Beethoven Complete Piano Concertos Views
Beethoven wrote nine symphonies, nine concertos, and a variety of other orchestral music, ranging from overtures and incidental music for theatrical productions to other miscellaneous occasional works, written for a particular occasion. Of the concertos, seven are widely known (one violin concerto, five piano concertos, and one triple concerto for violin, piano, and cello); the other two are an unpublished early piano concerto (WoO 4) and an arrangement of the Violin Concerto for piano and orchestra (Opus 61a).
As is clear from even a brief perusal of the current catalogues, competition is truly fierce in this repertoire
Earlier this year I reviewed the complete set of Beethoven piano sonatas on the Australian ABC label featuring the pianist Gerard Williams using Stuart & Sons pianos. This set of the five Beethoven piano concertos is the companion box to the earlier set, and was recorded between October 2002 and July 2003 in the Eugene Goossens Hall. I found the sonata set remarkable for the sound of the piano itself and for the quality of the recording, but rather uneven in terms of performance.
This 3-CD set provokes a similar reaction. The first two Piano Concertos, Opus 15 in C and Opus 19 in B-flat, are boldly conceived and beautifully played, with a lightness of touch in the orchestra and well sprung rhythms. Williams' articulation is well up to the task, and the piano is so colorful and clear as to dispel all doubts. Williams selects Beethoven cadenzas throughout and brings a lot of passion to his performance.
Beethoven Complete Piano Concertos Images
