concerto In A Minor, Op.54
Introduction & Allegro Appassionato For Piano & Orchestra, Op.92
Concert Allegro With Introduction In D Minor, Op.134
Alexander Scriabin
Rhapsody On A Theme Of Paganini, Op.43
Piano Concerto No.3, Bb 127, Sz. 119
Prometh - Le Poe Du Feu, Op.60
Piano Concerto No.1, Bb 91, Sz. 83
Piano Concerto
Piano Concerto No.2, Bb 101, Sz. 95
Piano Concerto No.1 In D Flat, Op.10
Piano Concerto No.2 In G Minor, Op.16
Piano Concerto No.21 In C, K.467

Customer Reviews:

Great Concertos, Not So Great Box Set.......2004-04-29

The fact that Vladimir Ashkenazy is one of the great pianists of the 20th Century is not open for debate. His performances of Mozart, Prokofiev and Rachmaninov in particular are among the very best ever recorded, and his Beethoven, Brahms and Tchaikovsky aren't far behind. Whether some of his better recordings should have been collected on this boxed set to celebrate his forty-year association with Decca, most certainly is up for debate.

I know that limited edition collector's sets focusing on venerable artists, instead of the traditional box sets focused on a specific composer, have been very profitable lately -- like those in the "Original Masters" series (see my reviews). But what distinguishes those sets from Ashkenazy's is the abundance of rare material, often never before released on CD. This 11 CD set only features one previously unissued performance, included on a "bonus CD" that is only 29 minutes in length -- Mozart's 21st Piano Concerto with Ashkenazy playing and conducting the London Symphony Orchestra. (A performance with the Philharmonia of No. 21 is included on Ashkenazy's Double Decca title and box set of the Piano Concerto Cycle.) It also features two performances in their "first international release" -- Schumann's "Introduction & Allegro appasionato" and "Concerto Allegro with Introduction," both with Uri Segal leading the LSO. The remainder of the recordings have all been available on CD previously -- the Rach 2 & 3 on Decca Legends, the Prokofievs on a Double Decca, the Tchaikovsky & Chopin PC2 in the Penguin Classics series, the Beethovens on a London/Decca box of the Piano Concertos, etc. Yes, some of the material is now out-of-print as single-discs -- the early Mozart Concertos with Kertesz and Schmidt-Isserstedt, and the Bach 1052 with Zinman were available in the old "Classic Sound" series -- but serious collectors most likely bought those initial offerings years ago before they were deleted.

So I guess my question is, whom does the Universal Music Group think will buy this set? The title "Collector's Edition" assumes collectors like me will, but I'm not trading in my single CD titles at the used store just to pay more money for one unissued Mozart performance! Therefore, this set must be aimed at entry-level fans, but most of them are not going to pay this much for their classical music either. And if they are curious about Ashkenazy as a performer, surely starting with a less comprehensive title makes more sense. You'd think by now UNI, with all its vast resources and labels, would have a better handle on their fan base, yet they prove once again that they do not.

Average customer rating:

Concertos

Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Deutsche Grammophon: Music | Specialty Stores | Music
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Schumann & Martha Argerich

ASIN: B0000012ZA
Release Date: 1997-03-14

Tracks:

Con No.1 in C, Op.15: Allegro Con Brio
Con No.1 in C, Op.15: Largo
Con No.1 in C, Op.15: Rondo: Allegro
Con No.2 in B Flat, Op.19: Allegro Con Brio
Con No.2 in B Flat, Op.19: Adagio
Con No.2 in B Flat, Op.19: Rondo: Allegro Molto

Tracks:

Con No.1 in e, Op.11: Allegro Maestoso
Con No.1 in e, Op.11: Romance: Larghetto
Con No.1 in e, Op.11: Rondo: Vivace
Con No.2 in f, Op.21: Maestoso
Con No.2 in f, Op.21: Larghetto
Con No.2 in f, Op.21: Allegro Vivace

Tracks:

Con No.1 in b Flat, Op.23: Allegro Non Troppo E Molto Maestoso-Allegro Con Spirito
Con No.1 in b Flat, Op.23: Andantino Semplice
Con No.1 in b Flat, Op.23: Allegro Con Fuoco
Con in a, Op.54: Allegro Affettuoso
Con in a, Op.54: Intermezzo: Andantino-Attacca:
Con in a, Op.54: Allegro Vivace

Tracks:

Con No.1 in E Flat: Allegro Maestoso
Con No.1 in E Flat: Quasi Adagio
Con No.1 in E Flat: Allegretto Vivace-Allegro Animato
Con No.1 in E Flat: Allegro Marziale Animato
Con No.3 in C, Op.26: Andante-Allegro
Con No.3 in C, Op.26: Thema: Adantino-Var I: L'Istesso Tempo-Var II: Allegro-Var III: Allegro...
Con No.3 in C, Op.26: Allegro Ma Non Troppo
Con in G: Allegramente
Con in G: Adagio Assai
Con in G: Presto