The Five Beethoven Piano Concertos and The Choral Fantasy

[George]

Due to Holden's recent LvB sonata threads, I have been listening to more and more Beethoven. I thought it would be great if we could list our favorite(s) for each of these six concerto works and say a paragraph or two about them. You can list as many as you like and if you've only heard one, but you love it, feel free to list it.

I will post some of mine later. 

[hornteacher]

http://www.arkivmusic.com/classical/album.jsp?album_id=106445&album_group=5

http://www.arkivmusic.com/classical/album.jsp?album_id=150310

http://www.arkivmusic.com/classical/album.jsp?album_id=144825

Three discs, dirt cheap and fantastic performances.  That's my set.  Yefim Bronfman and David Zinman.  I'll be honest, I'm not a big fan of Zinman's Beethoven Symphony cycle because I find it too light for the seriousness of the music.  However, in the piano concertos, he is dead on.  Bronfman's playing is gorgeous (on a modern piano FYI) and the clarity of the recording is fantastic.

For a HIP performance I enjoy Lubin/Hogwood.

[George]

Thanks hornteacher! I thought I had hit on a dead topic! 

I've heard a lot of great things about that set on Arte Nova and will most likely grab it soon.

I hope to see more favorites posted, including some of individual performances for each of the six works.

[George]

Arrau/Haitink for the 4th...

Can't argue with that! A wonderful performance. 

[Gustav]

http://www.arkivmusic.com/classical/album.jsp?album_id=128721&album_group=8

The Choral Fantasy is very good.

[mn dave]

...over-rated things they are, like much of LvB.

[Henk]

HIP performance I enjoy Lubin/Hogwood.

What's meant with HIP? Thanks in advance.

[George]

What's meant with HIP? Thanks in advance.

There have been a number of threads on the term. A search should get you what you need. 

[Henk]

There have been a number of threads on the term. A search should get you what you need. 

Played with old instruments? I can't find where the term HIP stands for? Is it an abbrevation? I searched google: historically informed performance.

Couldn't you just tell me? 

[George]

Played with old instruments? I can't find where the term HIP stands for? Is it an abbrevation? I searched google: historically informed performance.

Couldn't you just tell me? 

Sorry, bro, no offense intended. I actually don't understand it that well and since it is not the focus of this thread, I think it's best to use the GMG Search function. It wasn't that long ago when this topic came up (I think I even started the topic actually.)

Edit: Here it is http://www.good-music-guide.com/community/index.php/topic,3920.0.html

[orbital]

My exposure to these works has been pretty limited so far. I only have two complete Arrau sets. The Haitink one, and the earlier EMI recording (forgot the orchestra  ). When I am in the mood, I listen to the earlier recordings. Much more energetic (of course) plus none of those annoying finger tapping 
I think I have one or two of concerti with Ricther on Praga (or is it the Kiev set?  ) But I have not explored them yet.

[George]

My exposure to these works has been pretty limited so far. I only have two complete Arrau sets. The Haitink one, and the earlier EMI recording (forgot the orchestra  ). When I am in the mood, I listen to the earlier recordings. Much more energetic (of course) plus none of those annoying finger tapping 

Right, the LvB Concerti with fingernail accompaniment. 

[Henk]

Sorry, bro, no offense intended. I actually don't understand it that well and since it is not the focus of this thread, I think it's best to use the GMG Search function. It wasn't that long ago when this topic came up (I think I even started the topic actually.)

Edit: Here it is http://www.good-music-guide.com/community/index.php/topic,3920.0.html

Okok.

[Holden]

If I was to buy/recommend a complete set of the PCs (without Choral Fantasy) I would include the following:

Perahia/Haitink/Concertgebouw - A very consistent and at times exciting set. The 1st is the pick of the bunch
Solomon/various conductors - as above but just superb musicianship and undertstanding of these works. MY favoutite is the 3rd with Menges
Fleisher/Szell - as for the Perahia
Rubinstein/Krips/LSO - Ruby knew how to play these with simplicity, a constantly musical approach eschewing anything that smacked of bombast

Individually is another matter and here are a couple of choices for each

#1 Perahia/Haitink, Solomon

#2 Perahia/Haitink, Serkin

#3 Solomon/Menges, Fischer/Fricsay

#4 Gilels/Ludwig, Moravec/Turnovsky

#5 Kovacevich/Davis, Rubinstein/Wallenstein

Choral Fantasy - Brendel/Haitink/LSO, Pollini/Abaddo/VPO

There are many other well justified choices

[George]

Have you heard Moravec's later LvB 4 with Belohlavek, Holden?

I agree about Annie Fischer's 3rd, simply marvelous.

I guess I need to check out Perahia's LvB concerti. 

[Holden]

Have you heard Moravec's later LvB 4 with Belohlavek, Holden?

I agree about Annie Fischer's 3rd, simply marvelous.

I guess I need to check out Perahia's LvB concerti. 

No, I haven't heard that though I do have a version with Ancerl that still doesn't reach the heights of the Turnovsky. Anyway, Gilels/Ludwig is still tops for me

[val]

Regarding the first two Concertos I prefer Rudolf Serkin with Ormandy. But Backhaus with Isserstedt is intersting. The CD with Argerich and Sinopoli is not very convincing.

Regarding the 3rd Concerto, Arrau and Haitink were always my favorite. In second place Kempff/ van Kempen.

The best versions of the 4th and 5th Concertos are, to me, Gilels/Ludwig. In the 4th I also love the very pure version of Backhaus/Clemens Krauss and the dynamic of Serkin/Toscanini.And in the 5th, I also like Kempff/van Kempen, Serkin/Bernstein and Curzon/Knappertsbusch.

I am not a great fan of the Choral Fantasy. I only have the version of Barenboim/Klemperer and it seems good enough to me. But, years ago, I had a better version, in LP, with Richter-Haaser and Böhm (don't know if it is available in CD).

[Florestan]

For the 4th I'd add two more:

Gilels/Masur/USSR State Symphony Orchestra, live 1976

Gieseking/Boehm/Staatskapelle Dresden, 1939

[PSmith08]

First choices first, not to shock anyone unnecessarily.

1. Abbado/Pollini/BP
2. Abbado/Pollini/BP
3. Böhm/Pollini/WP; Klemperer/Arrau/Philharmonia
4. Knappertsbusch/Curzon/WP; Böhm/Pollini/WP; Klemperer/Arrau/Phil.
5. Boulez/Curzon/BBCSO; Solti/Backhaus/RSO Köln; Reiner/Cliburn/CSO

[M forever]

The Pollini/Böhm recordings are with the WP, not the BP. That is a difference which should be obvious when one listens to them.