Beethoven: 5 Piano Concertos / Choral Fantasy

Beethoven: 5 Piano Concertos / Choral Fantasy

Beethoven: 5 Piano Concertos / Choral Fantasy
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CD Details

Performer: Terry Cook
Composer: Ludwig van Beethoven
Conductor: Vladimir Ashkenazy
Performer: Vladimir Ashkenazy
Orchestra: Cleveland Orchestra
Performer: Mary Shearer
Performer: Jon Garrison
Edition: Music CD
CD Release Date: 1990-10-25
Music Label: Decca
Soundtracks:
Music CD 1
  1. Piano Concerto No. 1 In C Major, Op. 15: I. Allegro Con Brio
  2. Piano Concerto No. 1 In C Major, Op. 15: II. Largo
  3. Piano Concerto No. 1 In C Major, Op. 15: III. Rondo: Allegro Scherzando
  4. Piano Concerto No. 2 In B Flat Major, Op. 19: I. Allegro Con Brio (Cadenza: Ashkenazy)
  5. Piano Concerto No. 2 In B Flat Major, Op. 19: II. Adagio
  6. Piano Concerto No. 2 In B Flat Major, Op. 19: III. Rondo: Molto Allegro
Music CD 2
  1. Piano Concerto No. 3 In C Minor, Op. 37: I. Allegro Con Brio
  2. Piano Concerto No. 3 In C Minor, Op. 37: II. Largo
  3. Piano Concerto No. 3 In C Minor, Op. 37: III. Rondo: Allegro
  4. Piano Concerto In G Major, Op. 58: I. Allegro Moderato
  5. Piano Concerto No. 4 In G Major, Op. 58: II. Andante Con Moto
  6. Piano Concerto No. 4 In G Major, Op. 58: III. Rondo: Vivace
Music CD 3
  1. Piano Concerto No. 5 'Emperor' In E Flat Major, Op. 73: I. Allegro
  2. Piano Concerto No. 5 'Emperor' In E Flat Major, Op. 73: II. Adagio un poco mosso
  3. Piano Concerto No. 5 'Emperor' In E Flat Major, Op. 73: III. Rondo: Allegro
  4. Fantasia For Piano, Chorus & Orchestra In C Minor, Op. 80

Music reviews of Beethoven: 5 Piano Concertos / Choral Fantasy

Music Review: A solid set, but not outstanding...
Rating: 4 Stars

This cycle of Beethoven Piano Concertos was recorded at Cleveland's Masonic Auditorium in the 1980s. The Choral Fantasy, which is somewhat less commonly heard than the Concertos, is included.

In his many years as a pianist Ashkenazy earned a reputation as a straightforward, technically admirable, somewhat unimaginative pianist. Ashkenazy is primarily a conductor these days. In these recordings, we get to hear him in both roles, and he conducts like he plays. He's the ideal musician for those who want a normal interpretation - and since he's recorded nearly all the standard repertoire, the collector can acquire, via Ashkenazy, standardized performances of just about everything. Such is the case here: Ashkenazy follows nearly all of Beethoven's tempo and dynamic indications - except with regard to the sustaining pedal, which almost no one follows. It's all very well played. But there are times, particularly in the beginning of the Choral Fantasy (a long improvisatory-like solo piano passage), when I was left wanting more imagination.

Incidentally, in the G major Concerto, Ashkenazy does not play the extensions in the high treble that have become customary - he plays the passage as originally written by Beethoven to accommodate the smaller range of contemporary pianos. Also, in the B-flat Concerto, Ashkenazy provides his own cadenza - which is interesting and fits the Concerto as a whole. In the First Concerto's opening movement, he plays the least virtuosic of Beethoven's three cadenzas. I wouldn't have objected if Ashkenazy had written cadenzas for the first four Concertos (Beethoven specifically forbids a cadenza in the Emperor Concerto). Beethoven, who always improvised his own cadenzas, would probably be astonished to learn how regimented cadenza playing has become.

The Cleveland Orchestra's playing is spotless (they could probably play these works in their sleep), but lacking that last ounce of inspiration that comes from a great conductor with undivided attention. (To hear them at their best, check out the Fleisher/Szell set listed below.)

As for the sonics, the piano is placed somewhat forward of the orchestra, although individual instruments appear to have been spot-miked. The dynamics are also rather constricted. This set would make a good candidate for SACD remastering to open things up.

In sum, this is a well played and solid - but hardly inspired - set of Beethoven Concertos, in good - but not outstanding - sound.

Recommended sets:
Kempff/Leitner: Beethoven: 5 Klavierkonzerte
Fleisher/Szell: Beethoven: The 5 Piano Concertos/Mozart: Concerto No.25

None of the above sets have the Choral Fantasy.

Recommended individual Concertos:
Concerto 1: Richter/Munch Piano Concerto No 1
Concerto 2: Kapell/Golschmann Beethoven: Concerto No. 2
Concerto 3: Rubinstein/Leinsdorf Rubinstein Collection 57
Concerto 4: Rubinstein/Beecham Rubinstein Collection, Vol. 9
Concerto 5: Casadesus/Mitropoulos Beethoven: Piano Concerto No. 5; Violin Concerto
Choral Fantasy: Serkin/Ozawa Piano Concerto 3 / Choral Fantasy

More Beethoven: 5 Piano Concertos / Choral Fantasy free music reviews:
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