Beethoven: Piano Concertos Nos. 5 & 4

On this CD:

1. Piano Concerto No. 5 in E flat major ("Emperor"), Op. 73
Composed by Ludwig van Beethoven
Performed by Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra with Daniel Barenboim
Conducted by Daniel Barenboim

2. Cadenzas (3) to Piano Concerto No. 4 in G major, Op. 58
Composed by Ludwig van Beethoven
Performed by Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra with Daniel Barenboim
Conducted by Daniel Barenboim

Tracks:

Allegro Con Brio
Adagio
Rondo: Allegro Molto
Allegro Con Brio
Largo
Rondo: Allegro

Tracks:

Allegro Con Brio
Largo
Rondo: Allegro

Tracks:

Allegro Moderato
Andante Con Moto
Rondo: Vivace
Allegro
Adagio Un Poco Moto
Rondo: Allegro, Ma Non Troppo

Amazon.com

Aimard is best-known as an exponent of contemporary music, Harnoncourt, as a Founding Father of the period instrument movement. Both bring elements of their contrasting backgrounds to this provocative set: Aimard, in the lucidity and transparency of his playing, Harnoncourt, by rooting Beethoven within earlier traditions. But such templates don't always apply here, since they also utilize such ultra-Romantic gestures as wide tempo fluctuations, often from one measure to the next, elongated pauses, unexpected accents, among others. Such a diversity of interpretive stances takes getting used to, but the effort's worthwhile as these discs make something fresh and new out of familiar repertory pieces.

The first two concertos fare best, and the "Emperor" is also striking with its blend of clear textures and heroic gestures that likely surprised the composer's contemporaries with their boldness. In No. 3, lyricism sometimes shades into lingering, and the famous dialogue between growling orchestra and poetic piano in No. 4 is tame alongside most versions. Overall, the pair generally favor spacious tempos--the opening Allegro con brios of the first three concertos don't have much brio, and slow movements are slower than the norm, although those fluctuating internal speeds keep total timings within the "normal" range. But then, the goal of these artists is to restore a spirit of adventure and spontaneity to Beethoven, and they've certainly succeeded. --Dan Davis

Customer Reviews:

I'm not quite so convinced........2006-10-28

I was surprised by the universal acclaim on this recording. Whilst there are some moments of real joy and surprise, as a whole the set feels somewhat uneven. The first three concertos are the best of the set, four is OK but five is disappointing. At times liberties are taken with tempi and you find things grinding to a halt abruptly and the performance loses forward momentum as a result, at other times things feel a little too mechanical.

This is particularly apparent in the slow movement of number 5, one of my favourite piece of Beethoven. It is really difficult to tell whether it is intended or a by-product of recording but at times the piano is just too much to the fore and sounds like a mechanical music box. It is somewhat surprising by Aimard seems to be able to combine over use of rubato (the opening phrases in the piano just slow down too much) with overly spiky approaches to passages where the piano accompanies the orchestra.

I have to say though that the orchestra is wonderful throughout under Harnoncourt.

Word of advice - don't listen to this with headphones - you can hear the edits to remove audience noise and also hear someone (wither the conductor or soloist) audibly grunting with the effort in places - quite unnerving.

Stunning recording and a fresh approach.......2006-01-10

Aimard, Harnoncourt, and the COE present a compelling interpretation of these oft-heard piano concertos. I agree completely with the favorable comments made by the spotlight reviewers and would like to add that this set is the best-recorded of the several sets that I own. While the interpretations are very unique, they are also musically quite convincing. I learned this music with the Ashkenazy/Cleveland Orchestra collaboration and have been listening a lot to the Fleisher/Szell set, which is perhaps my all-time favorite, but I would certainly highly recommend this new set to anyone with a fondness for these piano concertos.

Modern...And I Like It!.......2005-03-06

I never would have thought...

Thank you Monsieur Aimard for affirming the tradition of equilibriated emotion and intellection in pianism. Thank you Les Monsieurs Aimard and Harnoncourt for your hard and successful work in making these pieces sound new again.

The Master Beethoven's Piano Concerti have just come out of the shower...They are clean, fresh, and alive again!

recordings at the styriarte festival in Graz.......2003-11-03

I'm glad that other listeners enjoy this recording of Beethoven's piano concertos as much as I do. I just wanted to correct some false information about the recording details: In the booklet of the CD you can read that the 2nd concerto was recorded in Vienna which isn't true. This concerto was recorded in Graz at the styriarte festival 2001 (June-July), whereas the first concerto was recorded in Vienna. In order to complete the series in Graz Nikolaus Harnoncourt and Pierre-Laurent Aimard decided to do the first concerto in 2003, but it was not recorded by Teldec/Warner at the festival 2003. Instead Warner took the older recording from Vienna. What Warner did record in Graz at the festival 2003 was Beethoven's Choral fantasy op. 80 and the Rondo, WoO 6.
Apart from pointing out these technical details of the recording I warmly recommend a live performance of Nikolaus Harnoncourt, Pierre-Laurent Aimard and the Chamber Orchestra of Europe because the CD can not grasp the overwhelming atmosphere which these great artists produce in Nikolaus Harnoncourt's hometown.

A Stunning Collaboration.......2003-08-16

I often like to hear what pianists who specialize in contemporary music have to say about pieces from the established repertoire; they tend to re-think even the old works. This, plus a recommendation from a friend, led me to buy this set featuring Pierre-Laurent Aimard. I had heard him play part of Messaien's 'Vingt Regards' this past season and was knocked out. Then I got his recording of the Ligeti Études and was convinced by them that he is one of the most talented pianists today, at least in modern repertoire. I had heard rumors that Nikolaus Harnoncourt, having recorded a very successful Beethoven symphony set with the Chamber Orchestra of Europe, was planning to record the Beethoven Piano Concerti with them as well and I'd heard it was going to be with Martha Argerich. I later read, though, that she refused to participate at least partly because she didn't know all five of the concerti and didn't want to learn the ones she didn't already know. When I heard that the project was going ahead, but with Aimard, I was puzzled but very interested. In the set's booklet, Aimard indicates that although he had never performed with Harnoncourt, the conductor had heard him play a Beethoven sonata in recital and judged that he might make a wonderful collaborator. Aimard was, understandably, a bit surprised at being chosen, but quickly agreed to the project. These recordings, then, were taken, except for the recording of the Second Concerto, from live performances in Harnoncourt's hometown, Graz, Austria; the Second was recorded live in the Vienna Philharmonic's home hall, the Musikverein. The 3-CD set presents the concerti in the order in which they were written: 2, 1, 3, 4, 5.

There are a number of general comments to make about this collaboration. First, it is clear that both Harnoncourt and Aimard have re-thought the pieces from start to finish. There are not simply gazing admiringly at well-known monuments. They are getting up-close-and-personal and making observations, individually and together, that are fresh and new. Further, their cooperation is stunning; Harnoncourt, whose long-standing relationship with the COE is such that he can get anything he wants from them with a flick of the wrist, conducts the pieces as if the music were occurring to him in the now. This means that there are many tempo alterations, pauses, accents, mouldings of phrases that sound spontaneous. And Aimard matches him gesture for gesture. Occasionally this is irritating, but usually it is simply surprising and enlightening. One thing is for sure: you never know what is just around the next corner. And this, of course, makes the music fresh and exciting. Following along with score I noted no flagrant disregard of Beethoven's notated indications, and indeed I saw that Aimard followed quite closely such things as Beethoven's sometimes quirky but always effective pedal markings and accents.

The COE, as a result of Harnoncourt's background in early music, uses minimal vibrato, the winds and brass sound like original instruments (although I don't know whether they actually are), the timpani are crisp (from leather-headed sticks?) as they were in the Harnoncourt/COE symphony set. The sound picture is exceptionally clear and the dynamic range exceptionally wide. The sound of the piano is not nearly as highlighted as it is in most concerto recordings; rather it sounds like it does in a concert hall. This seems particularly so in the latter two concerti. This strikes me as apt, since the Fourth is a rather like a symphonic fantasia with piano obbligato and the Fifth--in distinction to its usual presentation as a grand Romantic concerto with heroic piano solo--is a symphony with piano. For this reason, the Fourth and Fifth are particularly successful.

The slow movements are generally slower than usually heard, and they all feature heavenly string playing from the COE. The muted strings in the slow movement of the Fifth are matched by Aimard's slightly covered sound and the effect is heavenly. One doesn't want it to end, but when the final chord in B major resolves downward to the B flat opening of the final movement it is like waking from a dream to find oneself in a fresh and wonderful new world--one of Beethoven's master-strokes served up perfectly by Harnoncourt and his musicians. The colloquy--one might say 'debate'--between the piano and the orchestra in the middle movement of the Fourth is more genial than in some performances, but this is in the interest of a rather gentler overall approach in that concerto, one that I find attractive.

The Second concerto, usually played as a Haydnesque late-Classic concerto, is more full-blooded than one generally hears; this may be partly due to the rich, warm ambience of the recording venue, the Vienna Musikverein. Whatever the reason, I like this approach; I've often thought other performances have drained this concerto of its fire, focusing rather on its music-box features.

The First concerto in C major is, for whatever reason, my least favorite of the five, but it is given a loving, nuanced, sparkling performance here. The outer movements of the Third, in C minor, are the weakest of the set--although the performances are not at all bad; the sound is a little muddy as well. Its middle movement, though, one of Beethoven's loveliest movements, is perfect. Its stillness foreshadows the slow movements of Beethoven's late sonatas and quartets. Harnoncourt and Aimard are in complete accord on its extremely slow tempo and time seems to stand still.

In summary, then, this is one of the most successful Beethoven Concerto sets I've ever encountered. I would not want to be without Arrau/C. Davis (my favorite over the years), or various recordings by Gilels, Richter, Brendel, Ashkenazy, Kovacevich, Schnabel (that glorious Fifth with the Chicago Symphony!) and others. For new insights, though, and a slightly out-of-the-mainstream approach, as well as a deep satisfaction, I'll reach for this set often, I suspect.

Heartily recommended.

CD1=70;24 (2nd=31:10, 1st=39:14)
CD2=37:50 (3rd)
CD3=75:09 (4th=35:27, 5th=39:42)
TT=183:19

Tracks:

Concerto For Piano And Orchestra No. 4 In G Major: Allegro moderato
Concerto For Piano And Orchestra No. 4 In G Major: Andante con moto
Concerto For Piano And Orchestra No. 4 In G Major: Rondo Vivace
Concerto For Piano And Orchestra No. 5 In E Flat Major 'Emperor': Allegro
Concerto For Piano And Orchestra No. 5 In E Flat Major 'Emperor': Adagio un poco mosso - attacca
Concerto For Piano And Orchestra No. 5 In E Flat Major 'Emperor': Rondo - Allegro

Amazon.com

Wilhelm Kempff was one of the great German pianists of the postwar period, and his two sets of Beethoven sonatas remain a standard by which all others are measured. He was not a flashy artist, nor was he grimly severe. Rather, he practiced a sort of natural eloquence of expression that made his Beethoven one of the most satisfying over the long haul. Individual moments may rarely leap out and grab you, but his performances leave a satisfying impression of completeness, as if no stone has been left unturned. These performances have been highly regarded since the early 1960s, and with good reason. They offer an admirable picture of Kempff as an artist, and the accompaniments are quite fine. --David Hurwitz

Customer Reviews:

William Kempff plays Beethoven's Fourth and Fifth Concertos.......2007-07-02

Beethoven's Fourth and Fifth Piano Concertos were among my earliest introductions to classical music many decades ago. These works, and their three companion piano concertos, have lost none of their luster over the years. I love the great German pianist's Wilhelm Kempff's (1895 -- 1991) recording of the complete Beethoven piano sonatas. This 1961 recording of the Fourth and Fifth with Ferdinand Leitner conducting the Berlin Philharmonic is a fine complement to Kempff's sonata recordings.

There are many choices available on CD for this music and almost as many differing interpretations and performing styles. The two concertos both date from Beethoven's middle period, but they differ substantially from each other. The Fourth is lyrical and reflective, while the famous "Emperor" concerto is a prototypical example of heroic, monumental Beethoven in its scope, ambition, and sense of overcoming difficulty and sorrow.

Beethoven's Fourth was, understanably, Kempff's favorite as it suited his temperatment. He sets the stage for the work beautifully with the famous opening bars for piano solo -- the first time the piano had been given the opening statement in just this fashion. Kempff's playing is lyrical, quiet and improvisatory. He makes full use of the light runs, delicate passage work, and filigree in Beethoven's score.

Whatever flamboyance Kempff's performance of the Emperor concerto may lack is more than compensated for by the thoughtful, heroic, and noble character of the performance. The beginning piano arpeggios again set the tone for the work. Kempff plays the dazzling solo themes, warlike trills, clangorous chords and big runs with vigor, strength, and thought, counterbalanced by the many quieter moments of the work.

Beethoven's Fourth Concerto in G major opus 58 was first performed in public in 1808 with Beethoven at the piano. This, for many listeners, is Beethoven's greatest work in the form with its quiet strength, improvisatory piano writing and lyricism. The character of the work is set in the first few bars of the opening, in a movement which is filled with elegance and reflection and with moments of sweep and power. The second movement of the work is a brief dialogue between the gruffness of the orchestra and the pleading, quiet response of the piano that many writers have been tempted to see in programmatic terms. (Beethoven left no program for the work.) The sparkling third movement features a lively theme in which the piano is frequently accompanied by the cello and also by winds.

The "Emperor" was Beethoven's final effort in concerto form, and it was first played by Beethoven's pupil Czerny as a result of Beethoven's worsening deafness. Leon Plantinga, in his study "Beethoven's Concertos" has written (p; 257) that while the work "fairly bristles with musical topoi of a 'military' cast and with modes of expression we easily identify as 'heroic', one can hardly imagine that Beethoven, fed up with all the 'drums, cannons, and human misery' on all sides,[of the Napoleonic wars] could have intended this piece as a celebration of any military hero or anyone's victory in war." The work illustrates not prowess in war but rather "a generalized human struggle, and its heroic gestures pointed to a nobility of character required to prevail."

Some modern listeners have difficulty with the heroic cast of the "Emperor", but the work remains truly inspiring. The opening movement is one of both breadth and length with grand interchanges between the soloist and the orchestra. (Listen to the singing second theme as well, performed by the horns.) The second movement is noble and hymnlike with Czerny writing "when Beethoven wrote this adagio, the religious songs of devout pilgrims were present to his mind, and the performance of this movement must therefore perfectly express the holy calm and devotion which such an image naturally excites." The prayerful second movement leads without pause to a boisterous, difficult, and carefully-constructed concluding rondo.

Beethoven's Fourth and Fifth Concertos have been a gateway to a love of music for many. This recording by Kempff and Leitner is an excellent way to get to know these works. Listeners who already love this music will enrich their understanding through this classic performance.

Robin Friedman

A definitive 4th (and probably the 5th, too).......2007-05-08

This set of two latest piano concerto by maestro Beethoven should be a must for each lover of the composer's works. Wilhelm Kempff himself described the 4th Concerto as the most beautiful of the five, which is interesting, given the fact it's not that well-known as the "Emperor" (No.5). But for newcomers, one listen to the Fourth is enough. Especially the first movement, carrying breathtaking beauty throughout, is heavenly. And the playing remains such all the way. This may well be what Beethoven wanted this concertos to be played like.
There is probably not a few of us whose eyes fill with tears when listening to the slow movement of the "Emperor" -- one of the most wonderful compositions ever written. Here, the Adagio un poco mosso is not played too slowly or maudlingly, but with tender elegance, and the result is sublimely overwhelming. Imagine what experience Wilhelm Kempff must have amassed until the time he recorded this at the age of 65 in 1961. It shows.
It's not the immediate virtuosity that catches your attention while listening to this disc, but it's its pristine beauty -- like tripping over a calm winter pond in the middle of frozen windstorm. Compositionally, No.4 is more lyrical, while No.5 more epical -- there are even moments similar to Pastoral Symphony No.6 to be heard in the "Emperor" concerto. Hats off also to Berliner Philharmoniker.
With this you can't go wrong. It's a gem.

Impeccable Fourth, Pretty Good "Emperor".......2006-10-15

I purchased this disc since I had come to enjoy Kempff's playing of the Beethoven sonatas, and I was mostly pleased.

Kempff's performance of the G-Major Concerto is the best I have ever heard: lyrical and luminous, mysterious in the slow movement, boisterous in the finale, passionate but introverted, as the music itself is. These qualities do hamper him a bit, however, in the "Emperor," a piece which finds Beethoven in his extroverted, public-square-on-display mood. Kempff's playing, while superb, lacks some of the necessary elan to make the performance completely satisfying. For both concertos, Ferdinand Leitner and the BPO provide a wonderful accompaniment, and the winds get to be heard more than von Karajan usually let them.

Recommended.

Lovely playing in a classic traditional mode.......2006-09-10

The lavish praise heaped on this CD by other reviewers needs a little qualification. Kempff isn't the standard by which Beethoven playing is judged, despite what David Hurwitz claims. The actual standard is Schnabel, and in the modern era Kempff is foursquare compared to the brilliance of Richter and Pollini. He has impeccable touch, reverence for the German tradition, and a certain light sparkle. At his best Kempff sounds improvisatory and spontaneous (better words than 'introverted,' as one of the Spotlight reviewers puts it). Kempff was rarely grand or heroic, so he's not always in synch with Beethoven's style.

His virtues best suit the Fourth, often called Beethoven's feminine concerto. Kempff's 1961 account, here remastered in good sound, is bright and engaging. Leitner keeps the Berlin Phil. reined in (you'd never guess this is Karajan's powerhouse orchestra), allowing the piano to dominate. For commanding keyborad technique I'd turn elsewhere, to Fleisher or Serkin. Kempff's reading is closer to Brendel's another traditionalist who reveres classicism infused with reserved imagination. In all, a five-star reading.

What, then, about the heroics of the Emperor Concerto? Kempff states the declamatory solo entry extremely well without sounding grandiose, relying on his great sense of touch and phrasing. There's not a hint of crash and bang. Leitner, however, leads an accompaniment lacking in vibrancy--he's too straightforward, though always respectable. The close-up sonics get a bit distorted in loud passages, but the brightness of Kempff's tone comes through.

I'm impressed that he and Leinter take a fast pace in the first movement, but anyone expecting the command and excitment of Kisson's account with Levine (Sony) will be disappointed. After a suitably songful slow movement, Kempff's technique can't quite attack the difficult finale, but Leitner is robust and powerful, so not everything rests on the soloist's shoulders. I'd rate Kempff's emperor on the same level as Brendel's with Rattle or Levine, well above Katchen or Arrau. Still, it lacks the brilliance of Serkin, Fleisher, and Kissin.

The supreme interpretative excellence!.......2006-04-13

To many listeners around the world, Wilhelm Kempff still remains as the authentic voice of Beethoven. The expressive and peerless phrasing of this colossal pianist simply has no parallel in the music. Luxuriant, elegance, class, flair, energy, and absolute domain of the span makes of him one the supreme interpreters of Beethoven.

In this case his collaboration with Ferdinand Leitner brings us a performance where wisdom and elegance shake hands; Kempff was always surrounded of that supreme conviction, that undeniable commitment about the significance of Beethoven ?s legacy. That ?s why his sound looks like the rest and nevertheless no one sounds like him.

To my mind his version of the Fourth is unbeatable but I rather his Emperor reading with Paul van Kempen of the Fifties.

Average customer rating:

Channeling Beethoven
the brain tune-up
The Fourth to Get!
great fourth
These recordings won a Deutscher Schallplattenpreis

Beethoven: Piano Concertos Nos. 4 and 5

Manufacturer: Philips
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Beethoven: Piano Concertos 4 & 5 "Emperor"
Beethoven: Piano Sonatas
Beethoven: Piano Concertos
Beethoven: The Complete Piano Sonatas & Concertos
Beethoven: Piano Concertos Nos. 3, 4 & 5

ASIN: B00004Z19X
Release Date: 2001-04-10

Tracks:

Piano Concerto No.4 In G Major, Op.58: Allegro moderato
Piano Concerto No.4 In G Major, Op.58: Andante con moto
Piano Concerto No.4 In G Major, Op.58: Rondo (Vivace)
Piano Concerto No.5 In E Flat Major, Op.73 'Emperor': Allegro
Piano Concerto No.5 In E Flat Major, Op.73 'Emperor': Adagio un poco mosso
Piano Concerto No.5 In E Flat Major, Op.73 'Emperor': Rondo (Allegro)

Customer Reviews:

Channeling Beethoven.......2006-05-18

No interpreter I've heard brings more artistic integrity and commitment to his performances than does Claudio Arrau. Of course, he is present--I can recognize his playing in the huge, golden strumming sound drawn from a single chord. Yet more than Arrau, I hear Beethoven recreated. In fact, to call Arrau an "interpretter" feels off the mark. "Recreation" is the best word I can call to mind. There are details to cherish--details of voicing, phrasing, articulation and rubato--in every bar of these pieces. And the trills! Arrau's trills are phrases in themselves, melodies composed of no more than two alternating pitches. Haitink and the Concertgebow partner with Arrau beautifully and the Phillips recording quality is excellent, calling no attention to itself. Don't let the bargain price fool you, this is art of the highest order.

the brain tune-up.......2005-01-23

Claudio Arrau (1903-1991) was in his prime when this was recorded in 1964, and despite the age that is evident in the sound, there is a luminosity to his playing that is extraordinary in its ability to stir the emotions and almost leave one breathless. From passages of exquisite tenderness to vigorous power, more than the flawless technique, is the spirit of the piece, which he captures so beautifully. The Concerto # 4 is fabulous, and there may be better recordings for sound quality, but few will surpass the interpretation.

Arrau was born in Chile, and was a child prodigy, and studied with Martin Krause, who had been Liszt's pupil. Arrau spent years giving concerts in Europe, and made his Carnegie Hall debut at age 20, by then already a seasoned performer. I had the good fortune of hearing him in London in '62, and his presence as well as his performance had many in the audience in tears...and some of that presence, an air of greatness, can be felt in this recording.

I have never really cared for the "Emperor", always preferring the more "Mozartian" 1 through 4 concertos, but a pianist I know told me that if you listen to the # 5 once a day, it wakes up the brain cells, and presumably makes one smarter. After a week of listening to this fantastic CD, I may not be much smarter, but have grown to love the "Emperor", so I've already gained a great deal from the "brain tune-up".
This no-frills bargain CD has no liner notes or recording info, and total playing time is 74'42.

The Fourth to Get!.......2003-01-23

You can find no recorded performance of Beethoven's 4th better than this, even surprassing Maria Ginburg's. And this performance, from the 60's, far surpasses Arau's later work in the 80's, when his age was beginning to show. Yes, the recording quality is a bit better on the 80's disc, but would you rather hear a very good recording of an artist in his performing prime or a pristine performance of an artist in his sunset years?

In any case, this Eloquence reissue has been newly remastered using Ambient Sound Imaging and the results are very pleasurable and engaging.

To top it all off, at this price this performance is a steal. 4.5 stars, rounded up to 5.

great fourth.......2002-11-09

Although Claudio Arrau was a very active performer with orchestras around the world, most of his collaborations with orchestras on disc seem flat. Perhaps he felt restrained by the conductors, or found very few that were truly compatible. There are exceptions, however. His recording of the Liszt E flat concerto with Ormandy is an absolute knockout and a pirated recording of Liszt's A major concerto with Cantelli is equally impressive (and very difficult to find). Another live recording, a massive reading of the Brahms second with Igor Markevitch made in 1976, is also exceptional. Of the studio concerto recordings, the Beethoven fourth with Haitink is one of Arrau's great performances - definitely superior to his last recording with Davis. His articulation is incredible (despite his still formidable technique, Arrau playing with Colin Davis was not the same as Arrau in his 60's with Haitink), the shifts in mood subtle, the playing a gorgeous combination of strength and sensitivity. The remastered sound is also superb. The Emperor concerto sounds a little routine by comparison, perhaps because it is coupled with such a stunning fourth; still very highly recommended.

These recordings won a Deutscher Schallplattenpreis.......2002-04-27

These 1964 recordings form part of a full Beethoven concerto cycle which in turn is a pivotal part of Arrau's core recorded legacy. The most essential Arrau is clearly captured in these interpretations, as is also the case in his previous (EMI, late 50's) and subsequent (Philips, mid 80's) Beethoven complete concerto cycles. I spent 20 long years admiring Beethoven through these prize winning performances and I am only too happy to have them at my fingertips now. I have noticed that they are available in alternative packagings.

Average customer rating:

a great collaboration
Phenomenal performances!

Beethoven: Piano Concertos Nos. 3 & 5

Manufacturer: Angel Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Classical | Imports | Stores | Music

Piano Concerto #2

ASIN: B000002S7W
Release Date: 2001-03-06

Tracks:

Piano Con No.3 In c, Op.37: I.Allegro Con Brio
Piano Con No.3 In c, Op.37: II.Largo
Piano Con No.3 In c, Op.37: III.Rondo (Allegro)
Piano Con No.5 In E Flat, Op.73 'Emperor': I.Allegro
Piano Con No.5 In E Flat, Op.73 'Emperor': II. Adagio Un Poco Mosso
Piano Con No.5 In E Flat, Op.73 'Emperor': III.Rondo (Allegro)

Customer Reviews:

a great collaboration.......2001-03-29

Karajan and Weissenberg are a perfect match for the Beethoven piano concertos. This particular recording has #s 3 and 5, I would guess the two most popular ones. While I am personally not too fond of #5 (The Emperor concerto) in general, this recording is superb. The C minor concerto (#3) on the other hand, is my absolute favorite and this particular recording is in my top three choices for this work, the others being Svjatoslav Richter/Riccardo Muti and Maurizio Pollini/Karl Boehm. Weissenberg has impeccable technique, but what is really amazing is that he has the same subtle sense for pace, force and harmony that makes Karajan's style so wonderful. They really go together very well and create a beautiful, very uniquely homogenous interpretation of the piece that left me highly satisified. This recording is from the mid-seventies, but the sound quality is very good. EMI has done a very good job in remastering all of Karajan's work for the "Karajan edition". Beethoven piano concertos 1+2 are available in the same series and the are equally worthwile

Phenomenal performances!.......2001-03-14

Alexis Weissenberg was one of the greatest pianists of the 20th century. (Unfortunately, I do not know whether he is still alive in this century or not.) Weissenberg's technique is incredible, but his artistry is even more astounding. Personally, I regard him as the greatest pianist I've ever heard. As one would expect from such a great pianist, his performances of the Beethoven piano concertos are superb, as is the accompaniment by Herbert von Karajan and the Berlin Philharmonic. Particularly outstanding is the performance of the Emperor Concerto which is monumental. No other currently-available performance of the Emperor Concerto comes even close to this one. The performance of Concerto No. 3 is quite good. Unfortunately, many of Weissenberg's recordings are not available on CD. Please do yourself a favor and buy this CD while it's still available.

Average customer rating:

Mostly Magnificent Menuhin, with a Few Reservations

The Violinist
Yehudi Menuhin , Johann Sebastian Bach , Bela Bartok , Ludwig van Beethoven , Alban Berg , Johannes Brahms , Max Bruch , Arcangelo Corelli , Edward Elgar , Franz Joseph Haydn , Edouard Lalo , Felix Mendelssohn , Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart , Carl Nielsen , Niccolo Paganini , Camille Saint-Saens , Jean Sibelius , Pyotr Il'yich Tchaikovsky , Michael Tippett , Henri Vieuxtemps , Antonio Vivaldi , William Walton , Alberto Lysy , Anatole Fistoulari , Antal Dorati , Anthony Bernard , Gaston Poulet , John Pitchard , Mogens Woldike , Pierre Boulez , and Rafael Frühbeck de Burgos
Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Fantasies | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Beethoven: The Complete Symphonies and Piano Concertos
Beethoven - The Complete String Quartets / Alban Berg Quartet
Bach: Orchestral Suites & Concertos
The Glory of Rostropovich: 80th Birthday Tribute
Schubert: 8 Symphonies

ASIN: B0000BWTKJ
Release Date: 2003-11-04

Tracks:

I. Allegro
II. Affettuoso
III. Allegro
I. Allegro
II. Andante
III. Allegro Assai
I. Allegro
II. Adagio
III. Allegro Assai
I. Vivace
II. Largo Ma Non Tanto
III. Allegro

Tracks:

Rhapsody No. 2 (Lassu [Moderato] - Friss [Allegro Moderato])
I. Allegro Non Troppo
II. Andante Tranquillo
III. Allegro Molto
I. Andante
I. Allegretto (Scherzando)
II. Allegro
II. Adagio

Tracks:

Romance No. 1 In G Major
I. Allegro Ma Non Troppo (Cadenza: Kreisler)
II. Larghetto
III. Rondo (Allegro) (Cadenza: Kreisler)
I. Allegro Moderato
II. Adagio
III. Finale (Allegro Energico)

Tracks:

Romance No. 2 In F Major, Op. 50
I. Allegro Non Troppo (Cadenza: Kreisler)
II. Adagio
III. Allegro Giocoso, Ma Non Troppo Vivace - Poco Piu Presto
I. Allegro Molto Appassionato
II. Andante
III. Allegretto Non Troppo - Allegro Molto Vivace

Tracks:

I. Allegro
II. Andante
III. Allegro Molto
I. Andante Tranquillo
II. Presto Capriccioso Alla Napolitana & Trio (Canzonetta)
III. Vivace

Tracks:

I. Allegro Moderato (Cadenza: Menuhin)
II. Adagio Molto
III. Finale (Presto) (Cadenza: Menuhin)
I. Allegro
II. Andante Cantabile
III. Rondo (Andante Grazioso - Allegro Ma Non Troppo)
I. Allegro Maestoso
II. Andante
III. Presto

Tracks:

I. Allegro Non Troppo
II. Scherzando (Allegro Molto)
III. Intermezzo (Allegretto Non Troppo)
IV. Andante
V. Rondo (Allegro)
I. Allegro Non Troppo
II. Andantino Quasi Allegretto
III. Molto Moderato E Maestoso - Allegro Non Troppo
Introduction & Rondo Capriccioso, Op. 28
Havanaise, Op. 83

Tracks:

I. Allegro Maestoso (Cadenza: Emile Sauret)
II. Adagio Espressivo
III. Rondo (Allegro Spiritoso)
I. Andante - Moderato - Cadenza
II. Adagio Religioso
III. Scherzo (Vivace) & Trio
IV. Finale (Allegro)
I. Allegro Non Troppo
II. Cadenza
III. Adagio
IV. Allegro Con Fuoco

Tracks:

Serenade Melancolique
I. Allegro Moderato
II. Adagio Di Molto
III. Allegro Ma Non Tanto
I. Praeludium (Largo)
I. Allegro Cavalleresco
II. Intermezzo (Poco Adagio)
II. Rondo (Allegretto Scherzando)

Tracks:

I. Allegro
II. Largo
III. Allegro
I. Allegro Non Molto
II. Adagio
III. Presto
I. Allegro
II. Adagio
III. Allegro
I. Allegro Non Molto
II. Largo
III. Allegro
I. Vivace - Allegro - Adagio - Vivace - Allegro - Largo Andante
II. Allegro
III. Grave - Andante Largo - Allegro
Fantasia Concertante On A Theme Of Corelli

Customer Reviews:

Mostly Magnificent Menuhin, with a Few Reservations.......2004-01-06

The recent trend toward classical box sets focusing on the performer instead of the composer (see my reviews of the various DG/Decca "Original Masters" sets) continues with EMI's new "Yehudi Menuhin - The Violinist." Sure EMI's past sets have showcased individual performances by Samson Francois, Eugen Jochum and Rudolf Kempe to name a few, but it was always under the heading of a given composer's works, and in the cases mentioned above, to Chopin's piano pieces, Bruckner's Symphonies and Strauss' Orchestral Works respectively. Therefore, this Menuhin collection is the first of EMI's "Budget Box Sets" to showcase a performer playing the works of a variety of composers.

As Menuhin was an EMI recording artist for an incredible 68 years (1931-99), his performances for the label number in the hundreds. With so much music from which to choose, this 10-disc set aims "to highlight some of those alternative versions, including recordings that have not been easily available since the days of LP and others that have never previously appeared on CD." Therefore, the obvious mainstream, easily attainable recordings are omitted here -- for example, the Beethoven/Mendelssohn VCs with Furtwangler, the Elgar VC with the composer conducting, and the Bruch/Mendelssohn VCs with Susskind and Kurtz.

However, a lot of this material has been on disc before on titles which the serious collector most likely already owns. Most of the Bach is currently available as part of the Bach "Budget Box Series" title. The Bruch, Mendelssohn, Brahms and Vivaldi VCs were all available in the now out-of-print 2CD EMI Seraphim series. The Elgar and the Walton are still available in the "British Composers" series. And perhaps most annoyingly, the previously unpublished Beethoven VC and Tchaikovsky "Serenade melancolique" (available as a single disc), and the Beethoven Romance No. 2 (available on an EMI Encore title) were both reissued just a few months back.

But let's focus on the positive, which are the other rare performances, the most significant being the never before reissued 1954 performance of Mozart's Violin Concerto No. 4 with John Pritchard and the Philharmonia. Other elusive recordings include Viuextemps and Paganini VCs with Fistoulari, Lalo and Saint-Saens works with Goossens, and excellent Berg and Bartok accounts with Boulez. Though I'm delighted at their inclusion, of lesser importance is a 1965 Bartok VC No. 2 with Dorati -- his mono EMI with Furtwangler and an earlier account with Dorati on Mercury Living Presence are far superior. Also, neither the Sibelius (Boult, 1955) nor Nielsen (Woldike, 1952) Concertos are truly Menuhin's cups of tea.

My last complaint has to do with the packaging. I know I'm being rather trite but it seems that EMI has taken the "slim" out of slim, paper-sleeved box sets with their latest batch of releases. Both this title and the new box of Liszt Orchestral Works by Masur are noticeably thicker than previous EMI sets featuring a similar number of discs. A minor point, but us serious classical collectors need every centimeter of space on our increasingly crowded CD shelves, not to mention the amount of wasted packaging.

Overall though, despite the fact that "Yehudi Menuhin - The Violinist" is not as essential a reissue as its counterparts in the "Original Masters" series, it is a delightful set that most collectors will thoroughly enjoy.

Beethoven: Piano Concertos Nos.4 & 5 "Emperor"

Average customer rating:

Never bettered!
The best Beethoven Fourth and Fifth from Gilels
Brilliant Beethoven, But Collectors Beware

Beethoven: Piano Concertos Nos.4 & 5 "Emperor"

Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Rachmaninov: Piano Concerto No. 3; Saint-Saëns: Piano Concerto No. 2
The Penguin Guide to Compact Discs and DVDs Yearbook 2006/07 Edition (Penguin Guide to Compact Discs and Dvds Yearbook)
Schubert: Piano Sonatas D.960 & 664, Moments Musicaux D.780, Impromptus D.899
Schubert: Piano Sonata No. 21; Moments musicaux; Allegretto in C minor
Beethoven: Symphonie 7 [Hybrid SACD]

ASIN: B000AQACN4
Release Date: 2005-09-13

Tracks:

I. Allegro Moderato
II. Andante Con Moto
III. Rondo (Vivace)
I. Allegro
II. Adagio Un Poco Mosso
III. Rondo (Allegro)

Customer Reviews:

Never bettered!.......2007-04-03

I bought the original 10" LP of the 4th concerto while still at school and the performance has remained a favorite ever since!
It seems exactly RIGHT!
I have several other performances - but this is the one I return to again when I want the best.
Gilels is extraordinary in Beethoven and Brahms and this is one of his finest performeances.
If you are interested in great piano playing - buy this CD - especially at such a good price - you won't regret it!

The best Beethoven Fourth and Fifth from Gilels.......2006-06-08

EMI had decided that their Beethoven concertos of choice from Gilels were his second versions, made in the late Sixties with George Szell, so they licensed off these earlier recordings from 1957 to Testament, a reprint label. Lo and behold, now they are considered Great Recordings of the Century, while the Szell set languishes on EMI's super-budget line.

In truth, the rectification is correct. Gilels sounds far more spirited in this Fourth and Fifth Concerto, letting them expand to their real Beethovenian stature. Szell's conducting was enervated (he didn't live many years longer after their release), and Gilels followed suit with tepid playing.

Not here. He is suitably heroic and dazzling in the first moovement of the Emperor and sparkling with life in the finale of the Fourth. The readings still aren't top-notch, htough. Leopold Ludwig is a dutiful rather than inspired conductor. Gilels never had much imaginaiton in Beethoven--although his staid, reflective sonatas on DG, made late in life, arouse enthusiasm in England. Without risisng to the empyrean heights of Schnabel, Serkin, or Edwin Fisher in these works, Gilels is to be reckoned with nevertheless.

Brilliant Beethoven, But Collectors Beware.......2005-09-16

Generally, I've been a big fan of EMI's "Great Recordings of the Century" series (see my reviews), but recently its reissues have included lots of recycled product. Don't get me wrong, I love it when CDs get repackaged at mid-line instead of full-price, but it is getting particularly confusing now that EMI is issuing discs on their own label that they previously licensed out to other companies. This exact material has been available for years via the UK's Testament label (on SBT 1095). These 1957 stereo recordings of the 4th and 5th Beethoven Piano Concertos with soloist Emil Gilels and Leopold Ludwig leading the Philharmonia Orchestra are certainly remarkable. Some ten years later, Gilels remade these works (in fact, the entire Beethoven PC Cycle) with George Szell for EMI, but despite the fact that those were made with one of my very favorite conductors, I have always preferred these earlier accounts. Now the average classical music fan can too, as these performances will obviously attract more attention under the GROTC banner. Of course, we serious collectors have been enjoying this material on CD for years.

Average customer rating:

Beethoven Best

Beethoven: Piano Concertos Nos. 3 & 5

Manufacturer: Sbme Import
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

Classical | Imports | Stores | Music
Similar Items:

Beethoven: Piano Concertos Nos. 2 & 4
Mozart: The Great Piano Concertos, Vol. 1

ASIN: B0000AH3EM
Release Date: 2003-09-01

Tracks:

Allegro Con Brio
Largo
Rondo. Allegro
Allegro
Adagio Un Poco Moto
Rondo. Allegro

Album Details

First Time on CD. Digitally Remastered.

Customer Reviews:

Beethoven Best.......2004-10-27

This is my First review! [Oh, Boy! Mentality Ahoy!] Over twenty five years ago My Father [who passed away in Nov. 2001] gave me a 100 lp set produced by the Franklin Mint [which I shall treasure always(I Love You Daddy!)]. I have been trying to get the performances from the Franklin Mint set on regular commercial CD's[trying & trying!]. Beethoven's Fifth Piano Concerto with Rudolf Serkin is on the Franklin Mint set and now on this CD! I would like to share Igor Kipnis's brief notes on this concerto and this performance. Remember: notes are over 25 years old! [from the Frankln Mint set]"The Concerto 'Beethoven began this concerto in an unorthodox manner, reminiscent of the solo piano opening to his Fourth Concerto, which, rather than starting with the usual orchestral exposition, began with the piano making the first statment. In the "Emperor" the composer commences with a series of majestic orchestral chords between which the solo instrument plays cadenza-like passages of brilliant arpeggios, scales and trills. There are two main themes, the first involving both a triplet turn and a dotted rhythmic figure, the second a march-like subject played softly and staccato in the minor and then powerfully in the major. The movement is an exceptionally long one (there are nearly 600 bars), but in this beautifully proportioned Allegro, alternating between regal triumph and lofty serenity, the piano becomes a truly heroic protagonist with the orchestra. Interestingly, Beethoven dispenses with the usual extensive cadenza, preferring to integrate a briefer one just before the coda. E-flat Major represents the heroic key of the opening movement, and for the second movement Beethoven turns to a more remote B Major. The Adagio un poco mosso begins with a remarkably calm theme sustained by the strings; this alternates with a rhapsodic theme presented and elaborated by the solo instrument, both themes being expanded and varied during the course of the movement. At the coda, rather than simply concluding the movement, Beethoven has the bassons drop the tonality down a half step to B-flat, at which point the piano muses over a new, broken chordal figure in E-flat. This, speeded up, turns out to be the principal theme of the finale (Rondo: Allegro). If the first movement is basically regal in character, the concluding rondo, with its three main themes, is essentially exuberant, and brilliantly conceived in the writing for both the piano and orchestra. Born in Bohemia in 1903, Rudolf Serkin has had an exceptionally distinguished career, first in Europe and, after his American debut in 1933, in the United States. He has appeared with almost every major orchestra in the world, has headed the famed Marlboro Festival and most recently has been heard and seen on television, first on a seventy-fifth birthday recital and then again with the New York Philharmonic performing the Emperor Concerto. This justly famed recording with that orchestra under Leonard Bernstein was made on May 1, 1962. The pianist's authority in the music of the Viennese classics has long been held in the highest esteem, and his recording of this concerto in particular aptly demonstrates the deep, even physical intensity that is a hallmark of Serkin's style.'" Notes by Igor Kipnis for the Franklin Mint. Remember: the notes are over "25" years old! I Love these performances! The reissue of these concertos on CD are excellent! Mr. Kipnis's remarks on the Fifth's performance are "right on the target!" The Third Concerto is played in the same manner. The first and third movements are firmly in command by both Mr. Serkin and Mr. Bernstein. The second movement is absolutely serene! The other piano concerto by Beethoven in the Franklin Mint set is the Fourth with Rudolf Serkin and Eugene Ormandy conducting the Philadelphia Orchestra(stereo version). I found it once on "The art of interpretation" series (the same series the present CD comes from) on CD on the web, but could not afford it at the time. I have not been able to find it since! I hope some of the more experienced reviewers can help me find it! I need all the help I can get! But, I am grateful that I do have this CD of Beethoven's Third and Fifth Piano Concertos! Truly Beethoven Best! God Bless!

Beethoven: Piano Concertos Nos. 1-5; Choral Fantasia

Average customer rating:

Not just a May-December marriage but a high point for Barenboim musically
Among the best Beethoven Concertos, and an interesting contrast of conductor and pianist
Harsh at times
unmissable stuff
Don't miss the two genius together

Beethoven: Piano Concertos Nos. 1-5; Choral Fantasia

Manufacturer: Angel Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
ASIN: B000002S1J
Release Date: 2002-11-05

Tracks:

Pno Con No.1 in C, Op.15: I. Allegro con brio
Pno Con No.1 in C, Op.15: II. Largo
Pno Con No.1 in C, Op.15: III. Rondo (Allegro scherzando)
Pno Con No.2 in B flat, Op.19: I. Allegro con brio
Pno Con No.2 in B flat, Op.19: II. Adagio
Pno Con No.2 in B flat, Op.19: III. Rondo (Molto allegro)

Tracks:

Pno Con No.3 in c, Op.37: I. Allegro con brio
Pno Con No.3 in c, Op.37: II. Largo
Pno Con No.3 in c, Op.37: III. Rondo (Allegro)
Pno Con No.4 in G, Op.58: I. Allegro moderato
Pno Con No.4 in G, Op.58: II. Andante con moto
Pno Con No.4 in G, Op.58: III. Rondo (Vivace)

Tracks:

Pno Con No.5 E Flat, Op.73 'Emperor': I. Allegro
Pno Con No.5 E Flat, Op.73 'Emperor': II. Adagio un poco mosso
Pno Con No.5 E Flat, Op.73 'Emperor': III. Rondo (Allegro)
Fant in C for pno, chor and orch, Op.80 - Daniel Barenboim/John Alldis Choir/John Alldis

Customer Reviews:

Not just a May-December marriage but a high point for Barenboim musically.......2006-05-17

Listening to these imaginative and ingratiating performances of the five Beethoven piano concertos, I marvelled at Barenboim's early maturity. He displays uncanny poise and confidence, fully equal to Klemperer's grand manner. Sadly, the mid-Sixties was about the last time I could connect with Barenboim, whose romantic tendencies, so impressively applied here, went off into caricature: he began to channel Furtwangler and hasn't stopped, despite the fact that it caused him to lose his best musical instincts. (His cycle of the Beethoven symphonies with the Berliner Staatskapelle is so stody and dull that it might as well join Furtwangler in the grave.)

That's irrelevant here. The amazing thing for me is that Barenboim proves so successful at making these overly familiar works sound fresh through pure musical insight of the kind Schnabel might have--every movement really speaks under his hands. As for Klemperer, his is simply the greatest condcuting ever found in a complete Beethoven cycle. I got more feeling from these CDs than from his at times ponderous symphony recordings. For example, in the slow movement of Concerto #2, pianist and conductor agree that the style should be mature Beethoven, with full sonority, measured tempos, and weightiness. That may sound like a bad idea in this Haydnesque early work, but by the time they build to the hushed, mysterious coda, we are transported to an inspired world. Throughout there is the same stamp of genuineness.

Barenboim eschews virtuoso gimmicks and never powers his way through the score. I must confess that I waited forty years to buy this set, on the assumption that Klemper would be inattentive and heavy-handed. How very wrong I was. This Beethoven cycle sets the gold standard.

Among the best Beethoven Concertos, and an interesting contrast of conductor and pianist.......2005-11-15

Daniel Barenboim's late 1960s recording of the Beethoven Piano Concertos is one of the best, and an interesting contrast: the young, brilliant pianist Barenboim with the elderly condcutor Klemperer. Klemperer was known for slow tempos by the 1960s, and a sense of granitic structure: like viewing a beautiful rock hewn of granite from a distance, but not something you can get close to, nor call "charming" or "loving." This sense is present in Klemperer's orchestral contribution to these recordings: tempos are never too fast, and there is a sense that something timeless and great is going to happen in every movement. Barenboim's pianism seems awesome: flawless and technically perfect, and the Philharmonia Orchestra plays beautifully in each concerto. Recorded sound is very good: analog stereo from the late 1960s.

Keep in mind, however, these are not "cold" recordings. The music may be calculated under Klemperer's direction to a certain degree, but everything makes perfect musical sense, and Beethoven's titanic greatness shines throughout. If you like a more lean approach to Beethoven's Concertos, avoid Barenboim/Klemperer.

Some listeners may not agree, but I believe Barenboim/Klemperer's Beethoven Concertos to be among the best, along with Ashkenazy/Solti (Decca); Rubinstein/Leinsdorf (RCA/ Boston Symphony); and for a more Classical approach free of Romantic excess, Perahia/Haitink (Sony).

Harsh at times.......2000-01-01

For my taste, these were disappointing. The dynamic range is so great in the recording, you cannot easily find a comfortable volume. Softer passages are either lost or the sound becomes blaring. Yes, Klemperer is a grand master, but the Orchestra often sounds overly romantic and pompous for my ears. I have an Annie Fisher recording of the 3rd Concerto and every moment that makes that CD memorable is missing on this version of the 3rd. For example, there is a passage in the first movement that occurs twice. The piano hits several increasingly powerful octaves slightly behind the orchestra. Annie Fischer's final Octave is so powerful in that the pause leading up to it is greater and the depth of her conviction in solidly ringing it out is profound. On the Klemperer/Barenboim recording this monumental moment passes mostly unnoticed. Also, the piano has an almost harsh ringing sound. Infact, the entire recording has a supercharged high end that can be oppressive. I would also recommend the Ashkenazy, Mehta recording of the 4th and 5th. That recording has a warmth of orchestral sound that seems more natural to me. I also find that Barenboim and Klemperer do not seem to be seeing things eye to eye, especially in the 5th. Don't get me wrong, these are classic performances, I just will not reach for them as often as the others and I simply offer an opinion.

unmissable stuff.......1999-12-15

How lucky we are that Daniel Barenboim began to mature as a great artist with Klemperer enjoying a glorious Indian summer. This is a miraculous recording. The 24-year-old Barenboim is a match for the magisterial Klemperer, who was almost three times the age of his precocious pianist. It's remarkable to find two artists of such different ages cooperating so well. And they're fully equals as well - this is a version of the Beethoven concertos with soloist as primus inter pares (to quote one reviewer). The Emperor has seldom sounded so grand. The orchestral playing is quite something as well.

Don't miss the two genius together.......1998-10-17

Again the power of the old Klemperer bright like a spark in the dark sea of his no-rithm measures. A young and brilliant Baremboim that plays like the angels. Anyway, don't miss the Piano Con. n.5 conducted by Knapertbusch and played by Curzon for taste the glory.

Classical Music For People Who Hate Classical Music

Average customer rating:

A Very Pleasurable Mix
Good for beginners.

Classical Music For People Who Hate Classical Music

Manufacturer: Proarte
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Ballets | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Waltzes | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Quartets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Baroque (c.1600-1750) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Italian | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Classical Music for People Who Hate Classical Music
25 Classical Favorites

ASIN: B000000C3P
Release Date: 1993-02-01

Tracks:

Canon
Brandenburg Concerto No. 3: Allegro
The Four Seasons: Largo - Allegro
Fanfare
Air On A 'G' String
Eine kleine Nachtmusik: Allegro
Piano Concerto No. 21: Andante: 'Elvira Madigan' Theme
Symphony No. 5: Opening
William Tell Overture: Conclusion
Aida: Triumphal March
The Blue Danube Waltz
Waltz Of The Flowers
1812 Overture - Conclusion

Customer Reviews:

A Very Pleasurable Mix.......2005-10-29

I still consider myself a rock music fan, but received this CD/album as a Christmas gift in 1995, and have listened to it in my car countless times. It contains a very nice assortment of familiar arrangements performed brillantly by various orchestras. Even if the title doesn't ring a bell, chances are you've heard these songs before and can connect with them. My wife's favorite is "Canon" (she's a diehard romantic) and I'm partial to "Fanfare" (Masterpiece Theater's old theme). Guaranteed to mellow you out while stuck in rush-hour traffic.

Good for beginners........1999-01-16

For those of us who think we would like classical music but have no idea where to start or what to buy, this is a good CD. I now have a small classical music library which gives me a great deal of pleasure, but this was one of my first selections. I still enjoy it. I recommend it to friends who are beginning to enjoy classical music and need a place to start.

Average customer rating:

Beethoven: Piano Concertos Nos. 2 & 5
Pollini , Jochum , Bohm , and Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra
Manufacturer: Archiv/Universal
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music
ASIN: B000024BRS
Release Date: 1998-05-15

Tracks: