Brahms' Piano Concertos

[Herman]

I grew up, so to speak, with the Gilels / Jochum LPs. Later I got to like the Gilels / Reiner better. The Jochum is very much into being monumental.

It's interesting no one seems to mention Zimerman / Bernstein.

I like the Moravec / Belohvac, but the Brahms 2 (I never listen to 1) I usually wind up listening to is Ax / Haitink / Boston, from Haitink's much maligned Brahms cycle with the BSO, which is really Haitink's best Brahms.

[Jo498]

I have not listened to so many recordings (and I think they can take different approaches) but the Gilels/Jochum is really far out on the "monumental" side so I think one should listen to fleeter versions as alternative, e.g. Rubinstein (Reiner in 1 and Krips in 2), Fleisher/Szell or maybe Katchen.

[Kontrapunctus]

I grew up, so to speak, with the Gilels / Jochum LPs. Later I got to like the Gilels / Reiner better. The Jochum is very much into being monumental.

It's interesting no one seems to mention Zimerman / Bernstein.

I like the Gilels and Zimerman very much, as well as the more recent Grimaud/Nelsons.

[B_cereus]

Well, no discussion here for nearly 2 years - but reading about the Brahms Piano Concertos in another forum a few days ago and today just looked at my collection - only 2 sets, i.e. Emil Giels from 1972 & Stephen Hough from 2013; purchased the latter in 2014 after reading a superlative review by Dubins in Fanfare (one of several reviews, including Giels, in the attached PDF).

I'll be relistening to both sets today, suspect the Hough will remain in my collection, but I'm I in a 'culling or additive mood'? - so, for an 'update' of this thread, what are favorite sets of these works that others may own and any 'new' years released recently for consideration?  Dave

 

I have the Hough Brahms too... he kindly signed my copy for me when I went to hear him in concert

[kishnevi]

My suggestions
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[NikF]

My preferred listening to the first of the concertos remains with the order in which I heard them.

I've mentioned this before, but my girlfriend at the time invested a huge amount of patience in her attempts to introduce me to Brahms. She finally made it when playing me the Curzon/Szell/LSO
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After that she let me hear her own favourite - the Gilels/Jochum/Berliner Philharmoniker - which was to become my go to for a long, long time.
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Finally (and after going through his first two recordings) I settled for the third time Pollini recorded it.  Thielemann/Staatskapelle Dresden.
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My choices for the second are either Pollini (as featured above by Jeffrey Smith) with Abbado/Wiener Philharmoniker.
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Or Richter with Maazel/Orchestre de Paris
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[George]

My choices for the second are either Pollini ...

Or Richter with Maazel/Orchestre de Paris
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Nice pick! The Maazel was the preferred recording of the pianist (not the Leinsdorf.)

[NikF]

Nice pick! The Maazel was the preferred recording of the pianist (not the Leinsdorf.)

I wasn't aware of that. Do you know if Richter stated why he preferred it?

[George]

I wasn't aware of that. Do you know if Richter stated why he preferred it?

No, but as I recall he doesn't like the Leinsdorf much at all.

[NikF]

No, but as I recall he doesn't like the Leinsdorf much at all.

He doesn't like it much? So many people have it as their first choice, but not the performer. That's interesting.
Thanks.

[George]

Compared to sets by Serkin/Szell, Fleisher/Szell, Gilels/Jochum, Barenboim/Barbirolli, what do folks think of this set?

[Todd]

Compared to Serkin/Szell, Fleisher/Szell, Gilels/Jochum, what do folks think of this set?

Preferable to Fleisher, on par with Gilels, not as good as Serkin.  Not top tier. 

[George]

Preferable to Fleisher, on par with Gilels, not as good as Serkin.  Not top tier.

Thanks. Yeah, Serkin is tough to beat in this repertoire.

[LKB]

For the second concerto, I've always enjoyed Haitink/Ashkenazy/VPO on Decca, not least for Robert Scheiwein's solo Cello.

While there are moments in the first concerto which interest me, l don't really connect with it,  and so have no preference.

[George]

Preferable to Fleisher, on par with Gilels, not as good as Serkin.  Not top tier.

Can you share your top tier for each work and complete sets?

[Florestan]

While there are moments in the first concerto which interest me, l don't really connect with it

I can see where you're coming from. If IIRC, it was composed under the influence of the sad news of Schumann's death. To my ears it's in-your-face dark and angry, which is bad enough, and way too long, which is even worse. 

[Todd]

Can you share your top tier for each work and complete sets?

I haven't been listening to these concertos with great frequency lately, so this is incomplete, especially for the separate performances.  The three complete sets are pretty much cemented at this point, though obviously I'd love to hear a kick-ass new complete set.  Quite a few pianists could deliver some fine performances.

Kuerti, Pollini II, Serkin for sets.  (Maybe Angelich.  I'd need to do some A/Bs.)

Add Kovacevich 1, Katchen 1, Vogt 2, Rubinstein 2.

[rachmaninoff]

I own these two recordings :

Concerto pour piano et orchestre N°1 op 15 N°2 op 83 3 Intermezzi op 117 Etudes op 35 par François-René Duchable piano Orkest van Vlaanderen dir Philippe Herreweghe

very intersting; speed tempi...

[George]

I haven't been listening to these concertos with great frequency lately, so this is incomplete, especially for the separate performances.  The three complete sets are pretty much cemented at this point, though obviously I'd love to hear a kick-ass new complete set.  Quite a few pianists could deliver some fine performances.

Kuerti, Pollini II, Serkin for sets.  (Maybe Angelich.  I'd need to do some A/Bs.)

Add Kovacevich 1, Katchen 1, Vogt 2, Rubinstein 2.

Thanks