Piano Concerti 2 & 4

Track Listings

1. Moderato Piu Vivo- Allegro

2. Adagio Sostenuto

3. Allegro Scherzando - Moderato

4. Allegro Vivace

5. Largo - Attacca Subito:

6. Allegro Vivace

Piano Concerti 2 & 4, Music, Rachmaninoff, Vasary, Ahronovitch, London Sym, Classical, Classical Music

Mendelssohn: Piano Concerti Nos. 1 & 2; Capriccio Brillant; Rondo Brillant
Average customer rating:

"Pearls scattered upon velvet"

Great playing, bad recording.

I love paradoxes

Super Performances and an Excellent Value

Mendelssohn: Piano Concerti Nos. 1 & 2; Capriccio Brillant; Rondo Brillant

Manufacturer: Hyperion UK
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Concertos | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music
Piano | Keyboard | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music
Hough, Stephen | ( H ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
General | Classical | Styles | Music
All Works by Mendelssohn | Mendelssohn, Felix | ( M ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
Classical | Imports | Stores | Music
Similar Items:

Saint-Saëns: The Complete Works for Piano & Orchestra

Moscheles: Piano Concertos Nos. 1, 6, 7

Weber: Piano Concerto No. 1 in C minor; Piano Concerto No. 2 in E flat major; Koncertstück in F minor

Moscheles: Piano Concertos Nos. 4 & 5; Recollections of Ireland

Litolff: Concerti Symphonique

ASIN: B000002ZZU
Release Date: 1997-08-12

Tracks:

Capriccio Brillant In B Minor, Op. 22
Piano Concerto No 1 In G Minor Op. 25: I. Molto Allegro con fuoco
Piano Concerto No 1 In G Minor Op. 25: II. Andante
Piano Concerto No 1 In G Minor Op. 25: III. Presto -- Molto Allegro e vivace
Rondo Brillant In E Flat Major Op. 29
Piano Concerto No 2 In D Minor Op. 40: I. Allegro appassionato
Piano Concerto No 2 In D Minor Op. 40: II. Adagio: Molto sostenuto
Piano Concerto No 2 In D Minor Op. 40: Finale: Presto scherzando
Serenade And Allegro Giocoso In B Minor Op 43

Amazon.com

Mendelssohn was called a "spoiled genius" by the famous musical scholar Tovey. Aside from a few out and out masterpieces, it's hard to find a single late work of his that doesn't overreach itself in one way or another. But that doesn't mean that there aren't many more fine works than he's usually given credit for, and the piano concertos certainly fall into this category. Modest in ambition and full of that feather-light filigree that Mendelssohn did better than anyone, when played with the verve and commitment that Stephen Hough brings to them, they sound like great music, plain and simple. The two Brillante works that come with the concertos live up to their titles. A fine disc. --David Hurwitz

Customer Reviews:

"Pearls scattered upon velvet".......2006-07-11

"Pearls scattered upon velvet" was how a writer once described a particular nineteenth century pianist's sound. ( I can't remember right now who it was, it might have been Thalberg, Mendelssohn's contemporary) This phrase came to my mind over and over as I listened to Stephen Hough's piano tone in these terrific recordings of Felix Mendelssohn's five works for piano and orchestra. I have heard high-powered performances, particularly of the First Concerto in G minor ( the piece that Berlioz claimed, in a wonderful moment of poetic conceit, all the pianos at the Paris Conservatoire played by themselves each night after the students had gone home!) which overwhelmed the delicate, refined style of Mendelssohn's music.Often the left hand repeated chords in the Finale are hammered out in the ugliest way. Stephen Hough finds a virtuosity which is at once elegant, gossamer when needed, and propulsive without ever being percussive. Tempi go along with that manner of playing, and are generally swift and airy. To go from the world of Hummel's Concerto in A minor or B minor to the concerti of Mendelssohn is really only a jaunt next door through the garden gate. I think Mr Hough's playing of concerti and sonatas by Hummel really helped him form a view of Mendelssohn's piano world which is not too heavily Romantic, but with a chaste Classical side to it.

Orchestral contributions from the City of Birmingham Orchestra under Lawrence Foster are ideal.

All in all, a lovely way to spend an hour and fifteen minutes with some lovely music.

Great playing, bad recording........2004-02-24

What irony. These are charming, urbane, melodic works that show Mendelssohn's great gifts to fine effect. While Hough's playing could at times benefit from a little more verve or even fire, he certainly captures the easy grace of these works with style. There's one big problem with this disc, though, and a most distracting one at that: the engineering. The piano is beautifully recorded, but the orchestra sounds like it was recorded by someone standing outside a concert hall: slightly muffled, distant, and a bit shrill in the high strings, to boot. It's jarring to hear the soloist and orchestra in two seemingly different acoustics.

I love paradoxes.......2003-07-01

The other reviewer of this CD said it all, so I'll just add that this CD is Mendelssohn the way it's supposed to sound. Stephen Hough is, in my opinion, as virtuoso a pianist as ever there was, and his genius lies in his inexplicable combination of raw power and precise, clear technique. Basically, you can hear every note he plays, yet they're all strong, confident notes. In addition, Hough definitely understands the felicitous nature of Mendelssohn's music; everything comes out sounding playful as well as powerful. I don't understand how Hough can do that either, but I'm sure not complaining; the result is some of the most irresistably compelling piano music I've heard. The City of Birmingham SO backs him up with their usual skill; they don't wimp out and try to hide behind the soloist, but come in with guns blazing, enjoying every minute of each piece--yet somehow, they always manage to keep the soloist at the forefront of the action. So there are all these paradoxes in the performances of these pieces, but they're all *good* paradoxes. If you haven't heard these pieces before, you can't go wrong with this CD. In fact, if you haven't heard Mendelssohn before, this CD will give you an excellent idea of what he's all about. Worth every penny.

Super Performances and an Excellent Value.......2001-11-03

The excellent value comes as a result of getting all, I believe, of Mendelssohn's concerted music with piano (except for the early Violin and Piano Concerto) on one disc. That produces a CD of quite generous duration (75 minutes). But more importantly, the performances of all these works are some of the finest I've heard and are captured in sound that is both airy and crystalline.

Stephen Hough is a specialist in the early-Romantic repetoire, and he does not disappoint in Mendelssohn's busy, bustling concerted pieces. Some have called Mendelssohn a note spinner at the piano, but these works are brim-full of memorable melodies and often exciting virtuoso passages, such as the cascading passagework in the First Concerto's last movement. Though the composer eschews the big-chord sound of later Romantics, his long-breathed runs and pianistic filigree bring their own formidable challenges, to which Hough is always equal. And if you don't know the less-familiar works on this disc, the Rondo Brilliant and Serenade, I can't think of a better way to get to know these delightful works, in which Mendelssohn is at his most "giocoso."

Lawrence Foster leads the City of Birmingham Symphony in accompaniments that match Hough in brilliance and panache. All in all, this disc is a fine entertainment.

Piano Concerti 1 & 2 / Romantic Piano Concerto 30
Average customer rating:

Great performance and recording of uninteresting music

Unjustly neglected music well worth hearing

The Wonders of Lyapunov's Music for Piano and Orch. Revealed

The Lyapounov Boom Keeps On Going!!!!

Compelling Renditions of Lyapunov's Appealing Oeuvres.

Piano Concerti 1 & 2 / Romantic Piano Concerto 30
Liapunov , Milne , Brabbins , and BBC Scottish So
Manufacturer: Hyperion UK
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music
General | Classical | Styles | Music
Classical | Imports | Stores | Music
Similar Items:

Fuchs: Piano Concerto, Op. 27; Kiel: Piano Concerto, Op. 30

Moscheles: Piano Concertos Nos. 4 & 5; Recollections of Ireland

Scharwenka: Piano Concertos Nos. 2 & 3

Arensky: Piano Concerto in F Minor, Op. 2; Fantasia, Op. 48 / Bortkiewicz: Piano Concerto No. 1 in B Flat, Op. 16

Herz: Piano Concertos Nos. 1, 7 & 8

ASIN: B00006L3WB
Release Date: 2002-11-12

Customer Reviews:

Great performance and recording of uninteresting music.......2004-11-10

I looked forward to hearing the two Liapunov concerti. After I gave them a listen, I removed the CD from the player thinking that I'll never play that music again. The music is very dull and boring, with melodies and harmonies of no interest and no vitality and dynamics. This is too bad because the performance by Milne, the orchestra, and the production are really good. Alas, wasted, nonetheless, on uneventful and dry music that has nowhere to go.

Unjustly neglected music well worth hearing.......2003-12-28

If this were music by a more famous composer such as Liszt, Schumann, Borodin, Tchaikovsky or Rachmaninov, it would surely be in the regular repertory (it has affinities with all of them). I only came across it because I had by chance encountered Lyapunov's First Piano Concerto many years ago, and have been looking in vain ever since for a recording. Hamish Milne, Martin Brabbins and the BBC Scottish SO make a very persuasive case for the music and show that it was worth waiting for. I equally enjoyed the Second Piano Concerto and Ukrainian Rhapsody, which were new to me. All the music has clear themes, memorable tunes and is well crafted - it knows where it's going. Think of Liszt's piano concertos with tunes in the Russian folksong-derived style of the "Mighty Handful" and you have a fair idea what to expect. The influences are clear, but Lyapunov has his own voice - this is not merely derivative. Edward Garden's comment on No.1 in his excellent notes in the booklet sums it up for me; "This is altogether much too good a concerto to have been neglected for so long". No hesitation in recommending both the performance and the recording if you want to try this music for yourself.

Incidentally, it was queried whether this was the first ever recording. It is certainly the first easily available commercially. In 1989, having been unable to find one, I wrote to the BBC to ask for it to be played on air. They too were unable to track down any recording. However, they took it as a challenge and produced a studio recording, again with Hamish Milne but accompanied by the BBC Concert Orchestra. Sadly, they never released it commercially, but the new CD at last fills the gap, even more impressively. Thanks Hyperion!

The Wonders of Lyapunov's Music for Piano and Orch. Revealed.......2003-09-12

The French and the Russians generally write the gaudiest and most exhilarating piano concerti of all. (I've long suspected Mendelssohn and Liszt of being secretly French). The release of a recording of Russian concerti is always (well, almost always) a cause for rejoicing.

Hyperion has taken up where Vox left off, issuing a whole series of Romantic piano concerti - but at single CD prices that are even higher than the old Vox double-CD prices. Since these recordings duplicate a lot of the Vox repertoire, you can to some extent buy Vox instead of Hyperion - IF you can find the Vox. Still, the newer recordings are always first-rate, both in performance and in sound, and I don't hesitate to buy them if they have material I don't already have.

Sergei Lyapunov isn't exactly a household name. But then, in some households, neither is Rachmaninov, so go figure. He was part of the Russian nationalist movement in composition, which means that his music is exotic, exciting, and full of Volga passion. Yummy. (It's thus no accident that his music sounds a good deal like Borodin's.) Lyapunov is well represented on Vox and 2 of the pieces on this CD (Piano Concerto #2 and the Rhapsody on Ukrainian Themes) are in 2 of the Vox collections. What makes this CD a must-buy for me is the first recording of Piano Concerto #1.

The soloist in all 3 pieces is Hamish Milne, a superlative pianist whose day job is being a Professor at the London Academy of Music. He is ably and enthusiastically seconded by Martyn Brabbins and the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, a mainstay of Hyperion's Romantic Piano Concerto series. This CD, by the way, is #30 in that series. You can go to the Hyperion web site, www.hyperion-records.co.uk, to get info on the entire series (although their list oddly omits #21, the concerti of Kullack and Dreyschock).

All 3 pieces are pretty much, as Lewis Carroll would say, much of a muchness. They are very Russian, very pianistic and virtuosic, very tuneful, and very (obviously) Romantic. The 1st Piano Concerto in e-flat, despite its low opus number (4), is no student work. The composer was 29 when he wrote it. It's in the then-fashionable one-movement format, consisting of 5 relatively short sections (Allegro-Adagio-Allegro-Adagio-Allegro), lasting a little over 22 minutes. It's a work of considerable strength, and it's amazing it hasn't been recorded before.

The Rhapsody is a brilliant work, again in a single movement, consisting of 4 sections. It's 17 minutes of brilliant pianism, Russian to the core. The last section is particularly bouncy.

The 2nd Piano Concerto in E, was written when Lyapunov was at the height of his career, in 1909 (he died in 1924). Again, it's in a one-movement format, in this case consisting of 6 brief segments - only the first and the last are over (or even near) 5 minutes. The speeds are in an unusual sequence: Lento-Allegro-Allegro-Allegro-Lento-Allegro. The opening slow section is full of Russian sadness and wistfulness, and is thoroughly delightful. This gives way to 3 quick Allegros with lots of pianistic fireworks. The second slow section (which actually has its own excitement and drama) gives us barely a minute's repose before the forward charge continues in the last Allegro, bringing the concerto to a very satisfying end. This is very much the last gasp (although Glazunov of course keeps going...) of the old harmonic structures before Russian music gives way to the experimentation of Stravinsky and the huge-handed chording and pyrotechnics of Rachmaninov (not to mention the even more advanced writing of Prokofiev and Shostakovich).

Although consisting of 3 major pieces, the CD is a little light on time, taking up only 59 minutes. One wonders why (as a for-instance) the producers didn't include the Zelazowa Wola, Lyapunov's tribute to Chopin on the centenary of his birth (1910) - or even the last movement of Balakirev's 2nd Piano Concerto, whose finale was essentially written by Lyapunov based on some sketches and the composer's own performances on (solo) piano. Well, this is still an estimable recording, well worth getting.

The Lyapounov Boom Keeps On Going!!!!.......2003-06-24

Another peripheral on the Russian music scene, Lyapounov's music needs to be better known. Much of his music is influenced by Liszt. In fact, the beginning of the 2nd Concerto sounds a lot like the opening of Liszt's Second Concerto. You also hear some glissandi in the piano also towards the end of the work, just like in the Liszt. It is easy to overlook these influences with very good performances such as these. In the 2nd Concerto, Hamish Milne is in competition with Howard Shelley on Chandos, which couples the work with Lyapounov's First Symphony and Polonaise for orchestra. I can live happily with both, and I am interested to see if Shelley will record the other works as well. The Rhapsody is even more flavored with the spectre of Liszt as was the Rimsky-Korsakov Piano Concerto. There is more flamboyance here plus more of Lyapounov's expert orchestration. The first concerto is in the unexpected key of E-Flat Minor. This work somehow has lost some of the influence of Liszt and more 'Russianness' comes out. Here I feel that the loud sections are more impressive than the soft parts, which is not the fault of the performers. This is a much more interesting disc than the Stojowski concertos that I reviewed before. I look forward with anticipation more CD's in this series. I think this is number 31? There is still the concerto by Fritz Spindler......

Compelling Renditions of Lyapunov's Appealing Oeuvres........2003-01-04

Hyperion continues with it highly valuable yet somewhat uneven "Romantic Piano Concerto" series with the release of Lyapunov's works for piano and orchestra. It mentions that the First Piano Concerto is a premiere recording. A shocking claim, perhaps, for Melodiya was too enterprising to pass this compelling piece of music by, and it's possible that there may be a recording or two of the music in archives (imagine if the Russian Revelation label continues to operate today). Besides, Lyapunov piano music was held too much in high esteem especially by the turn of the 20th Century for even prominent musicians to ignore (but then again I'm reminded that even pianists could be very selective, ignoring even the most memorable of piano music of, say Glazunov, Medtner Catoire, Arensky, to some extent Tchaikovsky, Rubinstein, and even Lyapunov himself).

And Lyapunov's First Concerto is a compelling piece of music, rather as ambitious as the First Symphony written two years before, in 1888. And where the piano bravura is more or less in the mode of Lizst and Balakirev, the thematic invention and rhetoric are very much Lyapunov's own. Not to say that the composition is of its upmost originality, but the ideas and handling of them show why Lyapunov is a major point of reference when studying and analyzing Russian music. Listen to the piano entry at 1'42", how poetic yet noble the writing becomes (thanks in part to Milne's highly charged yet imaginative delivery here). There's something heroic within that recalls Balakirev (especially in his First Concerto). But the writing remains lucid, and in the second and fourth movements, beautiful and tranquil. The third movement is heroic, much in the manner of Liszt (his First Concerto-first movement), but in convincingly Russian in temperament, as in the finale, which rarely flags. A major accomplishment no doubt.

Lyapunov's Rhapsody on Ukrainian Themes (1907) is in a rondo form, with the first theme (andante pastorale) announced by the cor anglais then by the woodwinds. It's a beautiful yet an innocent theme, recalling a bit of Balakirev and Rimsky- Korsakov, though in a Lyapunovian sense of lucidity. The piano entry is likewise beautiful yet poetic - like leaves blossoming in early Spring. And this theme truly blossom into something more expressive as it goes along, with the theme more emphatic at the finale bars. The second theme (allegro scherzando) is dancelike and flamboyant as in the orchestration. But the third theme (andante pastorale) returns to these same leaves still blossoming in great beauty & nobleness in character. It leads itself purposefully to the final theme (allegro giocoso), which is a kazachok (an Ukrainian folkdance). This theme, rather exuberant yet charming, become more Lizstian at the final minute of the work (listen to 3'05"-ff on track 9) but never devoid of Lyapunov's individualism.

The Second Concerto (1909) is likewise a substantial affair, not as heroic as the First, but easy-going in its' noble, romantic way. In six continuous movements, the piece is rewardingly concise and, like the First Concerto & the Rhapsody, richly varied. The opening movement (lento ma non troppo) is indeed beautiful and lovely-a fantasia tranquil yet exotic. Whereas the second and fourth movements (allegro molto ed appasionato & allegro molto respectively) offer some vivacity, the third movement and fifth movements (allegro moderato & lento ma non troppo) has a compelling lightness of touch, rendered beautifully here by Milne (with a charmingly support of Brabbins & the BBC Scottish Symphony). But the poetic yet heroic moments of the finale are hardly banal, with the closing convincingly majestic that would have done Borodin proud (for a moment I thought of Prince Igor).

The renditions here are fully ideal. After giving high praise in Hamish Milne's survey of Alexandrov's piano music (under the Hyperion label), Milne comes up huge here. His vivacious and imaginative playing are never in doubt, and his virtuosity in the First Concerto and in the Rhapsody adds to the compelling nature of the works. But the beauty and the dignity Milne brings in the slow movements of the works are worthy of everlasting praise. The same shall be said of the BBC Scottish Symphony, which has this Russian sonority that reminds me the Russian Federation Orchestra under the late Svetlanov (and I tend to forget, going along memory lane, that it is the BBC Scottish Symphony among the main features here). Brabbins' approach incidentally reminds me of Svetlanov, placing great emphasis on organic growth. While he's not as overindulgent as Svetlanov can sometimes be, he is as decisive as this late, great Russian maestro (listen to Brabbins' renditions of Bortkiewicz' symphonies). Edward Garden's booklet essay is of high quality, along with the recording, with its warmth and somewhat bright incandescence.

No doubt a great yet important release which will raise Lyapunov status as Russia's important composer significantly. The blossoming of the leaves well worth waking up for, with this CD album in one's deep yet searching subconsciousness.

Piano Concerti 1 & 2 / Haydn 5
Average customer rating:

Not my kind of uniqueness

Arrau is an acquired taste, but he's in his element here

Quite satisfaying

Proper interpretation

sencillamente genial...

Piano Concerti 1 & 2 / Haydn 5

Manufacturer: Philips
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

All Works by Brahms | Brahms, Johannes | ( B ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
General | Concertos | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music
Overtures | Theatrical, Incidental & Program Music | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music
Piano | Keyboard | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music
General | Classical | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Brahms: Concertos pour piano 1 & 2

Brahms: Concertos for Piano No. 1 & 2, Fantasia Op. 116

Brahms: The Complete Symphonies / Karajan, Berlin PO

Brahms: Symphonies Nos. 1-4; Double Concerto; Serenade No. 2

4 Symphonies / Variations

ASIN: B000004165
Release Date: 1993-08-10

Tracks:

Piano Concerto No. 1 In D Minor, Op. 15: 1. Maestoso- Poco Piu Moderato
Piano Concerto No. 1 In D Minor, Op. 15: 2. Adagio
Piano Concerto No. 1 In D Minor, Op. 15. 15: 3. Rondo (Allegro Non Troppo- Piu Animato- Tempo I)
Variations On A Theme By Haydn, Op. 56A

Tracks:

Piano Concerto No. 2 In B Flat, Op. 83: 1. Allegro Non Troppo
Piano Concerto No. 2 In B Flat, Op. 83: 2. Allegro Appassionato
Piano Concerto No. 2 In B Flat, Op. 83: 3. Andante - Piu Adagio
Piano Concerto No. 2 In B Flat, Op. 83: 4. Allegretto Grazioso - Un Poco Piu Presto
Tragic Overture, Op. 81
Academic Festival Overture, Op. 80

Customer Reviews:

Not my kind of uniqueness.......2007-06-27

Other reviewers have forthrightly disclosed the "controversial" or "unique" approach that Arrau takes, and gone on to say how wonderful it is. Somebody should represent the opposite view to which these reviewers allude (might there be a reason why no other prominent pianist approaches Brahms this way?), so here goes.

Arrau's habit of slowing down to dwell on details (especially in the Concerto #2) reveals notes as if you were reading the sheet music. Of course this appeals to a Brahms fan's desire to delve into every detail of the score; and yes, it is distinctive, so it provides variety to the jaded connaisseur. It also disrupts momentum and makes the music feel ponderous, disjointed and episodic, qualities that Brahms, as a master of form and unity, would particularly seek to avoid. Sometimes the pacing just makes the music seem dead.

Of course, other great pianists have played these works slowly indeed: notable examples are the Gilels/Jochum performances and especially the slow movement in Curzon's renowned recording of #1 with Szell. But those masters deployed slow tempos with consistency, controlling the pace to convey the wonderful unity of Brahms' carefully structured writing, the buildup and release of dramatic tension over extended stretches of playing, the sweep, drama and power of this unsurpassed music. Especially in #2, Arrau misses the forest for the trees--to strain that metaphor, he is absorbed in the veins of a leaf here, a pine cone there. I liked Arrau better in his older recording of #2 with Giulini (maybe it was the conducting).

Uniqueness can be found in the polar opposite of Arrau's approach: the Gilels/Reiner #2 (if you can find it). Fast-paced and hard-hitting, it gives the music real drive and colossal momentum (besides making you wonder how human fingers could play like that). You do miss some of the miniatures in the writing (the RCA sound doesn't help) but Brahms comes across as a more-than-worthy heir of Beethoven, not as a befuddled composer of interesting trifles. The Serkin/Szell performance of #2 is not as fast as the Gilels/Reiner, but it's deeper and even more powerful--to the point of being a bit bombastic now and then, but that's a better way to gain distinction than to drain the energy out of the piece. The most highly acclaimed CDs, Gilels' recordings with Jochum, are far more stately (and better recorded) than his #2 with Reiner; they feature the deepest account of #2 and throw in a great set of Fantasies as an encore. Even when he slows the tempos, Gilels holds the music together better than Arrau; but in this regard both of them are handily surpassed by Clifford Curzon's account of the First Concerto--simply the best.

While not my favorites, the Richter/Reiner and the various Rubinstein performances have more going for them than Arrau's--more coherence, more flow, more style. There is a second-rate Horowitz/Toscanini CD of #2 that at least offers vitality. But again, I will admit, Arrau is distinctive. Maybe when you've heard all the above, plus Brendel, Cliburn, Ax, Licad, Fischer, Ashkenazy and Barenboim...you'll come to love Arrau's uniqueness.

Arrau is an acquired taste, but he's in his element here.......2007-01-20

Claudio Arrau was a divisive pianist who took such liberties with the score and drew so much attention to himself that he all but forced you to have a strong opinion. His general approach was grand, Romantic, and at times tragic. As he aged hsi playing grew more self-important to the point of ponderousness. But in 1970 when he made this Brahms First Concerto with Haitink, Arrau was in his element. In the first movement of the Second he displays equal authority, but at times he goes into slow motion to the point of pompous underlining.
The composer intended both his massive concertos to be pillars of high seriousness and epic scope. Haitink approaches them that way in the orchestral part--he was an exciting Brahms interpreter during this period, as his symphony cycle wth the Concertgebouw demonstrates (only later did his Brahms become slack and uninvolved).

Therefore we have a like-minded pairing of pianist and orchestra. There's rubato and even distension of phrases all over the place. Arrau couldn't pass by a cahdence without turning it into an oration. Even so, with all the pounding and self-conscious "greatness," these performances appeal to me strongly. We aren't wallowing in Brahms soup; Haitink and Arrau communicate a compelling energy in every bar. I'd rank both eprformances up there with Barenboim/Barbirolli (who are equally epic and grand), Fleisher/Szell, and Pillini/Abbado.

Quite satisfaying.......2006-04-16

I know 4 versions of the piano concertos: Barenboim/Barbirolli, Pollini/B?hm(1)and Abbado (2), Arrau/Giulini and this one. Besides this glorious couple of concerti, all of them include the Tragic overture and Haydn variations (with B?hm in the second case) and the Academic Festival overture (Barbirolli and Haitink only).
In my opinion this is the most satisfaying compilation of the 4 already listed. Of course, with such diverse works not all are prefect here but the balance of positive aspects outdo the negative ones more than the competition listed. So I will compare work by work, in cronological order of composition.

Piano concerto op 15 under Pollini and B?hm is not quite satisfaying. At first hearing you have the glorious Wiener Philarmoniker with their special sound, but balances tend to put brasses behind (a defect of Haitink`s, too). Tempi are quite fluid: the most attractive of the four. But the approach is too superficial and Pollini, well, plays on authomatic pilot. Grammophone said it is a bad performance and after some hearings, I agree. Under Barbirolli the New Philarmonia sounds very good, better balances. The begginning is a bit ponderous (like the last mov), but in general he is attentive to the soloist: a good reading in general. Another tiny imperfections I notice is a lack of unanimous attack of notes in the 2nd mov, but still effective interpretation. Barbirolli shows in the concerti a slow, grand, hyper romantic view, which could be appropiate when played with intensity, as he does. Barenboim is fantastic. Period. Then we have Arrau and Giulini. Arrau is a great, great artist. He was in his sixties when recorded this under Giulini and the Philarmonia. To the virtuosism he adds maturity, a fact that makes his playing superior to Barenboim?s (and a prove that there are different levels of excelence). And the conducting of Giulini excels all competition in every matter: strength and vigour, politeness, orchestral balances (superb brasses!!!), tempi. Then you have Haitink. Still great playing from Arrau, but perhaps not so intense. Orchestra sounds involved (except in begginning of 2nd mov, too plain), but as I said balances are not observed as they should. Irregular, I would say, but not truly "bad", and still great Arrau.

Haydn Variations find B?hm with a heavy reading, but still intense, and with such "gloomy" sound I tend to forgive him. The WP sounds more gloriously than ever. Good, very good.
Under Barbirolli that orchestra does not so good, in fact brasses are too weak in the purely orchestral work that prevents this compilation from being a serious alternative, unless you are looking exclusively for the concerti. Again Giulini is the best here. The Philarmonia is excellent: precise, elegant playing; contrasting tempi (essential in this work) and carefull balances between strings, woodwinds, brasses and timpani, with great clarity, in general. In particular, horns show so focused, detailed phrasing (has it something to do with the fact that Giulini`s father was, if I am not wrong, a horn player??)!! Haitink is very, very good, perhaps not so polite, not enough clarity in brasses as with Giulini, but quite strong, very acceptable reading.

Academic Festival Overture: too "festive" for Brahms, perhaps, but an essential contrast to the Tragic Overture. Barbirolli is very warm and noble; Haitink is another matter: here you discover the energy, the "push" lost under Barbirolli, and with fantastic brasses (far better than Barbirolli`s). Extraordinary. A pity Giulini didn`t record it (here).

Tragic Overture: B?hm plays it with a style similar to that used in Variations. Under Barbirolli it is faster, but nothing resembling something menacing. Clearly underpowered. Giulini is, again, the best. Terrifying, intense, supreme. All the virtues cited before appear here. Haitink does not achieve that, but comes close, very close.

Second Concerto: Pollini, not so good, not so bad. Abbado gets a very intense sound with Wiener Philarmoniker, with fast, fluid, perfect tempi. The problem that makes this version the worsest is the poor sound: pianist too close, orchestra too far behind, little clarity. Under Barenboim/Barbirolli you have a great reading. Slow tempi, but not a problem, perhaps the quieter sections in 2nd mov are played by Barenboim too slowly, but a small criticism in a great second. The last mov is particularly amusing. Then Arrau/Giulini ... surprisingly, not a memorable, great recording. Giulini conducts it with great expertise, but Arrau clearly does not focus himself as he did in op 15. Indeed, in comparison, very good played, but ... a bit boring. Not the "flame" that push them to the heights of artistic greatness. A pity, because this is achieved under Haitink. In the net I red a fan had said Arrau does not understand the structure of 2nd concerto. Please, open your mind. After the horn call, Arrau makes clear from the very begginning that his reading is revealing, quite special, the best of the four.
To sum up, B?hm did acceptable orchestral pieces and a bad 1st, and Abbado a poorly recorded second, so not a favourite. Barenboim/Barbirolli made acceptable concerti, but IMHO not truly great orchestral pieces. Arrau/Giulini did not reoord Academic and have an ordinary second, despite great Tragic, 1st concerto and Variations, and Haitink good 1st (not so good as Giulini`s, but still good, and with a great Arrau), very good Variations, good Tragic, excellent academic and 2nd concerto. That is why this is the best compilation.

There are others like Abbado`s new readings of the piano concerti with Pollini, the pair under Andrew Davis (Virgin label), the DG`s "Trio" compilation (adds to this one the violin and violin and cello concertos), not to forget the famous Gilels/Jochum and Fleischer/Szell couplings, which are filled with piano pieces. But I don?t know them.

Proper interpretation.......2005-04-30

This is a specific performance of Brahms concertos. The first one is my favourite piano concerto.
Arrau plays it with rich, thick sound, and very calm tempo. He accents sometimes very strong the single tones, and never play sharp sound in fast moments. It is very characteristic in his play.
Here it captures the athmosphere of this concertos very well in my opinion. The music is like romantic meditation, hesitating and dreaming.
If I take into account the wide orchestration and reduced role of piano in this concertos, this interpretation is logical for me.
Brahms was serious and intellectual ROMANTIC composer, and these are great interpretations in my opinion.

sencillamente genial..........2004-11-27

Llevo 6 años escuchando este CD y cada dia me maravillo de la gran interpretacion, Arrau es un interprete que se prepara de la mejor forma para llegar al alma del compositor y poner su don al deleite de nuestros oidos, para Brahms fuerza y pasion, dulzura y tensión, y por cierto gran rigor. Para que la audición sea continua, apasionada y por cierto cautivante.
Bernard Haitink es un director de rigor, solemne y estricto, por lo que la orquesta suena como tiene que sonar nada sobra, quizas falte luminosidad pero es un detalle que solo se justifica al compararlo con directores mas pomposos o magnificentes.
Ahora bien las Variaciones, la obertura tragica y la del festival academico no estan faltos de luninosidad y vigor, es mas son notoriamente distintos en forma de presentarlos a los conciertos, claro esta son menos solemnes y no requieren la rigides de las otras obras.
Disfruten entonces de dos grandes conciertos y ademas tres obras sinfonicas en un CD grandioso.

Average customer rating:

Liszt: Piano Concerti

Manufacturer: Cbc
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music
ASIN: B00004YWQJ
Release Date: 2000-11-07

Tracks:

Pno Con No.1 in E flat: I. Allegro Maestoso
Pno Con No.1 in E flat: II. Quasi Adagio
Pno Con No.1 in E flat: III. Allegretto Vivace
Pno Con No.1 in E flat: IV. Allegro Marziale Animato
Pno Con No.2 in A: I. Adagio Sostenuto Assai - Allegro Agitato Assai
Pno Con No.2 in A: II. Allegro Moderato
Pno Con No.2 in A: III. Allegro Deciso - Marziale, Un Poco Meno Allegro
Pno Con No.2 in A: IV. Allegro Animato
Pno Con No.3 in E flat, Op.Posth.: Andantino
Con in The Hungarian Style ('Sophie-Menter Con'): Andante Con Moto

Komma: Klavierkonzerte; Signale (Concerti for Piano & Orchestra 1 & 2; Signale)

Average customer rating:

Komma: Klavierkonzerte; Signale (Concerti for Piano & Orchestra 1 & 2; Signale)
Karl Michael Komma , Samuel Friedmann , Dirigent Dimitri Agrafiotis , and Wurttemburg Philharmonie Reutlingen
Manufacturer: Bayer
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music
ASIN: B000004473
Release Date: 1996-09-17

Bloch: Concerti Grossi Nos. 1 and 2 / String Quartet

Average customer rating:

Wonderful Bloch Recordings
Bloch in Neo-Baroque Mode

Bloch: Concerti Grossi Nos. 1 and 2 / String Quartet

Manufacturer: Asv Living Era
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Quartets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Ernest Bloch: Macbeth (1919) - Two Interludes / Three Jewish Poems (1913) / In Memoriam (1952) / Symphony In E flat (1954/5) - Royal Philharmonic Orchestra / Dalia Atlas Sternberg
Bloch: String Quartets 1-4
Ernest Bloch: Sacred Service; Schelomo
Eugène Ysaÿe: Sonates pour violon solo
Virgil Thomson: Symphony No 1-3

ASIN: B00005A8FK
Release Date: 2001-04-24

Tracks:

Con Grosso No.1: First Movt: Prld (Allegro Energico E Pesante)
Con Grosso No.1: Second Movt: Dirge (Andante Moderato)
Con Grosso No.1: Third Movt: Pastorale And Rustic Dances (Assai Lento - Allegro)
Con Grosso No.1: Fourth Movt: Fugue (Allegro)
Con Grosso No.2: First Movt: Maestoso - Allegro
Con Grosso No.2: Second Movt: Andante
Con Grosso No.2: Third Movt: Allegro
Con Grosso No.2: Fourth Movt: Tranquillo - Animato
Str Qt No.1: First Movt: Andante Moderato - Poco Piu Animato
Str Qt No.1: Second Movt: Allegro Trenetico

Customer Reviews:

Wonderful Bloch Recordings.......2004-05-13

This compilation of Ernest Bloch's two Concerti Grossi and String Quartets is superb. The true essence of Bloch's intense, vibrant music is brought through quite well, especially in the 1st (Prelude) and 4th (Fugue) movements of Concerto Grosso #1. This CD is an excellent buy for any Neo-Classical or 20th Century music connosouir.

Bloch in Neo-Baroque Mode.......2001-04-30

Howard Hanson and the Eastman Rochester Orchestra established the benchmark for performances of Ernest Bloch's (1880-1959) two CONCERTI GROSSI (1925 and 1952) with their recording on Mercury in 1959. Bloch wrote the first CONCERTO GROSSO while on faculty at the Cleveland Institute of Music, one of his stopover assignments on the way to Berkeley, California, and (in retirement) Agate Beach, Oregon. It seemed modern to audiences of the day but is likely to strike contemporary ears as late-Romantic in its vocabulary. Some of the "Jewish" Bloch surfaces here and there in the score - in the opening Prelude and again in the ensuing slow movement ("Lament"). The Third Movement ("Pastorale and Rustic Dances") sounds a bit like the corresponding movement from Magnard's THIRD SYMPHONY. In the Finale, Bloch works up an exciting fugue, bringing back the "Jewish" motif from the Prelude for the stretto. Dalia Atlas delivers a performance less tense, perhaps, than Hanson's, but in bringing out the work's lushness she opens it to another view which we ought to be happy to have. If THE CONCERTO GROSSO NO. 1, despite its name, is not very baroque at all, the CONCERTO GROSSO NO. 2 from more than a quarter of a century later, better lives up to the nomenclature. Where CG No. 1 used strings and piano, CG No. 2 limits the forces to strings, but subdivides the voices to make for a thornier contrapuntal texture - one more in line with what Bloch showed he could do in his first two string quartets. Less immediately accessible than CG No. 1, CONCERTO GROSSO NO. 2 neverthelesss offers more nourishment in the long run. As Colin Wilson noted forty years ago, Bloch's music often has a faintly English quality, and this is apparent in CONCERTO GROSSO NO. 2, some passages of which sound like Elgar or Bliss. Again, Atlas and the "Atlas Camerata" give a muscular performance and do a slightly better job than Hanson's Eastman Rochester players did in bringing out the work's moments of mystical yearning. The CD tracks the four sections of CONCERTO GROSSO NO. 2 separately; Atlas also introduces brief pauses where other performances (e.g. Hanson's) link the movements (four in all) without pause. The separate tracks are an advantage in getting to know the work. The concluding fugue is especially dense and tends to reveal its inner workings only on repeated audition. For good measure, Atlas serves up Bloch's STRING QUARTET NO. 1 (1916), maybe the most audacious and radical score that he wrote. We get two movements, the first and second, arranged for string orchestra. In conception and layout, the QUARTET is so enormous that this music tends to make the two companion-pieces seem a bit trifling; but the CONCERTO GROSSO NO. 2 becomes, in this program, something of a return to a spiky nearly atonal musical language that Bloch ameliorated after his emigration to America. Bloch has enjoyed a revival on CD recently, although many of the issues seem to have dropped from the catalogue. A few years back, Atlas committed to silver disc the hitherto unrecorded SYMPHONY IN E-FLAT (1954) along with two interludes from the opera "MACBETH" (1902) and the "THREE JEWISH POEMS" (1913). In the early 90s, the Laurel label put out a CD of the CONCERTO SYMPHONIQUE FOR PIANO AND ORCHESTRA (1948), coupled with CONCERTO GROSSO NO. 2. Those interested should seek out these discs. They should also snap up the present one. It is a worthy addition to the Bloch discography. [P.S. If Bloch appeals to you, I recommend that you become acquainted with the Swedish composer Gösta Nystroem (1890-1966), who shares many traits with the author of "SCHELOMO." Both Bloch and Nystroem were obsessed by the sea, both employed baroque structures in a modern context with late-Romantic harmonies, and the work of both is animated by a strong mystic impulse in the direction of pantheism. Nystroem's SINFONIA CONCERTANTE FOR CELLO AND ORCHESTRA (1947) is the large-scale rhapsodic counterpart of Bloch's slightly earlier VIOLIN CONCERTO (1938). Nystroem's SINFONIA ESPRESSIVA (1932) bears a strong anticipatory resemblance to Bloch's SINFONIA BREVE and SYMPHONY IN E-FLAT.]

Average customer rating:

Handel: The Concerti Grossi, Opp. 3 & 6

Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Classical Music | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music
ASIN: B0000026ZT
Release Date: 1991-01-14

Tracks:

Concerto Grosso No. 1 B-Flat Major: I - (Allegro)
Concerto Grosso No. 1 B-Flat Major: II - Largo
Concerto Grosso No. 1 B-Flat Major: III -
Concerto Grosso No. 2 B-Flat Major: I - Vivace
Concerto Grosso No. 2 B-Flat Major: II - Largo
Concerto Grosso No. 2 B-Flat Major: III - Allegro
Concerto Grosso No. 2 B-Flat Major: IV -
Concerto Grosso No. 2 B-Flat Major: V -
Concerto Grosso No. 3 G Major: I - Largo e staccato - Allegro
Concerto Grosso No. 3 G Major: II - Adagio - Allegro
Concerto Grosso No. 4 F Major: I - Allegro
Concerto Grosso No. 4 F Major: II - Andante
Concerto Grosso No. 4 F Major: III - Allegro
Concerto Grosso No. 4 F Major: IV - Allegro ma non troppo
Concerto Grosso No. 5 D Minor: I - (Allegro)
Concerto Grosso No. 5 D Minor: II - Fuga: Allegro
Concerto Grosso No. 5 D Minor: III - Adagio
Concerto Grosso No. 5 D Minor: IV - Allegro ma non troppo
Concerto Grosso No. 5 D Minor: V - Allegro
Concerto Grosso No. 6 D Minor: I -
Concerto Grosso No. 6 D Minor: II - Allegro
Concerto Grosso No. 10 D Minor: I - Allegro
Concerto Grosso No. 10 D Minor: II - Air: Lento
Concerto Grosso No. 10 D Minor: III - Allegro
Concerto Grosso No. 10 D Minor: IV - Allegro
Concerto Grosso No. 10 D Minor: V - Allegro moderato

Tracks:

Concerto Grosso No. 5 D Major: I -
Concerto Grosso No. 5 D Major: II - Allegro
Concerto Grosso No. 5 D Major: III - Presto
Concerto Grosso No. 5 D Major: IV - Largo - Allegro
Concerto Grosso No. 5 D Major: V - Menuet: Un poco larghetto
Concerto Grosso No. 2 F Major: I - Andante larghetto - Allegro
Concerto Grosso No. 2 F Major: II - Largo - Adagio - Larghetto andante e piano - Allegro ma non troppo
Concerto Grosso No. 8 C Minor: I - Allemande: Andante
Concerto Grosso No. 8 C Minor: II - Grave
Concerto Grosso No. 8 C Minor: III - Adagio
Concerto Grosso No. 8 C Minor: IV - Siciliana: Andante
Concerto Grosso No. 8 C Minor: V - Allegro
Concerto Grosso No. 6 G Minor: I - Larghetto e affettuoso - Allegro ma non troppo
Concerto Grosso No. 6 G Minor: II - Musette: Larghetto
Concerto Grosso No. 6 G Minor: III - Allegro
Concerto Grosso No. 6 G Minor: IV - Allegro
Concerto Grosso No. 11 A Major: I - Andante larghetto e staccato - Allegro
Concerto Grosso No. 11 A Major: II - Largo e staccato - Andante
Concerto Grosso No. 11 A Major: III - Allegro

Tracks:

Concerto Grosso No. 4 in A Minor: I - Larghetto affettuoso - Allegro
Concerto Grosso No. 4 in A Minor: II - Largo e piano
Concerto Grosso No. 4 in A Minor: III - Allegro
Concerto Grosso No. 3 in E Minor: I - Larghetto - Andante
Concerto Grosso No. 3 in E Minor: II - Allegro
Concerto Grosso No. 3 in E Minor: III - Polonaise: Andante
Concerto Grosso No. 3 in E Minor: IV - Allegro ma non troppo
Concerto Grosso No. 12 in B Minor: I - Largo - Allegro
Concerto Grosso No. 12 in B Minor: II - Larghetto e piano and Variations
Concerto Grosso No. 12 in B Minor: III - Largo - Allegro
Concerto Grosso No. 1 in G Major: I - A tempo giusto - Allegro
Concerto Grosso No. 1 in G Major: II - Adagio
Concerto Grosso No. 1 in G Major: III - Allegro
Concerto Grosso No. 9 in F Major: I - Largo - Allegro
Concerto Grosso No. 9 in F Major: II - Larghetto
Concerto Grosso No. 9 in F Major: III - Allegro
Concerto Grosso No. 9 in F Major: IV - Menuet
Concerto Grosso No. 9 in F Major: V - Gigue
Concerto Grosso No. 7 in B flat Major: I - Largo - Allegro
Concerto Grosso No. 7 in B flat Major: II - Largo e piano
Concerto Grosso No. 7 in B flat Major: III - Andante - Hornpipe

Amazon.com

Jean-Claude Malgoire's performances of these delightful works belong to the "rough and ready" school of original instrument technique. As an interpreter, he has been superseded by any number of French Baroque specialty groups, and his Handel concerti grossi really aren't competitive, even at the super budget price. There's simply too much scrappy string playing, and not particular interpretive insight. Pass on this one. --David Hurwitz

Piano Concerti 1 & 2 / Tombeau De Couperin

Average customer rating:

Piano Concerti 1 & 2 / Tombeau De Couperin
Ravel , Ousset , Rattle , and Bham
Manufacturer: Capitol
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music
ASIN: B000005GJM
Release Date: 1991-07-05