Search - Beethoven, Biret, Bilkent Symphony Orchestra :: Idil Biret Beethoven Edition, Vol. 7

Idil Biret Plays Beethoven Concertos 3 and 4

Robin Friedman | Washington, D.C. United States | 04/18/2009

(4 out of 5 stars)

"The two piano concertos on this CD, no. 3 in c minor, opus 37 and no. 4 in G major opus 58 are part of Idil Biret's extensive "Beethoven Edition", consisting of the 32 piano sonatas, five piano concertos, and nine symphonies in the transcriptions by Liszt. The recordings are part of the "Idel Biret Archive" and distributed by Naxos. The CDs sell at a budget price and constitute an ambitious and successful traversal of Beethoven's piano music. The Turkish pianist Idil Biret (b. 1941) studied with Kempff and Corot and has recorded extensively over the years. She still has not received the widespread recognition she deserves.



Interestingly, Biret has recorded the concertos with the Bilkent Symphony Orchestra, the first professional orchestra in Turkey conducted by the Polish conductor Antoni Wit. The CDs were recorded in Turkey in January, 2008. There is very stiff competition, both at full-price and at budget-price, in recordings of the Beethoven piano concertos. Biret offers solid, well-thought out, and personal readings. It is good to hear as well Turkey's orchestral contribution to the world of classical music.



Listeners differ on their favorite Beethoven piano concerto, but I am fondest of no. 3. It is a large-scale work composed on the verge of Beethoven's second maturity. The work has moments of heroism, tragedy, and lyricism. It is symphonically conceived with the lengthiest orchestral introduction in the Beethoven concertos. Following the introduction, the work becomes a virtuoso piece for the piano, with long scales, including the passage with which the solo part begins, large sections in octaves and heavy chords, and flamboyant runs down the length of the keyboard. The opening movement also has a lengthy and difficult cadenza.



The second movement of the c minor concerto is a largo in the key of E major which makes a striking contrast to the opening movement. It is a deeply passionate and extended movement which contrasts with the fireworks of the opening. The piano and the orchestra both alternate and collaborate on the theme. In the middle of the movement there is a lovely passage for piano, flute and bassoon. The finale of the concerto is a lively, rhythmical rondo with a dance-like theme. The music transforms into C major near the end to bring the work to a triumphal conclusion.



The performance by Biret and the Bilkent Orchestra emphasizes the tragic, solemn aspect of the score. It is an effective reading, but the opening movement is taken at, for me an overly slow and ponderous pace. (It is marked allegro con brio). As it is, the opening movement of this work is lengthy. It tends to become bogged down and to lose some of its lyricism in this reading.



Beethoven's piano concerto no. 4 in G major, opus 58 is the favorite of many music lovers. It is an intimate, lyrical, and elegant work of Beethoven's maturity which yet has moments of strength and passion. The work opens with a short, introspective statement of the main theme by the solo piano. The piano writing is full of lyricism and filigree and close interplay with the orchestra. For the first time, it includes a cadenza that Beethoven wrote directly into the score. The movement comes to a winged, swirling conclusion with large piano arpeggios and runs gracing the final statement of the theme in the orchestra.



The second movement of the work is a dialogue between the orchestra and the piano that reminds some listeners of Orpheus taming the Furies. Gruff phrases in the orchestra are answered by a pleading in the piano which culminate in a series of trills before the orchestra fades into submission. The movement connects to the concluding lively rondo without pause. The rondo features beautiful moments of duets for the piano and solo cello which come through nicely on this recording.



Biret and Wit offer a lovely reading of the fourth concerto. Her performance is clear and lucid. I could hear all the notes in the long runs and in the delicate passage work and ornamentation. The passages of quiet reflection were contrasted effectively with the bravura passages in the concerto. It is an excellent recording of a much-recorded and much-loved concerto.



This recording, and its companions in the Beethoven Edition, are excellent ways to get to know Idil Biret's pianism as well as a young, rising orchestra from Turkey. Although they offer fine readings, these performances probably should not be anyone's only version of the Beethoven third and fourth piano concertos.



Robin Friedman"