Bartok: Piano Concertos 2 & 3

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
These recordings first appeared on an early Vox stereo LP. Gyorgy Sándor was already well known as a Bartók player (and as a pupil of the composer), but this was one of Michael Gielen's first recordings. He did wonders whipping the scrappy Viennese orchestra into shape and providing strong support for the very difficult Second Piano Concerto, which is still one of its outstanding recordings. The CD is inexpensive, but it would have been a better bargain had it also included the First Concerto, which Sándor recorded at about the same time with a different conductor. Still, with Sándor playing, it's authentic Bartók. --Leslie Gerber

Tracks:

I. Allegro Non Troppo E Molto Maestoso - Allegro Con Spirito - New Philharmonia Orchestra
II. Andantino Semplice - Prestissimo - Tempo I - New Philharmonia Orchestra
III. Allegro Con Fuoco - New Philharmonia Orchestra
I. Allegro Brillante - New Philharmonia Orchestra
II. Andante Non Troppo - New Philharmonia Orchestra
III. Allegro Con Fuoco - New Philharmonia Orchestra

Tracks:

I. Allegro Brillante - New Philharmonia Orchestra
I. Allegro Con Brio - London Symphony Orchestra
II. Moderato Ben Accentuato - London Symphony Orchestra
III. Toccata (Allegro Con Fuoco) - London Symphony Orchestra
IV. Larghetto - London Symphony Orchestra
V. Vivo - London Symphony Orchestra
I. Allegro - Sviatoslav Richter
II. Adagio - Sviatoslav Richter
III. Allegro Molto - Sviatoslav Richter

Customer Reviews:

A classic Tchaikovsky Second Concerto, plus astonishing Richter.......2006-06-08

The reissue gods are smiling. This bargain Gemini two-fer contains four superlative concerto recordings--the Tchaikovsky Second and Third with Gilels, the Prokofiev Fifth and Bartok Second with Richter. The conductor throughout is Lorin Maazel, definitely on best behavior, and the orchestras vary between the LSO (Prokofiev), New Philharmonia (Tchaikovsky), and the Orchestre de Paris (Bartok). EMI's early Seventies analog sound is bright and forward. The perspective on the piano is natural with Gilels, but as usual, Richter asked to be miked more up close.

Gilels had already made a magisterial Tchaikovsky First with Reiner in 1955 (RCA) when he first stormed West out of Russia, and he would go on to make one just as great in 1980 with Mehta (Sony). This version from 1973 is let down by Maazel's less-than-committed acompaniment, which moves too glibly and quick in the first movement especially. But the Second and Third Concertos are another story. Gilels makes the best case ever for the former work, despite the usual cuts. Maazel livens up, giving us springy rhythms and elegance, while Gilels is polished marble and power. I will be satisfied to own this one version for life, I'm sure.

On CD 2, Richter returns to one of his favorites, the Prokofiev Fifth concdrto, which he had already recorded in 1959 to universal acclaim--this was his time to roar out of Russia and astonish the West. This remake offers somewhat different tempos but the same astonishing solo work. For me, the main distinction is Maazel's razor-sharp, brilliant conducting and the virtuoso playing of the London Sym., wwhich far surpasses the earlier reading on DG. The same holds true for the Bartok Second, where Richter takes a fiendishly difficult, percussive piano part and makes it speak and sing as never before. Pollini is equally riveting in this work but not nearly as approachable. Officially, Richter never recorded the two most popular concertos from these composers, the Prokofiev and Bartok Third. That's a shame, but these great recordings, along with Gilels's' contribution, make this an unmissable bargain.

Average customer rating:

Tremendous tremendous performances
Bartok: The Piano Concertos, Pierre Boulez
Interesting, Good, and Clean
Outstanding versions for every concert.
Three Triumvirates Lead by One Master

Bartok: The Piano Concertos
Pierre Boulez , Bela Bartok , Zimerman , Andsnes , Chicago Symphony Orchestra , and Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra
Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Bartok: Complete Solo Piano Music
Richard Goode Performs Mozart
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ASIN: B0006OS5YS
Release Date: 2005-01-11

Tracks:

1. Allegro Moderato - Allegro - Krystian Zimerman
2. Andante - - Krystian Zimerman
2. Allegro - Attacca:/3. Allegro Molto - Krystian Zimerman
1. Allegro - Leif Ove Andsnes
2. Adagio - Presto - Adagio - Leif Ove Andsnes
3. Allegro Molto - Leif Ove Andsnes
1. Allegretto - Helen Grimaud
2. Adagio Religioso - Helen Grimaud
3. Allegro Vivace - Helen Grimaud

Amazon.com

Pierre Boulez, always a sympathetic conductor of Bartók's music, here leads three different orchestras and three different soloists in a highly recommendable disc of the composer's complete piano concertos. The First is a jagged, percussive piece reminiscent of Bartók's earlier Dance Suite in its driving rhythms. Like the Second Concerto's, the slow movement is one of his typically mysterious "night" pieces, with lightly tapping percussion accompanying the piano's ghostly entry and winds adding to the otherworldly effect in the central section. Soloist Krystian Zimerman plays it magnificently. The Second Concerto is no less challenging, but scored more transparently with Baroque-inspired counterpoint. Again, propulsive rhythms excite, and Leif Ove Andsnes sails through the virtuosic solo part with aplomb. Bartók wrote the first two to feature on his concert tours. The Third Concerto was written by the dying composer in 1945 as a legacy for his wife, a concert pianist. It's one of his most lyrical, relaxed works with long-lined melodies and often lush scoring. Here the pianist is Hélène Grimaud, playing with tonal beauty, poetic flair, and the requisite toughness for the final Allegro. With its superb soloists and orchestras and Boulez's consistency, this disc is a Bartókian feast. --Dan Davis

Customer Reviews:

Tremendous tremendous performances.......2007-03-24

Even today Bartok remains a controversial composer, but these latest performances of three of his most seminal and exhilarating works must surely convince any doubters. The unifying link in the three, with different orchestras and different soloists is Pierre Boulez and he must take great credit for having brought out the individual character of these three fine works to the full. He is a master of precision and skill and has produced three superlative performances in very different circumstances.
My favorite of the three has to be the Second, widely regarded as a Bartok's finest Concerto. For the soloist this is not so much a test of technique as of physical force and endurance with its page after page of "doubled" writing. Leif Ove Andsnes meets the challenge perfectly and this is one of the most dazzling performances of any piece of music on record I have ever heard by both soloist and orchestra (Berlin Philharmonic). But the second is not just merely virtuosity and I would like you to hear the inner movements of this challenging piece especially carefully. This a piece of music you can listen to again and again. It will always leave you behind, but never give up the chase.

The third Concerto requires a somewhat different approach and I note that Boulez chose to record this with Helène Grimaud rather than one of the more flamboyant male soloists. Bartok wrote this piece specifically for his wife, Ditta Pasztory, and it is altogether a softer, more tender piece. The 'night music" slow movement is wonderfully done and I can't imagine this lovely and underrated piece ( whatever nasty cynic said he had composed this merely for cash?) ever being better performed.

The first concerto is a relatively early work and full of boyish energy indeed violence. Although musically it's probably the baby of the three, Krystian Zimmerman and the LSO give it "full welly" and it's a very engaging result. Altogether- strongly recommended.

Bartok: The Piano Concertos, Pierre Boulez.......2006-08-21

Sheer perfection, intense, fantastic interpretations. A must for serious record collectors.

Interesting, Good, and Clean.......2006-05-28

The Interesting: Boulez brings out some of the more conventional harmonies of the First Concerto! and some of the modernisms of the Third! (is that a substituted bass drum stroke at the end of the third movement?) - - And a different soloist and orchestra for each concerto -

The Good: The concertos come off reasonably well (with reservations).

The Clean: The recordings bring out a lot of detail found in the scores (especially the Bachian counterpoint of the Second Concerto).

My personal feelings: Zimerman never seems to be totally in sinc with Boulez in the First Concerto, especially in the outer movements - Not that they're 'not' together; just a 'oneness' that seems to be missing - I feel the pianst making an effort to bond with the conductor and orchestra (did they get together just to make a recording? or did they perform this work and then record it? - I don't know) - But I think this is the best rendition of the three -

The Second Concerto is very exciting - that scale and trill at the very opening, the accelerando at the end of the first movement - the scale was fine, but the trill is competing dynamically with brass (recording levels?) - the accelerando at the end of the first movment didn't feel like one, either - - The beginning and end of the second movement is way too fast for my taste - The string sound (absent from the first movement) and rhythmic stasis should fascinate after the energetic first movement - it didn't - The middle section was appropriately fast, but not frenzied enough - - The third movement, a variation of the first, felt fore-shortened - maybe it was the juxtapositions of tempi (tricky in Bartok) that made it seem wanting - Leif Ove Andsnes' playing is exemplary throughout (the 2nd movement 'esp./pesante' a highlight)-

The Third Concerto is a bit of a disappointment. The first movement is beautiful - the end especially (it literally evaporates) - - But the second is too slow - And some of the improvisational qualties in the piano part after the middle section seemed very mannered to me - There's a natural flow missing - - The last movement lacks urgency - I don't know if this is the fault of Grimaud or Boulez.

An interesting disc. Technically superior. Musically variable.

Outstanding versions for every concert........2005-11-16

Some years ago I read Pierre Boulez was thinking about recording Bartok's Piano Concertos, in that moment I thought it could be a good collection but not really so great like finally it is. I have to say that in a first moment I had news of a recording with Krystian Zimerman for the three concerts; when I knew Andsnes and Grimaud were involved I thought it could be not so great like if Zimerman alone plays all. I was wrong again in my thoughts; Andsnes and Grimaud give them best and that's really very much.

First of all I have to mention the fact of there are three orchestras and three pianists, all wonderful musicians, like the three outstanding orchestras. It could be a problem for unifying the cycle, but we have a great conductor too, Pierre Boulez, a really specialist master in XXth Century and modern music, who have a very long relation with Bartok's music, as we can listen in his recordings for CBS and now with the outstanding new cycle for DG (that will be followed by his new recordings of Violin Concert Nº1 and Viola Concert, both of them with Berlin and very close to be released). The three concertos are really different between them in essence, the First and Second much more modern and aggressive and the Third much more "classical", lyrical and popular, much more easy to be listened. It's the way of a composer with a life not easy at all, who have lost his own lie in his country and who have to compose in order to survive. This could be a reason for understand the style of the Third concerto; a concerto that could be very far of Boulez's tastes but conducted full of style and charm by the French conductor. In fact, this piano series comes from a very hard and aggressive beginning in number One and decrease in that presence until the Third. Boulez is able to control that changing of style and the complete recording seems to be done with the pianist together discussing dynamics, style, tempi, technical possibilities...

Choosing the orchestras for this recordings it's not easy and Boulez did it really great. The First Concerto is played by an orchestra really full of presence and a very strong personality, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra; which percussion and metal section is able to play exactly the style Bartok asks for this piece, very percussive and strong. Zimerman, of course, is a guarantee, as he is really one of the better pianist of our time, ¿the better one?, and he know Bartok's language. I heard him some years ago in A Coruña (Spain), playing this same First Concerto with the Orquesta Sinfonica de Galicia, under Victor Pablo Perez baton, and was amazed by his deep understanding of the work. Like in that concert, all is wonderfully done in this CD, specially the second movement, an Andante that remembers to me the Sonata for Two Pianos and Percussion. The crystal-clear playing and conducting makes this movement quite impossible to repeat, a wonder. I know another very, very good recording played by Pollini and Abbado with the same orchestra. The Abbado's conducting is more aggressive and fiery, but not so technical and controlled like Boulez's one. Both are outstanding recordings. Like other reviewer wrote, Abbado opened a way and Boulez marks a developing in that way, a wonderful pair, anyway.

The Second Concerto is a beautiful surprise to me, as I've never heard Andsnes playing Bartok and I'm really amazed by the way he plays, WODERFULLY done every note, every phrase, every dynamic, tempo, pedal's use, echoes, rhythm... Again we have an incredible second movement which remembers to me Charles Ives very, very much in the way it's played, perfect done by the Berliner, with amazing strings and drums. I love the playing of all the orchestras, but I could say the Berliner Philharmoniker could be the best, simply listen it to believe. In this concert, a bit more lyrical than the First, but both in a similar style, Boulez shows a heart some people have doubts about if existed.

And this hearts sings opened in the Third Concerto, with the smooth London Symphony Orchestra and a very lyrical and perfect Helen Grimaud, who plays really beautiful in this last chapter, a very poetic piece with moments of really nostalgia of the lost days and of the lost land. Boulez understand the piece in the very right way, as it's technically well done and he don't lose at all the essence of that feelings, necessary for the piece be complete. Of course there's not the percussive piano you can listen in the first and second concertos, but Grimaud give her best in any moment and sometimes with an aggressive style if it's required. Another wonderful surprise listening her in this repertoire.

The recordings are very, very good, clean and well processed. The balance is marvellous and all the sections are perfect caught by the DG engineers.

Nowadays I have no doubts about this is my favourite CD for this Concertos, wonderful versions for some of the key works of Bartok, according with Boulez's words. Pollini / CSO / Abbado (DG) could be another possibility, very close in style and outstanding too.

Three Triumvirates Lead by One Master.......2005-09-30

The Complete (Three) Bartók Piano Concerti played by three superb pianists supported by three top ranking orchestras + Pierre Boulez equals an unqualified success. One wonders who thought of this format - Boulez, DGG,...? It matters little because the concept of recording each of these glorious Bartók concerti with different soloists and orchestras is like having a good seat on the touring bus with Boulez as he makes his rounds on the podiums of the world's orchestras.

Matching pianists with concerti is a luxury in which Boulez and his intense musicality melds well. For the quirky First Concerto the treacherous score is manned evenly between Krystian Zimmerman and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. For the more lyrical Second Concerto Leif Ove Andsnes is graced by the presence of the magnificent Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra. And for the sweet and melancholic Third Concerto Hélène Grimaud collaborates with the London Symphony Orchestra in as fine a performance as is available on CD.

But given the graces of soloists and orchestras, this very fine recording would not have been so in tune with Béla Bartók were it not for the sensitive, perceptive skills of Boulez. He finds the riches of each orchestra's attributes and allows us to hear just why each is so fine. The three interpretations are clearly guided by Boulez' uncanny ability to find the core of the score and allow it to sing. This is one of those recordings that is a first choice for collectors. Absolutely superb! Grady Harp, September 05

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Bartók: Piano Concertos 1 & 2

Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Average customer rating:

Mostly Magnificent Menuhin, with a Few Reservations

The Violinist
Yehudi Menuhin , Johann Sebastian Bach , Bela Bartok , Ludwig van Beethoven , Alban Berg , Johannes Brahms , Max Bruch , Arcangelo Corelli , Edward Elgar , Franz Joseph Haydn , Edouard Lalo , Felix Mendelssohn , Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart , Carl Nielsen , Niccolo Paganini , Camille Saint-Saens , Jean Sibelius , Pyotr Il'yich Tchaikovsky , Michael Tippett , Henri Vieuxtemps , Antonio Vivaldi , William Walton , Alberto Lysy , Anatole Fistoulari , Antal Dorati , Anthony Bernard , Gaston Poulet , John Pitchard , Mogens Woldike , Pierre Boulez , and Rafael Frühbeck de Burgos
Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Beethoven: The Complete Symphonies and Piano Concertos
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ASIN: B0000BWTKJ
Release Date: 2003-11-04

Tracks:

I. Allegro
II. Affettuoso
III. Allegro
I. Allegro
II. Andante
III. Allegro Assai
I. Allegro
II. Adagio
III. Allegro Assai
I. Vivace
II. Largo Ma Non Tanto
III. Allegro

Tracks:

Rhapsody No. 2 (Lassu [Moderato] - Friss [Allegro Moderato])
I. Allegro Non Troppo
II. Andante Tranquillo
III. Allegro Molto
I. Andante
I. Allegretto (Scherzando)
II. Allegro
II. Adagio

Tracks:

Romance No. 1 In G Major
I. Allegro Ma Non Troppo (Cadenza: Kreisler)
II. Larghetto
III. Rondo (Allegro) (Cadenza: Kreisler)
I. Allegro Moderato
II. Adagio
III. Finale (Allegro Energico)

Tracks:

Romance No. 2 In F Major, Op. 50
I. Allegro Non Troppo (Cadenza: Kreisler)
II. Adagio
III. Allegro Giocoso, Ma Non Troppo Vivace - Poco Piu Presto
I. Allegro Molto Appassionato
II. Andante
III. Allegretto Non Troppo - Allegro Molto Vivace

Tracks:

I. Allegro
II. Andante
III. Allegro Molto
I. Andante Tranquillo
II. Presto Capriccioso Alla Napolitana & Trio (Canzonetta)
III. Vivace

Tracks:

I. Allegro Moderato (Cadenza: Menuhin)
II. Adagio Molto
III. Finale (Presto) (Cadenza: Menuhin)
I. Allegro
II. Andante Cantabile
III. Rondo (Andante Grazioso - Allegro Ma Non Troppo)
I. Allegro Maestoso
II. Andante
III. Presto

Tracks:

I. Allegro Non Troppo
II. Scherzando (Allegro Molto)
III. Intermezzo (Allegretto Non Troppo)
IV. Andante
V. Rondo (Allegro)
I. Allegro Non Troppo
II. Andantino Quasi Allegretto
III. Molto Moderato E Maestoso - Allegro Non Troppo
Introduction & Rondo Capriccioso, Op. 28
Havanaise, Op. 83

Tracks:

I. Allegro Maestoso (Cadenza: Emile Sauret)
II. Adagio Espressivo
III. Rondo (Allegro Spiritoso)
I. Andante - Moderato - Cadenza
II. Adagio Religioso
III. Scherzo (Vivace) & Trio
IV. Finale (Allegro)
I. Allegro Non Troppo
II. Cadenza
III. Adagio
IV. Allegro Con Fuoco

Tracks:

Serenade Melancolique
I. Allegro Moderato
II. Adagio Di Molto
III. Allegro Ma Non Tanto
I. Praeludium (Largo)
I. Allegro Cavalleresco
II. Intermezzo (Poco Adagio)
II. Rondo (Allegretto Scherzando)

Tracks:

I. Allegro
II. Largo
III. Allegro
I. Allegro Non Molto
II. Adagio
III. Presto
I. Allegro
II. Adagio
III. Allegro
I. Allegro Non Molto
II. Largo
III. Allegro
I. Vivace - Allegro - Adagio - Vivace - Allegro - Largo Andante
II. Allegro
III. Grave - Andante Largo - Allegro
Fantasia Concertante On A Theme Of Corelli

Customer Reviews:

Mostly Magnificent Menuhin, with a Few Reservations.......2004-01-06

The recent trend toward classical box sets focusing on the performer instead of the composer (see my reviews of the various DG/Decca "Original Masters" sets) continues with EMI's new "Yehudi Menuhin - The Violinist." Sure EMI's past sets have showcased individual performances by Samson Francois, Eugen Jochum and Rudolf Kempe to name a few, but it was always under the heading of a given composer's works, and in the cases mentioned above, to Chopin's piano pieces, Bruckner's Symphonies and Strauss' Orchestral Works respectively. Therefore, this Menuhin collection is the first of EMI's "Budget Box Sets" to showcase a performer playing the works of a variety of composers.

As Menuhin was an EMI recording artist for an incredible 68 years (1931-99), his performances for the label number in the hundreds. With so much music from which to choose, this 10-disc set aims "to highlight some of those alternative versions, including recordings that have not been easily available since the days of LP and others that have never previously appeared on CD." Therefore, the obvious mainstream, easily attainable recordings are omitted here -- for example, the Beethoven/Mendelssohn VCs with Furtwangler, the Elgar VC with the composer conducting, and the Bruch/Mendelssohn VCs with Susskind and Kurtz.

However, a lot of this material has been on disc before on titles which the serious collector most likely already owns. Most of the Bach is currently available as part of the Bach "Budget Box Series" title. The Bruch, Mendelssohn, Brahms and Vivaldi VCs were all available in the now out-of-print 2CD EMI Seraphim series. The Elgar and the Walton are still available in the "British Composers" series. And perhaps most annoyingly, the previously unpublished Beethoven VC and Tchaikovsky "Serenade melancolique" (available as a single disc), and the Beethoven Romance No. 2 (available on an EMI Encore title) were both reissued just a few months back.

But let's focus on the positive, which are the other rare performances, the most significant being the never before reissued 1954 performance of Mozart's Violin Concerto No. 4 with John Pritchard and the Philharmonia. Other elusive recordings include Viuextemps and Paganini VCs with Fistoulari, Lalo and Saint-Saens works with Goossens, and excellent Berg and Bartok accounts with Boulez. Though I'm delighted at their inclusion, of lesser importance is a 1965 Bartok VC No. 2 with Dorati -- his mono EMI with Furtwangler and an earlier account with Dorati on Mercury Living Presence are far superior. Also, neither the Sibelius (Boult, 1955) nor Nielsen (Woldike, 1952) Concertos are truly Menuhin's cups of tea.

My last complaint has to do with the packaging. I know I'm being rather trite but it seems that EMI has taken the "slim" out of slim, paper-sleeved box sets with their latest batch of releases. Both this title and the new box of Liszt Orchestral Works by Masur are noticeably thicker than previous EMI sets featuring a similar number of discs. A minor point, but us serious classical collectors need every centimeter of space on our increasingly crowded CD shelves, not to mention the amount of wasted packaging.

Overall though, despite the fact that "Yehudi Menuhin - The Violinist" is not as essential a reissue as its counterparts in the "Original Masters" series, it is a delightful set that most collectors will thoroughly enjoy.

Average customer rating:

Bronfman's Bartok is joyless, disorgnized, and raucous
Three Masterpieces Superbly Performed by Pianist and Orchestra.
The Benefits of Camaraderie
maybe not best choice
Outstanding value

Bartók: Piano Concertos Nos. 1-3

Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Béla Bartók: Divertimento / Dance Suite / Hungarian Sketches / Two Pictures - Chicago Symphony Orchestra / Pierre Boulez

ASIN: B00005NWO0
Release Date: 2001-09-11

Tracks:

Con No.2: I. Allegro
Con No.2: II. Adagio - Presto - Adagio
Con No.2: III. Allegro Molto
Con No.3: I. Allegretto
Con No.3: II. Adagio Religioso - Poco Piu Mosso - Tempo I
Con No.3: III. Allegro Vivace
Con No.1: I. Allegro Moderato - Allegro - Allegro Moderato
Con No.1: II. Andante
Con No.1: III. Allegro Molto

Customer Reviews:

Bronfman's Bartok is joyless, disorgnized, and raucous.......2007-02-21

As someone who knows and loves these three works, I expected a great deal from an avowed modernist like Salonen and the Russian emigre virtuoso Yefim Bronfman. But what we get here is raucous and disorganized readings--it's literally as if Bronfman just sat down and banged out the notes. Nor does Salonen offer much help; he has no overall conception of any of the three concertos--there's a good deal of detailed twiddling but very little in the way of atmosphere or emotion. YOu would think that Bartok wrote strings of difficult keyboard music with not much intention except to make a noise, along with some striking incidental effects. I will stick with individual favorites like Argerich/Dutoit in the First, Pollini/Abbado in the Second, and Ashkenazy/Solti in the Third, with backups such as the brilliant partial set from Barenboim and Boulez on EMI--buy that disc if you want to hear what color, emotion, and inner vitality are all about.

Three Masterpieces Superbly Performed by Pianist and Orchestra........2006-07-29

As Harris Goldsmith states in the 4-page essay that accompanies this CD, "Bela Bartok's works for piano and orchestra have an authority and individuality that bespeak first-hand knowledge and experience. Present-day musicians tend to forget that the Hungarian master was one of this century's greatest pianists - a keyboard virtuoso of incandescent brilliance as well as a unique, creative genius. Most of what he composed for the piano was tailored to fit his own persona and larger-than-life instrumental gifts."

There are a number of excellent recordings of these three great piano concertos, made by some of the most talented pianists in the world, from the benchmark 1961 recording by Bartok's Hungarian compatriot, Geza Anda, to more recent releases by other Hungarian pianists, Zoltan Kocsis, Jeno Jando, and Andras Schiff, to recordings by Martha Argerich and Sviatoslav Richter among others. In the end, selecting a favorite interpretation is ultimately a matter of nuances and individual preference.

Regarding the comments by the reviewer, Robert Estes, about the sound engineering on this CD, perhaps if a Telarc-like crystal-clear bright sound had been attempted on these three dynamic and powerful concertos, it might have yielded a sonic impression that would not necessarily be "front-row-center" but rather "in-your-face," with the listener rushing to adjust the volume control with each change from an allegro to an adagio movement, and back again. In fact, that is essentially the experience I had after following Mr. Estes' recommendation and ordering the recording of these concertos by Peter Donohoe, with Simon Rattle conducting. The sound was somewhat more clear and bright, but with the downside that on some sections, particularly those featuring percussion or horn instruments, the sound quality went beyond being clear to being, at least for me, uncomfortably sharp. Of course, someone else with a different sound system, and making their own adjustments to their graphic equalizer, might have a better listening experience with the Donohoe/Rattle recording. However, in addition, while I found the Donohoe/Rattle performance to be very good, even excellent, something about it, at least for me, lacked the inspirational, magnificent quality of this Bronfman/Salonen recording. These are admittedly subjective impressions, probably influenced by the type of stereo system, including graphic equalizer and type of speakers, and perhaps even by the acoustics of the room where one is listening to these performances. Nevertheless, having listened to each of these performances not once but several times, on my stereo systems at home, in the office, and in my car, I still prefer this version, by Bronfman/Salonen.

On the Bronfman/Salonen recording, the sound engineers have provided a sonic picture that places the listener not at front-row-center, but at about 20th-row-center, which is still a very good place to be. What may be lost in terms of a feeling of immediacy of the instruments is gained by an impression of the concert hall's spaciousness. As for the clarity of the recording, I was quite pleased. Every note in this inspired performance is captured, from the loudest, most percussive, rapid-fire fff fortissimo measures, resounding with earth-shaking power, to the softest, most gentle and slow ppp pianisimo measures, sounding like an aural impression of the touch of the softest silk.

Having recently bought Yefim Bronfman's recording of Beethoven's 3rd and 4th Piano Concertos, with David Zinman, and now his recording of Bartok's three piano concertos, have made me a Bronfman fan.

His performance of these Bartok concertos is stunning. Bronfman sails through the most technically challenging rapid passages, playing machine-gun-rapid successions of staccato chords and octaves with complete mastery and passion, and plays the adagio passages with the utmost finesse and beautiful sensitivity. Esa-Pekka Salonen and the Los Angeles Philharmonic are also in top form, with the pianist and the orchestra in perfect balance and harmony.

Bronfman's fantastic pianistic pyrotechnics illuminate the beauty and energy of Bartok's music. He is a gifted pianist who gives a brilliant performance of these three concertos, evoking the whole spectrum of human emotion, from the power and exuberance of the allegro passages to the tender, romantic, wistful feeling of the adagio passage of the third piano concerto, written in the final year of Bartok's life, when he knew he was dying of leukemia and wanted to leave something to his wife, through this concerto, that would bring her some financial support after his death. The third piano concerto, especially the adagio passage, is a very moving musical statement of a dying man's love for his wife. Bronfman's performance of this movement, as of all the other movements of this and the two other piano concertos, is sublime. Very highly recommended. Total Playing Time = 75:40.

The Benefits of Camaraderie.......2006-01-14

Esa-Pekka Salonen is one of the finest collaborators with concerto soloists on the podium today. His intense musicality, his gentlemanly respect for the soloist, and his penchant for keeping an astute eye on the overall architecture of a work make him a soloist's dream. Couple that with the grandeur of playing of the Los Angeles Philharmonic and the results are almost guaranteed.

This very fine recording of the three Bartók piano concerti with brilliant pianist Yefim Bronfman is a case in point. The three concerti each have particular demands and not every pianist is successful in interpreting all three (Boulez' recent superb recording used three separate pianists and orchestras; Zimerman and Chicago, Andsnes and Berlin, Grimaud and London). But there is a magic that occurs here with the consistency of forces that makes this recording indeed one of the finest. Bronfman is equally at home with the ferociously percussive sections as he is with the almost inaudibly gentle musings of the slow movements. Salonen partners him with his usual inimitable stature of collaboration. The CD is a must for anyone's collection.

At a recent performance of the LA Phil, Salonen brought Lang Lang to the stage for the Bartók #2, apparently for the purpose of recording the work live for DGG, the first recordings to be made in Disney Hall. While this may seem an interesting venture on paper, in the hall Lang Lang seemed out of place, glued to the musical score that captured more of his attention than the passion of the work. But the recorded performance without the visual distraction of seeing him rely on a score may prove better to the ear than the performance.

While the Boulez traversal of these three concerti is hard to beat, this recording is very strong and at this exceptional value it is a perfect introduction to those unfamiliar with these great works superbly played. Highly Recommended. Grady Harp, January 06

maybe not best choice.......2002-08-10

This is a pretty good recording and probably worth the money, but not the one I'd recommend. Maybe just the fault of the sound engineer, but the piano does not come through strongly enough. Instead go for Andras Schiff with Ivan Fisher and Budapest Festival Orchestra.

Outstanding value.......2002-03-29

Summary for busy individuals: Pro - outstanding performances by soloist and orchestra; tough to beat for 8 bucks. Con - sub-par sound engineering.

Details: These are truly wonderful performances of Bartok's great piano concertos; but if you have other recordings of these pieces, you may be disappointed with the overall sound balance. Bartok's orchestral works require a high level of virtuosity from the soloist and orchestra. I enjoy these works more when the often-delicate interplay between the pianist and individual orchestra members is more clearly captured.

To appreciate the difference, you will need to spend a few more dollars to purchase the Peter Donohue/Simon Rattle digital recording (EMI 7 54871 2) where you will easily hear details which are oft-times rather muddled on the Sony disc, particularly during more frantic segments of "Allegro" movements in the first and second concertos. Following along with a copy of the score will help even more. They did a bit better during the slower-paced, lower level second movements; but it's not what I would expect from "24-bit technology...used to maximize sound recording" (as described in the liner credits).

My guess is that they didn't do their homework analyzing the acoustics of the chosen recording sites. They wisely chose to avoid the sonically questionable Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, heading to Long Beach for 1 & 3 and UCLA's Royce Hall for #2. Of these, the second concerto (which starts the disc) sounds best to me. Maybe they let interns set up the mikes and run the mixer - hard to say, but the rather distant sound doesn't do justice to these remarkable performances. Makes you wish they would have sub-contracted recording to a crew from Telarc, EMI or London.

Another alternative, still a benchmark after 40 years, is Geza Anda's award-winning DGG recording from 1960 (447 399-2 - another Amazon "Most Popular" choice), now digitally re-mastered and available for only a couple of dollars more. If you love this music, you will want this one anyway - it still sounds fresh and exciting, a tribute to Deutsche Grammophon's cutting-edge analog technology from those days. Bronfman's performance is actually quite reminiscent of Anda's, appropriately percussive and energetic for the allegros, delicate and refined for the adagios; and the orchestra plays splendidly at all times.

Again, probably not worth quibbling about details given the price; but you should know that it could have sounded better with more attentive engineering.

Bartók: The Piano Concertos / Anda, Fricsay, Radio Symphony Orchestra Berlin
Average customer rating:

JUST RIGHT

Sorry, I don't hear greatness on this CD

Top notch recordings!

precious document.

The Benchmark Bartok Concerto Set

Bartók: The Piano Concertos / Anda, Fricsay, Radio Symphony Orchestra Berlin

Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Bartók, Béla | ( B ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
General | Concertos | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music
Piano | Keyboard | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music
General | Classical | Styles | Music
Deutsche Grammophon: Music | Specialty Stores | Music
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Schubert: The Piano Sonatas

ASIN: B000001GPW
Release Date: 1996-01-23

Tracks:

Konzert fvier und Orchester Nr.1: Allegro moderato - Allegro
Konzert fvier und Orchester Nr.1: Andante
Konzert fvier und Orchester Nr.1: Allegro molto
Konzert fvier und Orchester Nr.2: Allegro
Konzert fvier und Orchester Nr.2: Adagio-Presto-Adagio
Konzert fvier und Orchester Nr.2: Allegro molto
Konzert fvier und Orchester Nr.3: Allegretto
Konzert fvier und Orchester Nr.3: Adagio religioso
Konzert fvier und Orchester Nr.3: Allegro vivace

Amazon.com

These classic performances were probably the first recordings of the Bartók Piano Concertos that many of us owned, and they probably put the music on the international map once and for all. Both Ferenc Fricsay and Géza Anda, compatriots of the composer, spared no effort in bringing this music to the widest possible public; and their recordings are not only important for this reason, but they have also withstood the test of time very well indeed. They treat these pieces as straightforward, Romantic piano concertos of the Lisztian "bravura" school, which in many respects they are. Later performances have explored the music's modernity more probingly, but that lessens neither the validity of this approach nor the pleasure of the result. --David Hurwitz

Customer Reviews:

JUST RIGHT.......2006-11-04

These might not be the 'Greatest' or even my 'Favorite' versions of these concertos, but somehow, they feel 'Just Right'! A MUST HAVE!!!!

Sorry, I don't hear greatness on this CD.......2005-09-27

Certainly these are idiomatic performances that have held their own for decades. Geza Anda was a Bartok specialist, as was Fricsay. But the recoorded sound is limited, and the orchestra doesn't play to the highest standards. I keep this one aorund for my library, but there aare many spectacular modern versions of these pieces by, for example, Agerich, Pollini, and Ashkenazy that deliver more impact.

Top notch recordings!.......2004-12-22

The fervent sense of dramatis personae in these difficult passages of these dissonant piano concerts demands the most exigent domain of the instrument as well a notable conductor.
When Bartok stated in 1905 : The dissonance ` s empire is mine , certainly he was so far from being lying .
Ferenc Fricsay and Geza Anda gave the best of their craftsmanship to record one of the most notable and above all idiomatic readings of these concerts .
But besides , if you get the Piano Concerts with Gyorgy Sandor (The Complete Piano Concerts with Michael Gielen in the fifties) and a hard to find recording with Fricsay in 1955 with The Vienna Synphony , you will have the essential spirit of this notable composers . But these recordings are priority.
In addition , I recommend you a hidden and two distant recordings of Sandor Ormandy in the Bartok Premiere Third piano and the historic Barok Premiere Third Piano concerto in Europe given for the couple Louis Kentner - Adrian Boult . There was an outstanding Hungarian pianist in the thirties named Edith Farnadi who recorded an excels Liszt but I have got nothing about Bartok , but after listening to her it will be hard to fail ; as well any recording made for Annie Fisher , Zoltan Kocsis and more recently Andras Schiff .
It is not a mere casuality all these named performers are Hungarian . The only point to remark is to these last interpreters that to make a journey with Bela Bartok demands a conduction and such level of commitment that hardly you will be able to find after Fricsay and Kertesz 's deaths .
You may argue than Georg Solti and Istvan Kertesz were remarkable conductors. Yes indeed but I have always thought Solti was an overrated director and besides Solti and Kertesz established with Bartok a distant approach . Solti conducted more Orchestral pieces than Kertsesz but ironically they never found a high caliber pianist to play Bartok piano concertos
Acquire this set . It will reward you. I give you my word.

precious document........2004-11-23

I cannot say what are the definitive versions of Bartok's piano concertos, but this is an amazing set. The orchestra and soloist are exceptional, never afraid to be as light or heavy as the music demands, with an intuitive sensitivity to the score's demands.

Piano Concerto no.2 is my favorite. With his second concerto, Bartok wanted to make it "lighter" and more pleasant to the audience. However, he also desired to remain in the same sphere of compositional style as the first. Thus, he makes no compromises with popular taste, sacrificing nothing in the way of vision or complexity. Although technically similar in many respects, they are different in important ways. Compared to the first's impulsive, prickly development of ideas, the second asserts itself more meticulously, like Bartok's middle string quartets. The first movement is starkly arranged (winds, percussion, piano) but melodically delightful and rhythmically varied. Pianist Géza Anda's approach on the second concerto is in perfect command of the technical elements and also abstracts like the playfulness and eagerness. The deft but sweet conveyance of the second movement's critical presto is remarkable, and the return to adagio in the final section unleashes colossi of dissonant chords over rumbling percussion takes one's breath away. The final movement is best of all: deriving most of its material from the first movement, it is viciously dissonant and rhythmically aggressive. It is also a throwback to the Baroque period with its emphasis on contrapuntal technical and concise thematic development.

The first concerto also factored into this development of merging folksongs with baroque tradition. But despite Bartok's obvious commitment as an ethnomusicologist for Eastern Europe, "folk songs" for Bartok were did not only mean popular songs of the Carpathian Basin, but also other ancient musical traditions like African drum music. This is an important influence on the composition core of the first piano concerto. The rhythmical proto-idea appears at first on piano and brass (low-registers) and from here numerous thematic evolutions unfold. Long considered the most expressive of all instruments, Bartok shapes the music from the percussive qualities of the piano. The percussive aspects of the piano were often important to him. Percussion rises to a key role in this piece, as in the early part of the second movement, a tense exchange between percussions and piano. Then, an exhilarating piano ostinato in 3/8 for many bars, spliced and developed multitexturally and with melodic variation. These are powerful Bartok moments.

The third concerto is less dissonant, "brighter", and more "classical" than the other two. Yet Bartok's spritely melodies are captivating and the piano parts especially imaginative. The second movement is very powerful, with a slow and sparse texture but it develops into a complex formation of musical pinpricks and fragmentary melodies. It is less compelling than the other two, but it reflects a profound, deep atmosphere of uneasy peace.

The Benchmark Bartok Concerto Set.......2004-07-14

This classic set of Bartok's three piano concertos is also available in Anda's volume of "Great Pianists" on Philips, but I think this DG transfer is slightly superior. The recorded sound favors the piano somewhat over the orchestra - I could wish for a little closer orchestral perspective - but overall the sound here is excellent. Here are a few notes on both the music and the performances:

#1. Composed in 1926, this concerto is a muscular and rather dissonant work. The second mvt. Andante is a spooky dialogue between piano and percussion that seems to be a precursor to Bartok's chamber masterpiece: the Sonata for 2 Pianos and Percussion. This performance is one of the two finest I have heard; the other was on Bartok LP 313 (the label of Bartok's son Peter, a gifted recording engineer), with pianist Leonid Hambro and the Zimbler Sinfonietta conducted by Robert Mann (better known as the 1st violinist of the Juilliard Quartet, which left stunning recordings of the Six String Quartets). The mono sound on that disc (now available on CD) is close-up and clear as a bell, with a 2nd mvt. that is downright frightening in its primitive, wailing loneliness.

#2. Completed in 1931, this concerto strikes me as the finest of the three - it's far more contrapuntal and surely the hardest to play. In the 1st mvt., the piano takes charge from the beginning and plays almost continuously, while the strings are rather oddly silent throughout. Anda here is incredibly bold and extroverted - he obviously had technique to burn! The eerie 2nd mvt opening in the strings will sound familiar to anyone who has savored TV sci-fi of the 1960's: a very similar passage was employed by Dominic Frontiere in his music for "The Outer Limits." This mvt. is half Adagio and half Scherzo, and again the piano predominates. The Finale is an elaborate rondo which cleverly transforms the thematic/rhythmic elements heard in the 1st mvt.

Anda and Fricsay are wonderfully in sync throughout. Another stunning account of this work is the "live" 1969 concert reading by Claude Helffer, with Ernest Bour leading the Orchestre National de France on deleted INA Vogue 672006. That's a CD worth seeking out: I think its 2nd mvt. is a bit more compelling than Anda/Fricsay's. It is coupled with a really extraordinary live 1950 account of the Viola Concerto by William Primrose (for whom it was written), and the most savagely dramatic "Miraculous Mandarin" I have ever heard. And perhaps DG Westminster will get around to a CD re-issue of the c.1953 recording of Concertos 2 & 3 with Hungarian Edith Farnadi (daintier and more pointillistic than Anda), with remarkable conducting by Hermann Scherchen (his very slow introduction in the 2nd mvt. is disquietingly eerie). I have not heard the Sviatoslav Richter/Lorin Maazel account (EMI) - it is said to be superb.

#3. This is the only piano concerto that was not commissioned. The sick and impoverished Bartok wanted to give his wife Ditta a work with exclusive performance rights attached so as to insure her financial future. All but 18 bars of the concerto's orchestration was completed when Bartok was rushed to the hospital on 22 Sept. 1945 - he died there 4 days later. His protege Tibor Serly completed it (as he also did with the Viola Concerto). This is a gorgeous piece of music - it is Bartok's most romantic and meditative concerto. There is a subtle interplay of folk tune elements, and the slow mvt. Adagio Religioso seems like a humble prayer (almost Coplandesque in its simple, valedictory quality), with the usual demons almost at bay.

Anda and Fricsay give a performance that is both virile and sensitive; in many respects, it contains this set's finest moments. Fricsay constantly dmonstrates what an insightful and authoritative Bartok interpreter he was - if you haven't heard his Concerto for Orchestra or MSPC (both on DG), you are missing some terrific music making. Although only in mono, those recordings are among the finest ever, along with Reiner in the former and Mravinsky and Reiner in the latter.

For collectors, there is also a very interesting #3 on Dante CD 158, which features a c.1948 recording by Tatiana Nikolaieva with the USSR Radio under Nikolai Anosov (who, incidentally, was father of conductor Gennady Rozhdestvensky). It's in pretty good sound given the source and has some fine pianism and very plangent wind playing. It is coupled with an uncut version of Tchaikovsky's 2nd Piano Concerto (my favorite reading).

To sum it up: this DG set is a superb testimonial to two great Hungarian artists who shared a love of Bartok's music (they performed the 2nd piano concerto together some 60 times in concert prior to making this recording). What a tragedy that both of them were so short-lived: Fricsay died of cancer at 48 and Anda passed away at age 54.

Bartok: Piano Concertos Nos. 1, 2 & 3
Average customer rating:
Bartok: Piano Concertos Nos. 1, 2 & 3
Schiff , Fischer , and Budapest Festival Orchestra
Manufacturer: Elatus/Warner Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music
ASIN: B00006DIC3
Release Date: 2006-04-14

Tracks:

Piano Concerto No.1, Sz 83
Piano Concerto No.2, Sz 95
Piano Concerto No.3, Sz 119

Bela Bartok: Piano Concertos Nos. 1 & 2; Miraculous Mandarin [Hybrid SACD]

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Bela Bartok: Piano Concertos Nos. 1 & 2; Miraculous Mandarin [Hybrid SACD]

Manufacturer: Capriccio
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

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ASIN: B000BJ7DAK
Release Date: 2005-10-18

Average customer rating:

Itzhak Perlman Collection

Manufacturer: EMI
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Duets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

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ASIN: B00000DOKC
Release Date: 1995-01-01

Average customer rating:

The all-time best performances of Bartok's piano pieces
Coleccion de Bartok
Still a contender
a Bartók feast
Best Performance of Bartok piano concertos

Bartók: Concertos

Manufacturer: Philips
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000004184
Release Date: 1994-04-12

Tracks:

Piano Concerto No. 1: 1. Allegro moderato
Piano Concerto No. 1: 2. Andante
Piano Concerto No. 1: 3. Allegro molto
Piano Concerto No. 2: 1. Allegro
Piano Concerto No. 2: 2. Adagio - Piu adagio - Presto
Piano Concerto No. 2: 3. Allegro molto
Piano Concerto No. 3: 1. Allegretto
Piano Concerto No. 3: 2. Adagio religioso
Piano Concerto No. 3: 3. Allegro vivace

Tracks:

Violin Concerto No. 2: 1. Allegro non troppo
Violin Concerto No. 2: 2. Andante tranquillo
Violin Concerto No. 2: 3. Allegro molto
Concerto For Orchestra: 1. Introduzione (Andante non troppo - Allegro vivace)
Concerto For Orchestra: 2. Giuoco delle coppie (Allegretto scherzando)
Concerto For Orchestra: 3. Elegia (Andante, non troppo)
Concerto For Orchestra: Intermezzo interrotto (Allegretto)
Concerto For Orchestra: 5. Finale (Pesante - Presto)

Customer Reviews:

The all-time best performances of Bartok's piano pieces.......2006-04-17

There is no doubt in my mind, that this exceptional
release from PHILIPS crystalized in a music hall,
the composer's true intentions when the pieces were
developed and completed.

The performances, indeed, are immaculate on CD1,
in terms of the piano pieces, and surpass clearly
in matters of musicians' performances, ability
and the recording engineers' ability as compared
to the Hungaroton lunch box available elsewhere
(also very good, yet better on some opus than others.)

In regards to the second CD, the Concerto for Orchestra
is breathtaking and exceptional in its musical execution.

The listening will be astounded as to how so much value was
put together on a single 2 CD release, at such an affordable price.

Coleccion de Bartok.......2004-11-30

La seleccion mas genial que uno podria esperar de los conciertos de un compositor no tan apreciado como deberia serlo.
Los primeros elogios son para Kovacevich y la presentacion de los conciertos para piano (los tres) en grabaciones notables, espectaculares el virtuosismo de Stephen es manifiesto, genial,increible; los conciertos son vibrantes, elegantes, muy innovadores, y el genio de este solista nos lleva a disfrutarlos de una manera inigualable, la orquesta sinfonica de Londres es una de las mejores y aqui lo demuestra (1 y 3 concierto) y la orquesta de la BBC (historica para definirla de alguna manera) suena mejor que nunca, algo del merito lo tiene Colin Davis que como lo he comentado se esmera en sonar genial, en aprovechar al maximo a sus musicos y en estos conciertos nada sobra y nada falta, exquisito y musicalmente brillante.
Y si los conciertos para piano son geniales el concierto para violin es sorprendente mas aun por la regia interpretacion de Szering, este violinista se hace lucir y brillar en interpretaciones fulgurantes, arrolladoras y por cierto con un toque especial de sublimidad, acompañan a Henryk una orquesta incomparable la del concervatorio de Amsterdam que con su insigne director lleva a la musica a otros niveles, Bernard Haitink es de los directores contemporaneos el que lleva el peso de una tradicion valorada por su sello y calidad, se hace cargo ademas del extraordinario Concerto para orquesta que cierra un doble CD de verdad incomparable.

Still a contender.......2002-05-03

This is not only a great Bartok collection but an outstanding value, with a lot of music packed onto two discs.

While I do love Pollini's thunderous, hammering version of the First Piano Concerto (with Abbado and Chicago), this one is perhaps better balanced. Kovacevich is superb in all three of these pieces, and the orchestral accompaniment, led by the brilliant Sir Colin Davis, is terrific. Henryk Szeryng is also in spectacular form in the Violin Concerto, playing with great feeling, not to mention the sheer beauty of the sound of his instrument. His partners here are Bernard Haitink and the Concertgebouw, one of the great conductor/orchestra teams ever.

And after all these fireworks, we still get an arresting performance of the Concerto for Orchestra, showing off Haitink and the Concertgebouw at their most precise and luminous. A confession up front: I have about a dozen versions of this piece, including the brand-new one from Chailly with the same orchestra, which is certainly spectacular. I would also hate to give up recordings by Solti and Chicago (not to mention Solti and the London Symphony Orchestra), the great Cleveland Orchestra with Christoph von Dohnanyi, and Dutoit with Montreal, whose technicolor reading works very well. I also treasure the vivid, fiery interpretation from Mariss Jansons and the Oslo Philharmonic.

Even considering all of these, this performance from the mid-1960's still sounds excellent. And again, it gives an exciting glimpse of the quality of music-making by Haitink and this orchestra during that period.

A great recording AND a bargain.

a Bartók feast.......2001-04-02

If you like Bartók, you'll love this, and if you just want to round out your classical collection with one CD of his, this is the one ! You'll get over 2 1/2 hours of superb performances in one 2-disc jewel case.

Piano concertos # 1 and # 2 are difficult to listen to at first if you're not used to this type of music...Bartók wrote these pieces for himself to perform, and he must have enjoyed a challenge. The speed and complexity are mind-boggling. # 3 is a much easier ride...written shortly before his death (he wrote this one for his wife to perform), it's much more melodic and gentle on the ears. Stephen Kovacevich is brilliant as the soloist in all 3 pieces, and they're conducted masterfully by Colin Davis.

My favorite in this collection is the 2nd violin concerto, and this is a lyrical, beautiful rendition of this gorgeous composition. Henryk Szeryng's performance is exquisite, and it's wonderfully conducted by Bernard Haitink, who also does the final piece, Bartók's most famous and most often played, the rousing "Concerto for Orchestra".

Best Performance of Bartok piano concertos.......1999-07-10

Unfortunately I have never heard Donohoe/Rattle recording on Bartok piano concertos, but I've heard Andras Schiff on teldec, Maurizio Pollini (No.1&2 only) on DG, Yefim Bronfman on Sony, and Martha Argerich (No.3 only) on EMI, so far. Among these seemingly splendid recordings, this recording by then-young Kovacevich is a really best-buy. I feel he gives sometimes a boring performance and shows a little bit poor techniques especially recently, but here his performance is very fresh and filled with the musical momentum.

Track Listings:

Track Listings

track listings

Track Listings

Special Brew: The Platinum Collection [Original recording remastered] [Import]

Vida Breve / Goyescas

Walkin' the Back Streets

Scream

Sounds Like This [Import]

Too Close [CD-single]

Two [Import] [Limited Edition]

Violin Concerto / Concerto for Violin, Piano & Orc

Tonight at Johnny's Speakeasy [Live]

Two of a Mind [Import]

Vacation [Original recording remastered]

Un Rincon De Mi Vida [Import]

Vida [Import]

Grass Covered Tracks

With Marty Paich Orchestra