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For those interested in piano concertos, I am writing a collection of recommendations and short reviews.
Brahms Piano Concerto No. 2
Recommended Recording: Sviatoslav Richter with Erich Leinsdorf and the Chicago Symphony (1960)
Review: By 1960, when Richter finally set foot in America, he was already a legend: the Soviet Union’s foremost pianist. Richter launched his tour with Brahm’s monumental second piano concerto. Brahm’s romantic showpiece is brimming with splendid orchestral themes, but Richter’s precisely articulated piano and lyricism shine through. A fast-paced, grammy winning performance, with a whiff of Cold War drama.
Ravel Piano Concerto in G Major
Recommended Recording: Krystian Zimerman with Pierre Boulez and the Cleveland Orchestra (1998)
Review: Zimerman, Boulez, and the Cleveland Orchestra performing Ravel’s jazzy, modernist masterpiece; this record is self-recommending. The sound quality is exceptional, and one hears each instrument distinctly. As close as can get to a definitive interpretation of a piano concerto.
Beethoven Piano Concerto No. 5
Recommended Recording: Glenn Gould with Leopold Stokowski and the American Symphony (1966)
Review: Originally dedicated to Napoleon, Beethoven’s epic 'Emperor' concerto looms large in the piano repertoire. In this extraordinary performance, every note resonates and every phrase has meaning. Gould’s slow-paced interpretation might seem self-indulgent and didactic, but Beethoven’s powerful score survives the Gould treatment unscathed. Beyond its intellectual allure, this recording provides immense listening pleasure.
Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto No. 1
Recommended Recording: Vladimir Horowitz with Georges Szell and the New York Philarmonic (1953)
Review: Anthony Tommasini once wrote that Beethoven's works are “so audacious and indestructible that they survive even poor performances”. Not so for Tchaikovsky’s. Fortunately, Horowitz breezes through the concerto's bland bits, and finishes the first movement with a tremendous bang. An electrifying performance of the most recognizable concerto in the piano repertoire, on a live event celebrating the 25th anniversary of Horowitz' American debut.
Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto No. 3
Recommended Recording: Vladimir Horowitz with Eugene Ormandy and the New York Philarmonic (1978)
Review: Twenty-five years later, Horowitz, now 74 years old, is back at Carnegie Hall. Playing Rachmaninoff requires superlative dexterity, and a good dose of creamy romanticism. The live performance is uplifting, unpolished, on a piano tuned to a bright metallic sound. The final movement opens with a cannonade and closes amid loud cheers. One can only envy those who were there that night, for Horowitz' Golden Jubilee concert.
Schumann Piano Concerto in A Minor
Recommended Recording: Murray Perahia with Colin Davis and the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra (1989)
Review: The Schumann concerto is universally well-liked, and performances are typically pleasing. Perahia and Davis stand out for the quality of their dialogue between piano and orchestra. Their timing in the third movement is so satisfying that once accustomed to their interpretation, other recordings feel slightly off tempo.
Chopin Piano Concerto No. 1 & 2
Recommended Recording: Krystian Zimerman with the Polish Festival Orchestra (1999)
Review: The Chopin concertos' coarse orchestration can be distracting, but the piano is the most delightful in the repertoire. Ever a perfectionist, Zimerman recruited and rehearsed an entire orchestra solely for playing those two concertos the way he wanted them played. Zimerman's piano evokes powerful emotions, and listening to this recording, in full, is a stirring experience.
Prokofiev Piano Concerto No. 2
Recommended Recording: Yuja Wang with Gustavo Dudamel and the Simón Bolívar Symphony Orchestra of Venezuela (2013)
Review: Yuja Wang once tweeted, 'Music criticism should be to musicians what ornithology is to birds.' With her usual virtuosity and enthusiasm, she delivers all the notes Prokofiev demands in this notoriously challenging piece. Wang’s interpretation reveals enjoyable melodic strands in an otherwise somber and intermittently cacophonous concerto. The recording imparts a realistic, live concert hall ambiance.