Search - Ludwig van Beethoven, Malcolm Sargent, London Philharmonic Orchestra :: Beethoven: Piano Concerto No. 1 in C, Op. 15; Piano Concerto No. 2 in B-Flat, Op. 19; Bagatelle in A Minor (Fur Elise)

Lovers of great piano playing take it for granted that every precious note recorded by Artur Schnabel is worth hearing. Those who don't already know this will learn it quickly by listening to these performances. So, for many potential buyers, the main issue will be the price of this disc (very low) and the quality of the sound restoration. These performances have already been issued in good transfers by EMI and by Pearl. Comparisons demonstrate that the opening orchestral section of the First Concerto actually sounds a little shriller and scrappier here than on the previous CDs. But as soon as the piano enters, its immediacy and realism are startling, superior even to the fine qualities of the earlier editions. Walter Gieseking's prewar recording of the First Concerto (APR) is fleeter and perhaps even more compelling than Schnabel's, but these are still both treasurable performances, with only a faint whisper of surface noise to betray their age (1932 and 1935). Naxos's price will invite new listeners to discover the glory of Schnabel's playing, while the quality of Mark Obert-Thorn's restoration may lead Schnabel admirers to replace their earlier CDs. --Leslie Gerber