Amazon.co.uk allows you to pay for your items in your local currency. Restrictions apply. Learn More. |
Frequently Bought Together
Product details
|
Listen to Samples and Buy MP3s
|
Suggested Tags from Similar Products(What's this?)Be the first one to add a relevant tag (keyword that's strongly related to this product)
|
Customer Reviews
These two concertos were written in the 1930’s within a short space of each other, the piano concerto being the earlier. Britten himself was soloist in the piano concerto’s first performance, but the work lapsed into comparative oblivion before it was rescued several decades later by no less than Sviatoslav Richter. This is really the Richter of the familiar rave-notices this time. He seems to me to have had several quite distinct personalities as an interpreter and even indeed purely as a player, and this performance displays some of the sides of him that I personally like best. The virtuosity is cool and effortless (it is a particularly awkward solo part) with some wonderful shades of silver in his tone. Britten himself is in charge of the ECO who are on excellent form, and his highly individual orchestral sound is caught with striking vividness and effectiveness –hardly a matter of any surprise of course. The work itself appeals to me enormously, Britten being a composer I particularly like. This performance is going to be a hard act to follow, but I hope it arouses interest in a comparatively neglected work rather than frightening ‘competitors’ off. If you like Britten in general, I would say you are going to enjoy this. If you do not respond to this performance, I guess the work is not for you.
I happen to have another performance of the violin concerto with Rodney Friend as soloist and the LPO under Pritchard. It does not seem to be in the current catalogues, but at least it gave me a point of comparison for Lubotsky’s version, which I have no hesitation in describing as distinctly the better of the two. The difference for me is a matter of sheer ‘quality’ – quality of tone, quality of rhythm, quality of intonation. There is a more ‘intense’ feel to this work, particularly in the last movement, another of Britten’s much-loved passacaglias (the Impromptu movement from the piano concerto being yet another). Britten is in charge of the ECO again, with predictably excellent results.
The recorded quality may or may not be to your liking. It is very much to mine. The volume level is on the low side, but that is easily remedied by turning up the control. It is extremely clear, though some may find it lacking in warmth. Horses for courses, I say. This is Britten not Brahms, and I like even the violin concerto recorded this way, and the piano concerto even more so. This is a disc I would describe as really outstanding, and now that we have turned over a new year I should like to commend it to a long posterity.
The Piano Concerto is vivacious and sprightly, quite genial and brim full of imagination. Richter was one of the truly great pianists and his advocacy (he was quite fussy about what he played) undoubtedly adds an extra zing to the proceedings. I believe the Violin Concerto to be the greater work - if the word "great" can be applied to these two youthful pieces - and love its slightly languid sound world. Of Britten's early orchestral works it is perhaps the most fully successful. Lubotsky is an accomplished violinist who plays with true commitment and feeling. Britten was, of course, a great conductor of his own music and ensures that the works are well paced as well as imaginatively played. Really, this is a classic.
These two concertos were written in the 1930's within a short space of each other, the piano concerto being the earlier. Britten himself was soloist in the piano concerto's first performance, but the work lapsed into comparative oblivion before it was rescued several decades later by no less than Sviatoslav Richter. This is really the Richter of the familiar rave-notices this time. He seems to me to have had several quite distinct personalities as an interpreter and even indeed purely as a player, and this performance displays some of the sides of him that I personally like best. The virtuosity is cool and effortless (it is a particularly awkward solo part) with some wonderful shades of silver in his tone. Britten himself is in charge of the ECO who are on excellent form, and his highly individual orchestral sound is caught with striking vividness and effectiveness -hardly a matter of any surprise of course. The work itself appeals to me enormously, Britten being a composer I particularly like. This performance is going to be a hard act to follow, but I hope it arouses interest in a comparatively neglected work rather than frightening `competitors' off. If you like Britten in general, I would say you are going to enjoy this. If you do not respond to this performance, I guess the work is not for you.
I happen to have another performance of the violin concerto with Rodney Friend as soloist and the LPO under Pritchard. It does not seem to be in the current catalogues, but at least it gave me a point of comparison for Lubotsky's version, which I have no hesitation in describing as distinctly the better of the two. The difference for me is a matter of sheer `quality' - quality of tone, quality of rhythm, quality of intonation. There is a more `intense' feel to this work, particularly in the last movement, another of Britten's much-loved passacaglias (the Impromptu movement from the piano concerto being yet another). Britten is in charge of the ECO again, with predictably excellent results.
The recorded quality may or may not be to your liking. It is very much to mine. The volume level is on the low side, but that is easily remedied by turning up the control. It is extremely clear, though some may find it lacking in warmth. Horses for courses, I say. This is Britten not Brahms, and I like even the violin concerto recorded this way, and the piano concerto even more so. This is a disc I would describe as really outstanding, and now that we have turned over a new year I should like to commend it to a long posterity.
The Violin Concerto similarly displays a mastery of the instrument and orchestra. The concerto begins with a brief orchestral introduction, with a drum motto, and the soloist enters with a beautiful, wistful melody that quickly becomes more assertive. The middle movement is a lively scherzo and leads directly into the passacaglia finale linked by a cadenza. The finale is bleak in tone but the tempi picks up until the music is triumphant and ends quietly with the same wistful atmosphere that the music began. Mark Lubotsky is marvelous in the concerto. His tone is absolutely soaring and he meets the technical demands of the work beautifully.
Even though Benjamin Britten was only in his mid-twenties, these concertos bear a maturity and sureness that were beyond his years. His recording of them is superb and belongs in the collection of anyone who loves instrumental concertos.
Customer Discussions
|
This product's forum
Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
|
Related forums
|
What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?
Listmania!
Look for similar items by subject
Feedback
- Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
|
