Beethoven's Five Piano Concertos : Rich and Rewarding
Written: Jan 25 '05
Product Rating:
Pros: Elegant and consistent throughout by one of the finest Beethoven pianists, excellent recording quality
Cons: One becomes lost in the music and accomplishes nothing else other than listening
The Bottom Line: The Complete Beethoven 5 Piano Concerto cycle played by a master under the direction of a master accompanied by a masterful orchestra. Consistent, full, emotional and worth every penny.
djangologie's Full Review: Beethoven: The Five Piano Concertos / Perahia, Hai...
Glorious!
As an obsessive audiophile with a reverence for Beethoven, one of the most troubling aspects was a lack of consistency when drifting from one Concerto to another. When presented with a complete collection by a masterful artist (at a most affordable price) I was easily tempted to purchase the CD set.
Consistency is the key here. Tone, timbre, touch, all consistent. Murray Perahia has an extraordinary touch - expressive, gentle, forceful, in all the right places. His reputation as one of Beethoven's best interpreters is well-earned. He shines, and with each note the listener is elated, teary-eyed, lost in revelry or simply going along for a wonderful ride.
PC No. 1 in C Major, Op 15, is a spectacular interpretation. The First Movement is bright and full. The Second is stunning and almost equal to Alfred Brendel's brilliant performance of this piece. The Third again becomes a bright, strong statement that builds nicely on the mood created earlier.
PC No. 2 in B flat Major, Op. 19, actually written before PC No. 1, but published in reverse order making this piece No. 2, was not regarded highly by Beethoven. The piece is complex and elegant throughout. Most rewarding.
PC No. 3 in C minor, Op. 37, opens forcefully and defiantly. The Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra is exceptional here. The Second Movement sober and almost inaudible at first then restrained in light of the gymnastics required of Perahia's fingers. It ends strong and decisively.
PC No. 4 in G Major, Op. 58, clearly the most challenging to any pianist, is nothing short of regal. Prior to its original debut, the pianists Beethoven selected to play the piece all complained it was too difficult and never performed it publicly. Beethoven himself, diminished hearing and all, finally premiered the piece at a private concert, and 2 years later, with even more diminished hearing, played it again for its public premiere, no other pianist wishing to take on the task. It is proud. It is an amazing display of Perahia's dexterity and the Orchestra's restraint in allowing a great performance to be heard and felt.
PC No. 5 in E flat major, Op. 73, is simply one of the most beautiful pieces of music ever recorded (and perhaps one of the most recorded). Perahia's fingers caress the keyboard - the music dancing as if leaves were gently falling on slow moving waters below. Played noticeably slower than many other recordings of this work (Previn comes to mind), one simply drifts along with each note. It is exquisite.
The Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra of Amsterdam, under the baton of Bernard Haitink, is the perfect background for this wonderful performance. They neither overpower, nor do they disappear. They are always in the right place at the right time making the experience only richer and more rewarding.
Clearly there are great or perhaps greater performances of the individual Piano Concertos. Brendel, Kempff, Fleisher and Uchida to name a few. One may readily pick and choose their 'dream' version of these 5 works. However, when listening to the complete series, Perahia, Haitink and the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra have unquestionably created a thing of beauty, consistency and elegance.
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