Piano Concertos: Tchaikovsky & Rachmaniniv

On this CD:

1. Piano Concerto No. 1, for piano & orchestra (or 2 pianos) in B flat minor, Op. 23
Composed by Pyotr Il'yich Tchaikovsky

Conducted by Vassil Stefanov

2. Moments Musicaux (6), for piano, Op. 16
Composed by Sergey Rachmaninov
Performed by Ivan Drenikov
Conducted by Jean-Pierre Wallez

Customer Reviews:

Scintillating pianism.......2007-05-30

I am quite familiar with both of these concertos, and was taken for quite a ride listening to this disc for the first time. Sudbin focuses on detail in both pieces in such a way that they sound almost new. The comparisons I have come up with may or may not help. They are like a skilled chef slicing and presenting a roast in a way that immeasurably adds to the dining experience, or perhaps a diamond cutter presenting you will a dazzling gem. While he is capable of the most virtuosic abilities, Sudbin is a musician who suits his tempi, color, and dynamics to that section of the piece in front of him. While this may sound like a recipe for excessive rubato, or even for fragmentation of the music, it is done in such a refined and musical way that it convincing and unique.

I could never conceive of using these performances as background music. I listened intently, and was drained by the experience.

Sudbin, Neschling, Sao PauloSO: Good Tchaikovsky, Better Medtner: Recommended.......2007-04-09

This super audio disc can be highly recommended on three grounds. One for the sound, and one each for each of the two composers. First off the sound and technical production of the recorded performance are quite up to the high standards this label sets for itself. Multi-channel play is subtle but surrounds the listener in an encompassing and embracing manner. This sound most likely recreates the acoustic of the venue, presumably, and that venue would be the Sala Sao Paulo, Brazil. It sounds to be a medium sized hall with good frequency balances and a good balance between resonance and reflections which localize.

The Tchaikovsky performance emphasizes the piano concerto's musical claims. Though Sudbin and the band led by John Neschling (a film composer, including Pixote) are completely up to the technical and virtuoso demands of the music, sheer flash is never the point. At first hearing that approach may strike a listener as too low key, but I suspect that repeated hearings will wear well over the long run.

Nevertheless, the recorded competition in the Tchaikovsky first piano concerto is stiff. Even restricted to super audio, we have the likes of the famously famous Van Cliburn debut (remastered), Arkady Volodos out-Horowitzing Vladimir, Olga Kern on HM USA (rather dim and diffuse sound for SACD), Nikolai Lugansky on Pentatone (hampered a bit in Romantic effusiveness by Kent Nagano's strict competence), Scherbakov burning with heart and fire on Naxos, and that current high representative of worldwide piano flash, Lang Lang. Of this super audio group, surely the Cliburn and the Volodos and the Scherbakov will hold their own as time marches on.

If we widen our comparisons to include red book CD, then the field gets very crowded - including my own favs, Lazar Berman, Andrei Gavrilov, Nelson Freire, Gary Graffman, Peter Donohoe, Sviatoslav Richter, Martha Argerich , Emil Gilels, and Earl Wild under Fistoulari on Chesky.

Then the new disc moves on to give us the Medtner Piano Concerto 1, and the comparisons immediately shift. The amazing Scherbakov reappears in this group also. And we add in, Geoffrey Tozer, and Geoffrey Douglas Madge. One wonders why Barry Douglas is missing, or John Lill, from the recorded catalogue of these concertos. But the explanation is probably all about the reputation Medtner has for being hard to like on first hearings, although this same reputation admits that Medtner grows on people, both players and listeners with increased exposure.

I like Medtner, and so for me, this new recording of the first piano concerto is very welcome. I am a Scherbakov fan, too, but Sudbin and Neschling and Sao Paulo more than hold their own. In fact, I think this Medtner first piano concerto is a better reason to buy the disc than is the Tchaikovsky per se, just because we have so many other fine choices in that field. Not only does Medtner deserve the exposure, but given the sort of expert and loving attention Sudbin and associates give the composer in this recording, we could expect for his music to come even more out of the repertoire's margins. In addition to long and luscious Russian melodies, Medtner offers a modernized feel for evolving harmonies - rather like, but still different from, say, Nielsen - and a ability to juggle and mesh textures which like Reger try to bring polyphony back into the Late Romantic gesture. If fine performances like Sudbin's cannot aid the cause, then surely Medtner's cause is still lost. But this recording offers hope, just because it shows the composer is such a good light.

Tchaikovsky recommended, then, and Medtner highly recommended. Five stars. Hope this team gets around to the other two Medtner concertos, if not also the Tchaikovsky second. Kudos to the production team and the engineering team at BIS.

Tchaikovsky & Mendelssohn Violin Concertos

Average customer rating:

Superb versions of the violin concerti!
Must Have CD

Tchaikovsky & Mendelssohn Violin Concertos

Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Tchaikovsky: Violin Concerto Op35; Brahms: Violin Concerto in D Op77

ASIN: B0000AF1KT
Release Date: 2003-10-21

Tracks:

I. Allegro Moderato
II. Canzonetta (Andante)
III. Allegro Vivacissimo
Serenade Melancolique
I. Allegro Molto Appasionato
II. Andante
Leadout

Customer Reviews:

Superb versions of the violin concerti!.......2005-03-14

I was familiar with both Violin Concerti before my purchase, but since I am just starting to work on my own collection, did not own any version of either of them. I chose this CD at the store because of the relatively prestigious reputations of all performers and conductors, even though there were cheaper options. I have not been dissapointed! These versions of the Violin Concerti are without a doubt my favorite to date and this has become one of my most played CDs. I would highly reccommend this CD.

Must Have CD.......2005-02-16

This is the one CD that every lover of classical music must have. No greater performance in the genre of violin concertos has ever been recorded. Perlman is at the height of his craft.
Absolutely fabulous!!!

Rachmaninov, Tchaikovsky: Piano Concertos / Richter

Average customer rating:

Great performance, poor remastering
Eloquence with hands of steel and a heart of fire
A performance that will live as long as recorded music
Idyosincratic Tchaikovsky , enigmatic Rachmaninov!
POWER

Rachmaninov, Tchaikovsky: Piano Concertos / Richter

Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Rachmaninoff: Concerto No. 3 in D minor, Op. 30 / Tchaikovsky: Piano Concerto No. 1 in B flat minor, Op. 23

ASIN: B000001GQD
Release Date: 1996-02-13

Tracks:

Concerto for Piano and Orchestra No. 2 in C Minor: 1. Moderato
Concerto for Piano and Orchestra No. 2 in C Minor: 2. Adagio sostenuto
Concerto for Piano and Orchestra No. 2 in C Minor: 3. Allegro scherzando
Concerto for Piano and Orchestra No. 1 in B Flat Minor: 1. Allegro non troppo e molto maestoso - Allegro con spirito
Concerto for Piano and Orchestra No. 1 in B Flat Minor: 2. Andantino semplice - Prestissimo -Tempo I
Concerto for Piano and Orchestra No. 1 in B Flat Minor: 3. Allegro con fuoco

Amazon.com essential recording

Although the late Sviatoslav Richter spent his later years concentrating on Bach, Beethoven, and Haydn, he never completely abandoned the music of his native country. His reading of Rachmaninov's most popular concerto, captured in fine late-'50s stereo, is one of the most glorious ever recorded. Richter's amazing technique is completely up to the demands of Rachmaninov's difficult writing, and he plays the heart-on-sleeve melodies with such refined intensity that they never sound sentimental. This performance is a truly amazing example of great pianism, very strongly supported by the fine orchestra and its little-known conductor. Unfortunately, the accompanying Tchaikovsky is a dud. Karajan and Richter recorded this work together as a favor to a record-company executive, but they don't seem to be in sympathy. The conductor's excessive refinement holds the pianist back, and the result is much too restrained for the music. Never mind. The Rachmaninov alone is easily worth the price of this disc. --Leslie Gerber

Customer Reviews:

Great performance, poor remastering.......2007-02-19

Previous reviews extoll the virtues of Richter's performance, and indeed it is magnificent. Unfortunately, the remastering of this recording did not produce a quality result. The dynamics are poor, resulting in fuzzy strings, and horns and a less than vibrant sound from Richter's piano. There is no sense of "presence". This is a valuable recording for those with two or more copies of the Rach 2, who want this one as a historic performance or for collectors of Richter. If this is your first copy and you have a decent sound system, steer clear.

Eloquence with hands of steel and a heart of fire.......2006-07-09

Richter's work has long been a benchmark in the library of piano virtuosity, but in these two selections, he has transcended normal experience. For an artist to insert himself into the world of music on such a grand scale is to take great risks, and that is exactly what he has done. I believe that at a point, Richter and the music become one and the same. It is as though he were fused to each note. The result is a performance that is both flawless and yet, warm, sonorous and full. There is nothing that he has left out. He is an artist for the ages, and we are richer for his presence at the keyboard.

A performance that will live as long as recorded music.......2006-01-19

There is nearly unanimous consensus that Richter's 1959 recording of the Rachmaninov 2nd rises to a height challenged only by the composer himself. Richter's ability to play the fastest passagework while moving from soft to loud and back again is breathtaking--speed doesn't change his control over dynamics one bit. But that's to pick out a single aspect of a performance that is by turns noble, lyrical, passionate, and poetic. One could spend the whole performance marveling just at the independence of Richter's two hands. He rescues this thrice-familiar work from its fulsome reputation. Rowicki conducts well, but the recorded sound is thin, and the Warsaw Phil. decidedly provincial. None of which matters a bit.

Reviewers here echo the Amazon critic in disparaging the Tchaikovsky First from 1963, although it is in better sound than the Rchmaninov and played better by the orchestra, too--Karajan had a special relationship with the Vienna Sym., a sorry ensemble under most conductors. I like this performance a great deal. Richter isn't highly individual--he plays for strength and dignity in the first movement, not for Horowitz's burn-down-the-house virtuosity, and in the last movement he applies restrained delicacy. Since the Tchaikovsky First is the deadest of dead horses to me, I liked hearing such thoughtful musicality. As for Richter and Karajan being on different pages, they sound together to me. Taste, what can you say? Five stars for both performances.

Idyosincratic Tchaikovsky , enigmatic Rachmaninov!.......2004-08-17

The Tchaikovsky piano concerto was approached for Richter as a imperial concert and not as a simple introspective and romantic work .
This idea is extremely remarkable since you muts notice the fact the three first symphonies are deeply imperials , epic and surrounded for the epic majesty and russian pride .
But since the four till the sixth , the conception changes completely . We see the man and his inner sorrows and his fears.
In this sense the most of the western pianist play Tchaikovsky , as the wounded man tired due his personal tragedy .
Richter turns around the clock and reveals Tchaikovsky with the same spirit that we know in his first Symphny , radian and filled with vitality and fierce.
The slow tempo does not mean a rendition but a clever statement about a transition between the youth and the mature age . Karajan in this sense did not make any special contributtion in this case . He respected Richter and knew about his special rapport for Tchaikovsky . I mean you will feel the required histamina in the last bars but as a natural consequence of the musical language and not a simple firework exercise.
In the case of Rachmaninov , Richter keeps the romantic mood , and he avoids the excesive self indulgence so typical of Rachmaninov .
The emphasis turns around another levels , such as the epic nosthalgy for the land he will never see again and obviosuly the hidden homagge to his beloved friend the hypnotist doctor Dahl who rescued him from the alcohol hell .
Rowicki was one of the best polish conductors in any age . He understood perfectly this rapture feeling and the key was simply overwhelming .
Fundamental issue in your personal collection.

POWER.......2004-05-20

Richter's performance on this cd reminds me very much of Rush's 2112 album. You are captivated from the moment you hit play, and you are taken on a journey. But by the end, you realize that every time you will pay it another visit, you will discover a whole new world of aesthetics that you had no prior perception of. Not just compositionally, but the same goes for what Richter's soul has to say. It's like getting two stories in one! This may initially sound ironic, given that his devilishly careful, almost brooding pacing, finds many listeners opting for Ashkenazy's spin. However, for me, the more thoughtful ... a performance is, the more intricacies there are to be found. When you listen to Rush, you barely get anything from the first listen... but you just KNOW that there IS an eternity of SOMETHING to be gathered, if you listen over and over again. So, in either case, you become strangely obsessed and fixated, drawn to listen just one more time. I suppose to really go out there, I will compare Richter to an artistic bag of potato chips. You must just keep going. That's not to say you get nothing from the first listen! Indeed, those familiar with the concerto and/or Richter will be blown away, regardless. But with every chord of the 1st movement of the Rach 2nd, you sense a world of unspoken stories, meaning, content! Warning, though - if you don't like being analytical, this isn't the recording for you. People complain of orchestral faults, injections of political issues, etc. etc.... but what captivates me every time I listen to Richter, is how superb he is at upping the ante for the utopian combination of brains and emotion. ... The same is to be said for the Tchaikovsky. Whatever stressors surround the nature of the recording, a true musician puts it all aside (OR uses it as fuel to the fire!) and performs a miracle at the piano. If you are openminded, buy this - you won't be disappointed. Rather,... you'll become addicted.

Tchaikovsky: Piano Concertos Nos. 1-3; Concert Fantasy

Average customer rating:

FANTASTIC - INSPIRED PERFORMANCES
Pletnev is an amazing pianist
CONCERTO NO.2 NOT THE SILOTI EDITION
PERKINS IS WRONG!
Sorry to be negative, but...

Tchaikovsky: Piano Concertos Nos. 1-3; Concert Fantasy

Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B00000632M
Release Date: 1998-05-05

Tracks:

Piano Concerto No.1 In B Flat Minor, Op.23: I. Allegro non troppo - Allegro con spirito
Piano Concerto No.1 In B Flat Minor,Op.23: II. Andante semplice - Prestissimo - Tempo I
Piano Concerto No.1 In B Flat Minor,Op.23: III. Allegro con fuoco
Concert Fantasy For Piano & Orchestra, Op.56: I. Quasi rondo
Concert Fantasy For Piano & Orchestra, Op.56: II. Contrastes

Tracks:

Piano Concerto No.2 In G Major, Op.44: I. Allegro brillante
Piano Concerto No.2 In G Major, Op.44: II. Andante non troppo
Piano Concerto No.2 In G Major, Op.44: III. Allegro con fuoco
Piano Concerto No.3 In E Flat Major, Op.75: Allegro brillante

Customer Reviews:

FANTASTIC - INSPIRED PERFORMANCES.......2007-04-23

Let me center my remarks on the 2nd piano concerto. May I say, with pun intended, this performance is "2nd to none!". I have had a few versions of the 2nd piano concerto over the past fifty years. In those years I might have listened to no more than three times. Never has this music "grabbed" my ear. THIS PERFORMANCE HAS CAUSED ME TO LISTEN TO IT AT LEAST FIVE TIMES IN THE LAST MONTH SINCE RECEIVING IT.

Pletnev is an amazing pianist.......2006-01-13

It's true. Pletnev can really capture the passion when playing the piano. And with this 2-disc set of Tchaikovsky's piano concertos, you can't go wrong with anything.

The First Piano Concerto is by far one of the finest I've ever heard, along with the versions including pianists Daniel Barenboim and Constantine Orbelian. Maestro Fedoseyev and the Philharmonia Orchestra do a stupendous job of backing up Pletnev. There are no wrong notes, no over-blaring of the brass, and best of all, no overpowering the lyrical sounds of the piano. The finale in the third movement might be a bit too quick, but it doesn't matter, as long as this rendition of Tchaikovsky's first piano concerto gives out a strong and inspired performance.

The Concert Fantasy for Piano and Orchestra is an attention-grabber. It sounds serene and melodic, the typical Tchaikovsky. It is less well-known than P. Concerto no. 1, but it has the same russian flair for expression. The solo in the first movement is to die for, and the second movement has its special charm of taking people's breath away. An A+ for this one.

Hearing the original version of the 2nd P. Concerto instead of the Siloti version has given me mixed feelings. For the good, the violin and cello solos in the 2nd movement are touching, and the piano and orchestra are in top form. For the bad, the tempi seems to be very random at some points. The fast parts, for example, don't seem very fast at all.

Since I don't listen to the unfinished 3rd that much, I don't have anything to say about it. All in all, the sound quality is super, and the low price is exceptional. It's a must buy.

CONCERTO NO.2 NOT THE SILOTI EDITION.......2003-08-06

The Concerto No.2 is NOT the bowdlerized Siloti edition--not only does the label clearly state that the original edition is played, but the violin and cello solos removed from the Siloti edition are clearly audible to anyone who has really listened to this recording. I don't even LIKE Concerto No.1, and this performance bowled me over--highly recommeded--and, at this price, an absolute STEAL!

PERKINS IS WRONG!.......2003-08-06

Mr. Perkins is absolutely wrong about this set! In the first place, Concerto No.2 is NOT the hatcheted Siloti edition--did Mr. Perkins listen to this recording at all? Not only does the label clearly state that Concerto No.2 IS the original version, but the violin and cello solos missing from the Siloti edition are clearly present in Pletnev's recording! I highly recommend this set to anyone--I don't even LIKE Concerto No.1, but I found myself bowled over by this performance!

Sorry to be negative, but..........2003-02-01

Pletnev hits all the notes, but misses the Russian soul and the Romantic fire. The performance of the Second Piano Concerto in particular is, at best, a train running willy-nilly downhill (seemingly without a conductor--not to mention that it's the hatcheted Siloti edition). I suppose I have been spoiled for any other versions of the concerti by listening to the absolutely miraculous interpretations by Igor Zhukov and the Moscow Radio Symphony Orchestra (now sadly out of print). It's a good thing this set is relatively inexpensive, because then I felt no qualms about simply throwing it away.

Average customer rating:

Cheer and Pleasure
Amazon's Classical music CD's
Virtuoso of virtuosos...
Greatest Tchaikovsky Ever!
Greatest of All Time

Tchaikovsky & Mendelssohn: Violin Concertos

Manufacturer: RCA
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Fritz Kreisler Plays Kreisler

ASIN: B000003FIP
Release Date: 1995-05-09

Tracks:

Concerto, Op.35, In D Major: Allegro Moderato
Concerto, Op.35, In D Major: Canzonetta: Adante
Concerto, Op.35, In D Major: Allegro vivacissimo
Violin Concerto In E Minor: Allegro molto appassionato
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Amazon.com

The Tchaikovsky offers dazzling technical challenges and heart-on-sleeve emotional ups and downs. The Mendelssohn is Olympian, cool, beautifully formed--music that is immediately recognizable as the work of the composer who produced the magical Midsummer Night's Dream music. Jascha Heifetz is equally at home with Tchaikovsky's fervor and Mendelssohn's calm. --Joe McLellan

Customer Reviews:

Cheer and Pleasure.......2007-06-08

Somehow Heifitz makes it all sound easy, relaxed, and well worth repeating. It is fun, sweet, exciting, sad, and loving. If you really love violin music, this is the best.

Amazon's Classical music CD's.......2007-01-18

This CD was purchased as a Christmas gift from a friend, who was very specific about the recording he wanted. I held my breath, fearing it might not arrive in time ... but it did, beautifully. Thank you, Amazon!

Virtuoso of virtuosos..........2005-07-13

This disk features arguably the two greatest concertos ever written for the violin performed by the hands-down greatest violinist of the twentieth century and recorded in the absolute peak of his career. It really doesn't get much better than this for music lovers. If we all lived in a fair world, which we don't, performances on disks would be priced according to the amount of beauty and power it contains, not how recent it was released or supply-demand. Having said that, when it comes to these two recordings, 16 bucks doesn't seem like that great of a reach anymore.

I've listened to many recordings of both concertos, but out of Perlman, Milstein (second best), Stern, Oistrakh, Menuhin, and ect., Heifetz stands out on top in both. People will always say that the first movement of the Tchaikovsky is played too quickly, but I believe this is only so because no other violinist is ABLE to duplicate this kind of speed, hence Heifetz's recording being separated from the rest. I could certainly understand why a slower tempo is desired if the performer was tripping over the difficult passages and turning the movement into a mudslide, but that is certainly not the case with Maestro Heifetz; in fact, the opposite is true.

I believe Heifetz was a man who above all respected the composers. He also understood the art of "withholding". What do I mean? Here is a perfect example. In the first movement of the Mendelssohn, Heifetz has been infamously accused of playing the main theme using harmonics and flying through the movement with zero sentimentality. This demonstrates ignorance and a strong lack of respect on the modern generation. With the rise of 20th Century music (most of which Heifetz detested), appreciation for professionalism declined and indulgence in emotionalism became commonplace. Heifetz understood that there is no payoff, no climax to any piece of music, unless there is patience and sensitivity. After a slightly withheld first movement and a sweet second movement, Heifetz bursts open the doors in the third playing with more liveliness and accuracy than any other violinist can. The concerto climaxes towards the end when Heifetz passionately pounds through the main theme one last time then finishes with a flourish. This epiphany would not have been possible had he sentimentalized the whole concerto, as many violinists do nowadays.

As with most listeners, I often conjure up my own opinions on how certain concertos should be played based on my first hearing. After that first hearing, all others are labeled as inaccurate interpretations. I've found out through years of listening that there are only two musicians for which this does not apply: Heifetz and Rubinstein. Even if my first impression has already been set, it is they who play the concertos the way they were meant to be played. My advice on the Tchaikovsky and Mendelssohn is if you have nevered listen to these, listen to Heifetz first, after doing so, all other versions will pale in comparison. If you have already formed first impressions on how to interpret these concertos, give Heifetz a chance. I've found that just about every other violinist (save Milstein) seem to play with AWFUL intonation after listening to Heifetz.

Greatest Tchaikovsky Ever!.......2005-06-08

In my opinion, this is the greatest rendition of the Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto that I've ever heard. Heifetz plays the first movement very fast, but every note is audible and clean. There are literally moments where my jaw drops each time I listen to this recording. It would be hard to imagine a more technically and musically superb version of this wonderful concerto, although there are many other good versions (Milstein's in particular is great as well).

The Mendelssohn is great, and like all of Heifetz's work, it's pretty much perfect. While it is great, I wouldn't name this as my favorite version. Hilary Hahn's Mendelssohn is equally good and the sound quality is considerably better (because Heifetz's was recorded a long time ago), so Hahn's is my preferred Mendelssohn.

This disc is a must have. Because of the sound quality of the disc, I would not place this Mendelssohn as my top choice because they are other versions that are technically similar with better sound quality. The sound quality on this CD isn't bad (it's actually pretty good), but it's not as good as modern recordings. The Tchaikovsky is so spectacular, however, that even with better sound quality recordings out there, Heifetz still remains my top choice. Enjoy!

Greatest of All Time.......2005-03-16

If you want to get a feel for who Jascha Heifetz really was, as a musician and as a virtuoso, this recording is a must-have. Yes, as many listeners have noted, Heifetz tends to play his opening Allegro's extremely fast. However, you can hear every single note despite the mind-blowing speed. The combination of incredible technique and flawless intonation and tone-color make Heifetz, in my opinion, among the top three violinists who ever played. This recording is the best classical CD in my collection and a necessity for any Heifetz fan or serious collector.

Tchaikovsky, Mendelssohn: First Piano Concertos

Average customer rating:

well...
Alternative interpretations by a talented artist
EFMendelson
a new force to be reckoned with.
F for all accounts

Tchaikovsky, Mendelssohn: First Piano Concertos
Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky , Felix Mendelssohn , Lang Lang , Daniel Barenboim , and Chicago Symphony Orchestra
Manufacturer: Umvd Labels
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music
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Haydn, Rachmaninoff, Brahms, Tchaikovsky, Balakirev / Lang Lang

ASIN: B000094HLE
Release Date: 2003-07-15

Tracks:

Allegro Non Troppo E Molto Maestoso-Allegro Con Spririto
Andantino Semplice-Prestissimo-Tempo I
Allegro Con Fuoco
Molto Allegro Con Fuoco
Andante
Presto-Molto Allegro E Vivace

Amazon.com

Barely out of his teens on this recording, Lang Lang demonstrates plenty of virtuoso finger dexterity, but also places his personal stamp on the music. In the Tchaikovsky, a barn-burner of a piece that some pianists use to show how fast and loud they can play, Lang stresses the layers of intimacy alongside its more extroverted passages, which he plays with plenty of pianistic pyrotechnics. If his first movement seems disjointed, more a fantasia than a cohesive entity, he makes a virtue out of necessity through sharp accents that highlight its episodic character. Barenboim and the Chicago Symphony's brilliantly played accompaniments are in synch with Lang's approach. The Mendelssohn is a work that replaces bombast with elegant sparkle well suited to Lang's strengths. Lang is in his element here, sprinkling notes without breaking a sweat. There's stiff competition from classic performances by Argerich and Cliburn among many others in the Tchaikovsky, and Serkin, Schiff, and Thibaudet in the Mendelssohn, but Lang is well worth hearing. --Dan Davis

Customer Reviews:

well..........2007-04-05

One day, a friend of mine who is a great pianist/musician played two different performer playing Tchaikovsky's Concerto without tellling me who's playing. After hearing them, I said "you played one best, one worst probably...?" He replied me back almost instantly "you got it!" The best one was by Horowitz and the other one is the one you are looking at it right now. Sorry to say this but I'm just telling you my experience. I personally think that somehow, Lang Lang is a bit over reputated by media.

Alternative interpretations by a talented artist.......2007-01-01

I regret that there is so much controversy over Lang Lang's performances. I for one am glad that various artists present their personal interpretations of various works. If every performer played exactly the same way and rigidly followed every note, marking, and tempo of each written score with no personal expression I would find musical performances not only boring but also, in many cases, unsatisfying. For example, I prefer some pieces of music played more slowly and lyrically than written while I prefer more robust interpretations of other music. Variety of interpretation allows me and other listeners to find one or more performances of a given piece of music which satisfy our individual tastes even though others may find the same performances unsatisfactory or even objectionable. Lang Lang is a very talented pianist with a unigue perspective which often results in alternative interpretations of classical standards. I enjoy hearing Lang Lang's interpretations, and find them interesting, even though they may not be my favorite ones. I cannot say whether you will or will not like this CD -- that depends upon your personal taste -- but you will find the performances competently played and not boring.

EFMendelson.......2006-11-23

Quite possibly the most pedantic and uninspired performances of the Mendelssohn and Tchaikovsky concerti you could find. In the right hands, the opening movement of the Mendelssohn G Minor (e.g. as played by Rudolf Serkin or Murray Perahia) is one of the most exciting of all the romantic piano concertos. Unfortunately, as played by Lang Lang it devolves into a slipshod exercise of mediocrity. Lang's phrasings in the opening passages of the first movement are atrocious. I would have thought it an impossibility to eliminate the propulsive tension Mendelssohn created with this work but Lang Lang proves otherwise. The 2nd and 3rd movements suffer a similar mauling. As for the Tchaikovsky 1st, you can probably hear a better performance by the average senior piano major at your local state college and it won't cost you as much as this CD.

a new force to be reckoned with. .......2006-08-14

listen all you conservative classical music listeners. the days of conservative playing are gone. lang lang is the force behind the NEW classical music. he's trying to encourage all those young pop music lovers as well as classical music lovers to enjoy classical music. give him some credit. do you really think critics would rave about him if he was so bad as most people here says he is? he tops the charts everytime a cd comes out. would he able to do that if he was THAT BAD. you know. if you want to listen to argerich or janis for tchaikovsky or rachmaninov because lang lang's so bad, go ahead. no one's stopping you.
lang lang is the best pianist of this generation. he will revolutionize classical music.

F for all accounts.......2006-01-03

This guy is hyped by DG to gain entracne into Chinese market. Either he does not know the reportoir, or he is faking.

I give minus five, that is -5, for listening experience and -100 for spending money. Stay away from this dude. DG is trying to make money of a bogus guy.

Sound is no good when playing by CSO under outgoing Barenboim is worthless.

Tchaikovsky: Piano Concertos 1, 2 & 3 - Prokofiev: Piano Concerto 5 - Bartok: Piano Concerto 2 - Emil Gilels, Sviatoslav Richter, Lorin Maazel

Average customer rating:

A classic Tchaikovsky Second Concerto, plus astonishing Richter

Tchaikovsky: Piano Concertos 1, 2 & 3 - Prokofiev: Piano Concerto 5 - Bartok: Piano Concerto 2 - Emil Gilels, Sviatoslav Richter, Lorin Maazel

Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music
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ASIN: B000EMSIBM
Release Date: 2006-05-02

Tracks:

I. Allegro Non Troppo E Molto Maestoso - Allegro Con Spirito - New Philharmonia Orchestra
II. Andantino Semplice - Prestissimo - Tempo I - New Philharmonia Orchestra
III. Allegro Con Fuoco - New Philharmonia Orchestra
I. Allegro Brillante - New Philharmonia Orchestra
II. Andante Non Troppo - New Philharmonia Orchestra
III. Allegro Con Fuoco - New Philharmonia Orchestra

Tracks:

I. Allegro Brillante - New Philharmonia Orchestra
I. Allegro Con Brio - London Symphony Orchestra
II. Moderato Ben Accentuato - London Symphony Orchestra
III. Toccata (Allegro Con Fuoco) - London Symphony Orchestra
IV. Larghetto - London Symphony Orchestra
V. Vivo - London Symphony Orchestra
I. Allegro - Sviatoslav Richter
II. Adagio - Sviatoslav Richter
III. Allegro Molto - Sviatoslav Richter

Customer Reviews:

A classic Tchaikovsky Second Concerto, plus astonishing Richter.......2006-06-08

The reissue gods are smiling. This bargain Gemini two-fer contains four superlative concerto recordings--the Tchaikovsky Second and Third with Gilels, the Prokofiev Fifth and Bartok Second with Richter. The conductor throughout is Lorin Maazel, definitely on best behavior, and the orchestras vary between the LSO (Prokofiev), New Philharmonia (Tchaikovsky), and the Orchestre de Paris (Bartok). EMI's early Seventies analog sound is bright and forward. The perspective on the piano is natural with Gilels, but as usual, Richter asked to be miked more up close.

Gilels had already made a magisterial Tchaikovsky First with Reiner in 1955 (RCA) when he first stormed West out of Russia, and he would go on to make one just as great in 1980 with Mehta (Sony). This version from 1973 is let down by Maazel's less-than-committed acompaniment, which moves too glibly and quick in the first movement especially. But the Second and Third Concertos are another story. Gilels makes the best case ever for the former work, despite the usual cuts. Maazel livens up, giving us springy rhythms and elegance, while Gilels is polished marble and power. I will be satisfied to own this one version for life, I'm sure.

On CD 2, Richter returns to one of his favorites, the Prokofiev Fifth concdrto, which he had already recorded in 1959 to universal acclaim--this was his time to roar out of Russia and astonish the West. This remake offers somewhat different tempos but the same astonishing solo work. For me, the main distinction is Maazel's razor-sharp, brilliant conducting and the virtuoso playing of the London Sym., wwhich far surpasses the earlier reading on DG. The same holds true for the Bartok Second, where Richter takes a fiendishly difficult, percussive piano part and makes it speak and sing as never before. Pollini is equally riveting in this work but not nearly as approachable. Officially, Richter never recorded the two most popular concertos from these composers, the Prokofiev and Bartok Third. That's a shame, but these great recordings, along with Gilels's' contribution, make this an unmissable bargain.

Meeting in Moscow - Glazunov/Kabalevsky: Violin Concertos

Average customer rating:

Hauntingly beautiful melody, intricate polyrythms
Great Music-making
Russian Gems Shine in Shaham's Skillful Hands...
Mo from Cairo, Egypt
Wow...You gotta love it!

Meeting in Moscow - Glazunov/Kabalevsky: Violin Concertos

Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

Deutsche Grammophon: Music | Specialty Stores | Music
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Sibelius/Tchaikovsky: Violinkonzerte

ASIN: B000001GZV
Release Date: 1998-02-10

Tracks:

Glazunov - Violin Concerto in A minor: Moderato -
Glazunov - Violin Concerto: Andante sostenuto - Tempo I -
Glazunov - Violin Concerto: Allegro
Kabalevsky - Violin Concerto in C major: Allegro molto e con brio
Kabalevsky - Violin Concerto: Andantino cantabile
Kabalevsky - Violin Concerto: Vivace giocoso
Tchaikovsky - Souvenir d'un lieu cher: Mtation. Andante molto cantabile
Tchaikovsky - Souvenir: Scherzo. Presto giocoso
Tchaikovsky - Souvenir: Mdie. Moderato con moto
Tchaikovsky - Valse-Scherzo op.34

Customer Reviews:

Hauntingly beautiful melody, intricate polyrythms.......2003-04-11

I am sure that most people have ever even heard the Kabalevsky concerto unless you happen to study the violin. Of all great Russian violin concertos, there are 5 that really stand out from the rest: Tchaikovsky, Glazunov, Prokofiev 2, Miakovasky and Kabalevsky. The focus of this review is regarding Shaham's recording of the Kabalevsky concerto, a concerto that should be more known to the masses.

Every one of those five concertos has a unique sound, the Tchaikovsky was the first written of them and was influenced by Lalo's great Symphonie Espagnole. The Lalo is a work with intricate polyrythms and it takes an advanced artist to play the temops correctly in synchronicity with the orchestra. It also takes a disciplined orchestra and skilled and sensitive conductor to allow for coordination between the soloist and the orchestra. The same could be said of the Tchaikovsky, requiring an advanced artist and conductor to play those intricate rythms togather and make it sound convincing. Well it is Tchaikovsky who influenced Glazunov, Prokofiev, Miakovasky and Kabalevsky, each wrote concertos with their own style and all seemed to contain that sence of intricate polyrythms that require a great degree of skill to pull off, it takes an artist with alot of bow control to make it really sound good. The Kabalevsky concerto is more brief than the forgotten Miakovsky making it a highly listenable work. It is so refreshing to hear the Kabalevsky with a a golden singing tone. I love the Oistrakh recording but the sound quality is so poor and dated so I listen to this recording more.

Glazunov actually wrote my favorite russian violin concerto, the brooding melody is so hauntinly beautiful and contains a melody so pure it is simply impossible not to fall in love with. The cadenza is so outrageous you will shake your head in disbelief it is so brilliant. The Tchaikovsky is much more popular but I seem to prefer the Glazunov for some reason, maybe because it it's more smooth and less choppy like in the third movement of the Tchaikovsky. This is not my favorite recording of the Glazunov as I perfer the Perlman recording. Actually Michael Rabin recorded my favorite Glazunov but that is very difficult to find.

The CD also includes incredibly melodic works by Tchaikovsky that will completely make you melt. This is appropriate because of Tchaikovsky's influence on Glazunov and Kabalevsky.

I play this CD when I want to hear the Kabalevsky, a lesser known concerto I am very fond of and you should be too.

5 stars for the Kabalevsky, 4 Stars for the Glazunov

Great Music-making.......2003-01-24

In our era of big egos, it's refreshing to see two artists of great stature come together to celebrate the magic of Russian music. Having been fortunate enough to see both Shaham and Pletnev live in recitals, I was delighted the moment Glazunov's moderato started playing. Pletnev brings his trademark energetic elegance and Shaham virtuosity (so perfectly demonstrated in recent "Devil's Dance" CD) accommodates with ease and finesse.
In Russia, Kabalevsky is most often thought of as a Bolshevik composer. While it's partly true, he also wrote some of the most exquisite violin music since - well - Glazunov, and it is actually a quite natural coupling of two great concertos.
To make this disc even better, the artists included some of Tchaikovsky's morsels. The intent, probably, was to show a connection in Russian music school even as it changed though the decades. It worked well (you can clearly hear Tchaikovsky's lyricism in Kabalevsky's 1948 concerto), but it also provided for some pure joy moments, such as Meditation (track 7).
DG, as usual these days, provided perfect sound quality. The only thing I would add, though, is the piece that "started it all," i.e. the Tchaikovsky violin concerto, but since Gil Shaham has already recorded it just a little while back with Giuseppe Sinopoli (coupled with Sibelius concerto) we could easily fill this "gap" by getting both discs.

Russian Gems Shine in Shaham's Skillful Hands..........2002-10-13

Among the violinists of his generation, Shaham is undoubtedly one of the most versatile and charismatic. His enthusiasm for the violin is evident in all his recordings. Indeed, a genuine zeal and passion for music, in general, appears to be an integral part of his engaging personality. I can attest for this, having personally heard Shaham's mesmerizing peformance of Vivaldi's Four Seasons last season with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra. As for this particular recording, I was especially impressed by the Glazunov Concerto. In my opinion, Shaham's interpretation of this glorious work is on a par with Heifetz's majestic recording with Walter Hendl. The piece is truly a perfect vehicle for Shaham, whose lush, melodious tone is an ideal match for the Tchaikovsky-esque lyricism of Glazunov's composing. Although I'm less familiar with the Kabalevsky concerto, Shaham's exquisite rendering of it leaves me eager to collect other recordings of it such as David Oistrakh's archive performance from the 1940s. The Tchaikovsky Souvenir and Valse-Scherzo are impressive as well, but the two concerti are where Shaham's virtuousic talents are showcased most brilliantly. As a former violinist, I feel I must state that this recording should be a part of any violinist's CD collection. And even for those who are merely classical music buffs, this recording is a must-own! As I'm an enormous admirer of both Shaham and Pletnev, I can only hope the pair will collaborate on many future recordings.

Mo from Cairo, Egypt.......2001-01-10

I am in the process of studying one of the pieces from this cd (Kabalevsky), and out of all of the recordings of the kabaevsky that I have heard, this is the one that has been the most helpful to me! Gil Shaham knows how to show how it is REALLY played! The Glazanouve and the Tchaikowsky are also really beautifully played. If you like a fine balance of Russian music, BUY THIS CD!!!!

Wow...You gotta love it!.......2000-12-29

Wow this is one awesome CD! The Kabalevsky is my absolute favorite piece, and it's so fun to listen to (and fun to play too:). All the tracks on this CD are excellent, and Gil Shaham is the best violinist ever so you are bound to like it. Buy this right away! :)

Tchaikovsky Piano Concertos Nos. 2 (uncut original version) & 3

Average customer rating:

Outstanding Recording of Little-Known Tchaikovsky!!
shouldn't be without!
just a great cd

Tchaikovsky Piano Concertos Nos. 2 (uncut original version) & 3
Pyotr Il'yich Tchaikovsky , Sergiu Comissiona , London Symphony Orchestra , and piano Jerome Lowenthal
Manufacturer: Arabesque Recordings
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

Classical | Imports | Stores | Music
ASIN: B000000T71
Release Date: 1993-08-05

Tracks:

Piano Concerto No. 2 In G Major, Op. 44: Movement 1 (Allegro)
Piano Concerto No. 2 In G Major, Op. 44: Movement 2 (Andante non troppo)
Piano Concerto No. 2 In G Major, Op. 44: Movement 3 (Allegro fuoco)
Piano Concerto No. 3 In E Flat Major, Op. 75: Allegro brillante

Customer Reviews:

Outstanding Recording of Little-Known Tchaikovsky!!.......2004-10-06

For a long time, I have waited to hear Tchaikovsky's Second and Third Piano Concertos. After hearing and playing horn in the orchestra for the First, I eagerly awaited the opportunity to hear the other two works. I have finally done that.

Jerome Lowenthal is an obscure name today in the classical music realm, and this is a terrible crime! He plays the works of Tchaikovsky and Bartok, so this may help explain the obscurity. No more!

Lowenthal plays a bit like Krystian Zimerman, one of my favorite pianists. He has a beautiful tone that can also be powerful and commanding. His virtuosity is incredible, and he really makes the most of these piano showpieces.

The Second Concerto is noble, grand and full of majesty. Comissiona gives expert readings with the London Symphony Orchestra. The rhythms are crisp and accurate, and the virtuosity of the London Symphony is incredible. They play marvelously in tune, and they exploit the full dynamic range. One can hear the orchestration and Tchaikovskian harmonic language very well. Lowenthal plays the Cadenza with amazing power and ease. It is a monstrous and difficult, and the debt to Franz Liszt is readily apparent.

The Third Concerto is very fascinating, also. It is a one-movement work, the product of a rejected symphonic movement that Tchaikovsky felt did not suit the symphonic genre. It is full of power and beautiful melodies. Lowenthal, Comissiona and the orchestra really give it their all. This work should be better represented in the classical music repertoire.

Overall, this CD is a fine achievement. The recorded sound is good, and the liner notes are excellent and informative. I have not heard the two-CD set with Mikhail Pletnev playing all three Tchaikovsky concertos, but I have read about it. It receives fairly high marks, and it may suffice if this recording is not available to the reader. My friend has the Pletnev set, and he says the piano is balanced a bit bright and forward in the Second Concerto. Anyways, this is a great CD.

shouldn't be without!.......2001-05-02

This is an incredibly beautiful CD. Whether you are a serious Tchaikovsky affianado or just beginning to get into classical music, this CD is a must-get. Jerome Lowenthal's technical mastery and extraordinary passion are on luminous display here. I have spent hours enjoying this music and find that even though I have many CDs, I go back to this one time and again.

just a great cd.......2001-04-14

Beautiful concertos and wonderful performances. I am a classical music lover not a reviewer but consider Jerome Lowenthal one of the greater (albeit lesser known) pianists of his generation. He has also recorded the 1st Piano concerto with this orchestra (on a different cd) and both are examples of Tchaikovsky's music performed with extraordinary grace and passion.

Tchaikovsky: Piano Concertos 1-3, Concert Fantasy, Op. 56

Average customer rating:

A Mozartean Touch

Tchaikovsky: Piano Concertos 1-3, Concert Fantasy, Op. 56
Peter Donohoe
Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

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ASIN: B0000CE7G0
Release Date: 2004-06-01

Tracks:

I: Quasi Rondo: Andante Mosso
II: Contrastes: Andante Catabile - Molto Vivace - Vivacissimo - Allegro Moderato - Vivacissimo - Molto Piu Tranquillo - Vivace
I: Allegro Non Troppo E Molto Maestoso - Allegro Con Spirito
II: Andantino Semplice - Prestissimo - Tempo I
III: Allegro Con Fuoco

Tracks:

I: Allegro Brillante
II: Andante Non Troppo
III: Allegro Con Fuoco
Allegro Brillante - Cadenza - Tempo I - Vivacissimo

Customer Reviews:

A Mozartean Touch.......2006-01-22

Although Tchaikovsky's music is often performed in a wildly romantic vein, it seems important to point out that his musical idol was not Beethoven(like most romantics), but Mozart. Both the pianist and orchestra give refreshing interpretations of these pieces, which are usually performed with a bit too much bombast. Donohoe's touch is light and bell-like, and complements Tchaikovsky's luminous orchestrations. Most excellent is the neglected second piano concerto, in which Donohoe and the Bournemouth Symphony emphasize the piece's more Mozartean character. However, pianist and orchestra still pack plenty of punch for the big openings and climaxes. Donohoe is not seeking to show off; his tempi are quite sprightly, but not as fast as some pianists, and his forte passages (and they are very loud and exciting) retain a rich, full sound rather than a bangy one. The orchestral climaxes are also quite loud, but sound full and never strained. The recording quality is also superb, bringing out every note and orchestral color, while keeping a nice balance between soloist and orchestra. Overall, I found these recordings to be some of the best Tchaikovsky I have ever heard.

Music Track:

Music Track

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