Search - Ludwig van Beethoven, Cleveland Orchestra, Philadelphia Orchestra :: Beethoven: Piano Concerto No. 5; Triple Concerto

I agree with the majority on this one. Five stars.

Dean Campbell | El Paso, TX USA | 06/28/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I'm listening to this recording's Third Movement of the 5th Piano Concerto as I write this, and I can't hear the clumsy piano playing. I also own the well-regarded Arrau/Davis version and a version by Backhaus/Schuricht (Ermitage). This recording is the equal of the former and is superior to the latter, at least in sound quality. But don't take it from me. The Fleisher/Szell recording is recommended by Classical Net on the internet, and by Bill Parker in his book Building a Classical Music Library. My one complaint is the languorous middle movement, a drawback it shares with Arrau/Davis CD. Backhaus/Schuricht take this a minute faster and add some pulse to it. To my ears the faster, more rhythmic pace is closer to the spirit of the piece. But that's just me.As to the Triple Concerto, it's a delight. No, it doesn't scale the heights or plumb the depths, but it's not intended to. It's a charming throwback, a mixture of chamber music and concerto, a piece meant for an evening's entertainment at the palatial home of one of the composer's patrons. Imagine the Archduke Rudolph at the keyboard, Beethoven conducting the private orchestra, servants in livery offering drinks. And, for a price under ten dollars, you can be there too, and you don't even have to RSVP."

Conciertos esenciales

felipe | Chile | 09/30/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

""Emperador" es el gran concierto y si esta o no dedicado a Napoleon es una discusión que solo especialistas tienen, para nosotros lo importante es poder disfrutarlo, y en este caso, eso es lo que hacemos. Leon Fleisher es un gran pianista, claro que de los años sesenta y no tan popular, lo he comentado son grabaciones de la CBS-Columbia (hoy Sony classical) que por años registro de manera grandiosa una amplia gama de obras con solistas de gran nivel que no alcanzaron resonancia tiempo despues salvo algunos casos, asi tenemos a Leonard Rose, Eugene Istomin, Rudolf Serkin, Isaac Stern y el propio Fleisher, que bajo la batuta de George Szell y Eugene Ormandy lograron grabaciones excepcionales. El triple Concerto por su lado aunque una obra simple en su estructura nos muestra la genialidad de Beethoven al integrar tres solistas y lograr que el cello no sea opacado por el violin o el piano. Istomin, Rose y Stern, hacen de este concierto una pequeña obra maestra. Ormandy los acompaña como siempre de la mejor forma.

George Szell un director húngaro al igual que Ormandy realiza interpretaciones de un nivel insuperable, sinfonías que van desde Mozart a Bruckner, conciertos y otras obras son presentadas por este director de manera soberbia."

Great performances, but the Emperor is in dodgy sound

Santa Fe Listener | Santa Fe, NM USA | 09/08/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I second the opinion of the reviewer below who complains about the bad sonics in this Emperor concerto from 1961. Sony has remastered the Flesiher-Szell Beethoven Concertos #3 and #4 to get rid of the grit and microphone shatter. Let's hope they do the same with this one, too. As for the interpretation, Szell's propulsive, somewhat chilly and classical accompaniment works better for me in the earlier concertos. This Emperor feels a little brusque, but there's no denying how wonderfully Fleisher plays--he's powerful and expressive even at high speed--and anyone who favors period-performance style will welcome the fast tempos. As an overall favorite I prefer the riveting Serkin-Bernstein from 1963, also on Sony.



The Triple Concerto makes a generous disc mate on this 73 min. CD. The performance dates from 1964, and it's apparent immediately that Ormandy is not as vigorous or exciting as Szell, but he's experienced and reliable. Tempos are normal, a minute slower in the first movement than the classic Richter-Oistrakh-Rostropovich version on EMI. In all respects the EMI performance is better (it's truly a great recording of the century). All three virtuosos, along with Karajan as conductor, approach the Triple Concerto as a heroic work and also a showpiece. That's not as true here. We have a more blended group whose approach is less romantic. Even so, Istomin, Stern, and Rose are master musicians, and their performance bows its head only to Richter, Oistrakh, and Rostropovich. On its own, this is a great reading, the second best I've ever heard."