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Piano Concertos

Box Set

Ludwig van Beethoven (Composer), Bernard Haitink (Conductor), Concertgebouw Orchestra, Amsterdam (Orchestra), Format: Audio CD

4.5 11 ratings

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Product description

Supplied in my own CLEAR PROTECTIVE WRAPPING,from the UK.Sent by first class post in 1 - 2 days.

Product details

Is discontinued by manufacturer ‏ : ‎ No
Package Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 14.09 x 12.63 x 1.37 cm; 80.32 Grams
Manufacturer ‏ : ‎ Sony Classical
Label ‏ : ‎ Sony Classical
ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0000264N3
Number of discs ‏ : ‎ 3

Best Sellers Rank: 150,267 in CDs & Vinyl (See Top 100 in CDs & Vinyl)
- 2,198 in Concertos for Orchestras
- 4,226 in Classical Solo Instrumental Music
- 15,241 in Box Sets (CDs & Vinyl)

Customer reviews:
4.5 11 ratings

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4.5 out of 5

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Lynne

The Horlicks effect

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 11 April 2020

Verified Purchase

For me, the woolly jumpers on the cover give the game away. Dull performances. And although released on CBS (due to the pianist's exclusive contract), the recordings are actually by Decca. You'd never know. Dull again.
I much prefer Ashkenazy in Cleveland. Now there's a proper Decca recording, in superb digital sound, where everyone sounds fully involved.

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Robin Evans

Excellent recordings and value!

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 20 December 2018

Verified Purchase

Excellent recording and arrived when promised.

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Dr R

A worthy addition to any classical CD collection

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 27 November 2017

I had read many positive comments about this set and have now had the opportunity to hear it and compare the performances with the earlier Kempff/Leitner and Kempff/van Kempen set that I have always cherished.

The performances date from 1983 [No. 2], 1984 [No. 4], 1985 [Nos 2 and 3] and 1986 [No. 5]. The recordings are spread across 3CDs with the Emperor Concerto alone being on the third disc [strangely the booklet only includes timings of its first two movements]. This final concerto takes under 40 minutes which is one of the very few limitations of an otherwise excellent set.

Haintink’s debut with the Concertgebouw Orchestra was in 1956; he was chosen to succeed Eduard van Beinum three years later and named principal conductor of the Concertgebouw Orchestra in 1961. The rapport between conductor and members of the orchestra was therefore very close and is evident in the clarity and unity of the orchestral playing, both solo and in ensemble.

Perahia’s clarity and precision is evident throughout, from the Mozartean elegance of the first two concertos to the increasing assuredness of the final two. In the first four concertos, where the soloist’s reticence is understandable, conductor and orchestra modulate their accompaniment to deliver illuminating performances. However, this same reticence in the Emperor concerto sounds distinctly under-powered.

The virtuosity of the soloist and the mutual understanding with the conductor is evident in the third concerto, especially in the opening and slow movements. In contrast the final movement sounds slightly pedestrian although this is not enough to detract from an otherwise impressive performance of a work that I now find particularly haunting.

The introspection of the Fourth Concerto, long my personal favourite, is the highpoint of this set and I cannot recall having heard the opening exchange between piano and orchestra sounding as enthralling. This level of musicianship and interpretation is maintained throughout, the only question being the tempi selected for the final movement. After this performance and the three than have gone before, the Emperor Concerto comes as somewhat of a disappointment, lacking the necessary power and command of the greatest recordings. An obvious comparison would be with Maurizio Pollini and the Vienna Philharmonic under Karl Böhm from a decade earlier.

The sound quality is very good as is the digital remastering. There is an excellent balance between soloist and orchestra, with only the brass instruments being marginally too distant. In contrast, the woodwind is particularly well captured. The booklet contains a 4-page text by Phillip Ramey describing the works and offering some interesting intercomparisons.

As one might expect, this is a very competitive set of recordings, lacking the additional dramatic tension that can be evident when performances of these works are recorded closer together in time. This is not always an advantage though - Rubinstein recorded the cycle for RCA in just ten days in 1956, but the result is disappointing.

This would be an excellent set for any classical CD library even if it lacks the overall combination of power and sensitivity that all five concertos ideally demand.

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Chris Onions

Sparkle and drama

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 3 March 2009

Beethoven's piano concertos are all masterpieces. It is only 4 & 5 that really break the Mozartian mould but all five are wonderful pieces of music in their own right. The early ones do sound rather like Mozart. So what. Is this a bad thing? We don't criticise Mozart for sounding like Mozart.

Although 5 is the grandest and probably still the most popular, my personal favourites are 3 & 4

The versions discussed are all good versions, by first-class pianists with excellent conductors and orchestras, which will undoubtedly give lots of listening pleasure.

I got to know Beethoven's piano concertos via Wilhelm Kempff's stereo cycle and via Stephen Kovacevich, and both remain benchmarks for me in different ways. In music you often fall in love with what you hear first and that's how it is for me.

Kempff's playing (on DG) is magical in all five as is Leitner's orchestral accompaniment with the Berlin Philharmonic. Kempff's style is essentially classical throughout so no bombast or overstatement but no awkwardness or ugliness. Evenness of quality throughout means every single moment of every movement is a pleasure to listen to. Still, some might find these performances lacking in the very last ounce of strength e.g. at the commencement of the recapitulation in 4/1 (see next paragraph). In 4/3 there is diamond precision and drama. The analogue recording is good - not just for the 1960's - good period.

Kovacevich and Davis on Philips. A different kind of magic - Kovacevich has all the ruggedness, strong contrasts and raw emotion that some might miss in Kempff. 4/1 is absolutely magnificent: compare the same moment at the start of the recapitulation, when the piano almost jumps out of the speakers - Kovacevich delivering Beethoven at his most noble and majestic. 4/3 however sounds too hard-driven for me by comparison with Kempff. Then again the slow movement in 3 is wonderfully played - the opening bars are very poignant and searching indeed. But in the slow movement in 5, the piano entry is too quiet - inaudible above the orchestral background. The quality is uneven then, but at their best these performances are unequalled and I would not be without them. Analogue recording is fine - better than Kempff unsurprisingly since recorded about ten years later.

Uchida and Sanderling also on Philips. Mitsuko Uchida's recordings of the Mozart piano sonatas and concertos both receive praise, although some find the concertos too prettified and insufficiently robust in her hands. This description might also be applied to Uchida's Beethoven - lovely playing from pianist and orchestra, but, more so than Kempff, lacking strength. Still there is plenty to enjoy all the way through, no shortage of drama, and some very fine moments e.g. the closing moments of 3/1 could hardly be played better - utterly spellbinding. Excellent digital recording.

Perahia and Haitink on CBS. In many ways with Perahia you get the best of both worlds, refinement and strength (plus digital recording). His magnificent piano playing has all the consistent sparkle of Kempff together with the wide dynamic range and dramatic contrasts of Kovacevich, matched all the way by Bernard Haitink and the Concertgebouw Orchestra. In all fairness these are probably the finest versions I know of all five concertos and I can strongly recommend them. Inevitably at times I think ah yes but Kempff does this or Kovacevich does that, but I am sure anyone coming to these concertos for the first time would easily find plenty to delight and fall in love with. Take for instance the last moments of 3/3 when the music modulates from minor to major...... Not to say that other versions aren't worth having......

13 people found this helpful

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Lloyd Bowden

Sublime

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 20 January 2004

The best collection of these magnificent concertos that I have heard. My only complaint is not having found it sooner. A must have!

22 people found this helpful

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Piano Concertos

Box Set

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