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| Beethoven: Piano Concertos, Triple Concerto / Abbado, Pollini, Berlin Po, Et Al | |||||
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Release Date: 07/08/2008 Label: Deutsche Grammophon Catalog #: 001051902 Spars Code: n/a Composer: Ludwig van Beethoven, Alfredo Casella Performer: Maurizio Pollini, Mario Brunello, Ilya Gringolts, Alexander Lonquich Conductor: Claudio Abbado Orchestra/Ensemble: Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, Simon Bolivar Youth Orchestra of Venezuela
Number of Discs: 3 |
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| Notes & Editorial Reviews | Works On This Recording | Customer Reviews | |||||
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| Notes & Reviews | Back to Top | ||
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The remarkable combination of Pollini, Abbado, and the Berlin PO in the Beethoven five was captured live on three discs and issued originally in 1994. Included is a bonus Triple Concerto by fast-rising star Gustavo Dudamel’s Simón Bolivar Youth Orchestra—here recorded in 2006 under the direction of Claudio Abbado, the orchestra’s most distinguished sponsor, rather than under Dudamel. In all five piano concertos, Abbado and Pollini are in command. The piano concertos are vintage Pollini—cool, clear, powerful, and soft when necessary but unfortunately not sufficiently poetic, yet very appropriate almost everywhere else—where poetry should not be sought. Local phrase-shaping to make for an interesting tour is not often enough Pollini’s way, nor is it Abbado’s. Instead, both Pollini and Abbado shape their sound for the landscape rather than for the individual plantings. Jerry Dubins perceptively observed this about Pollini in his 31:6 review of Pollini’s recording of the op. 2 sonatas. Pollini’s first movement of No. 1 is technically dazzling, very analytical, and cool to the point of seeming, unfortunately, facile at times. His second movement is a beautiful Largo portrait with details always discernable. The final movement is technically marvelous, but not overly distinctive. Abbado shows his typical command of the orchestral details, resulting in a very rewarding performance. The earlier Second Concerto is unpretentious and straightforward, clearly exposing Beethoven’s early genius at part-writing. No. 3 opens and continues throughout the first movement with the strong C-Minor mode that characterizes Beethoven so well. Pollini and Abbado give us a second movement with not only the right notes and dynamics, but also with the essence of this hymn-like movement. C-Minor returns in the final movement songfully, in contrast to the challenge of the first movement bar 111 piano entry. The Fourth and Fifth Concertos show Pollini and Abbado at their best. Pollini’s shaped phrases (for a change) and Abbado’s directing of the prominent woodwinds (oboe especially) and of the strings in the first movement of No. 4 are ideal for this lyrical music. The slow movement, where Schnabel and Sargent set the example, follows the Schnabel/Sargent approach without copying it. The result is electrifying. Pollini enters the final movement very quietly to comport with the fading final bars of the second movement. After that, Pollini and Abbado give us a vivace that carries the movement to its exuberant conclusion. The “Emperor” is conveyed by one of the best performances in my memory. Pollini opens the first movement with a controlled rubato that sets the scene for the rest of the movement—actually the rest of the concerto under the Pollini/Abbado architecture. What follows is a heroic sound with great part-writing clarity throughout. The B-Major Adagio movement that follows is extraordinary in its purity and serenity. After the magnificently performed final movement, I relistened to this “Emperor” immediately, not wishing to depart from its spell.
The “Triple Concerto” bonus is quite a surprise. The playing is truly professional, with excellent intonation. The soloists, about whom no biographical information is presented, are very good. Especially notable is the cellist for his mastery of this very difficult solo part. No, they do not approach the likes of Oistrakh, Rostropovich, and Richter, for example, but their account of this music comes off extremely well. Pianist Lonquich and cellist Brunello were born in 1960, the former in Germany and the latter in Italy. Russian-born violinist Gringolts, the baby of the three, was born in 1982. All have been prizewinners in various musical competitions, and all have ongoing musical careers of distinction. -- Burton Rothleder, FANFARE [11/2008] |
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| Works on This Recording | Back to Top | |||
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| 1. |
Concerto for Piano no 1 in C major, Op. 15 by Ludwig van Beethoven |
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Performer:
Maurizio Pollini (Piano)
Conductor: Claudio Abbado Orchestra/Ensemble: Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra Period: Classical Written: 1795; Vienna, Austria |
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Length: 37 Minutes 31 Secs. |
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| 2. |
Concerto for Piano no 2 in B flat major, Op. 19 by Ludwig van Beethoven |
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Performer:
Maurizio Pollini (Piano)
Conductor: Claudio Abbado Orchestra/Ensemble: Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra Period: Classical Written: 1793/1798; Vienna, Austria |
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Length: 28 Minutes 2 Secs. |
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| 3. |
Concerto for Piano no 3 in C minor, Op. 37 by Ludwig van Beethoven |
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Performer:
Maurizio Pollini (Piano)
Conductor: Claudio Abbado Orchestra/Ensemble: Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra Period: Classical Written: 1800; Vienna, Austria |
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Length: 35 Minutes 47 Secs. |
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| 4. |
Concerto for Piano no 4 in G major, Op. 58 by Ludwig van Beethoven |
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Performer:
Maurizio Pollini (Piano)
Conductor: Claudio Abbado Orchestra/Ensemble: Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra Period: Classical Written: 1806; Vienna, Austria |
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Length: 32 Minutes 33 Secs. |
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| 5. |
Concerto for Piano no 5 in E flat major, Op. 73 "Emperor" by Ludwig van Beethoven |
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Performer:
Maurizio Pollini (Piano)
Conductor: Claudio Abbado Orchestra/Ensemble: Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra Period: Classical Written: 1809; Vienna, Austria |
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Length: 38 Minutes 19 Secs. |
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| 6. |
Concerto for Piano, Violin and Cello, Op. 56 "Triple Concerto" by Alfredo Casella |
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Performer:
Mario Brunello (Cello),
Ilya Gringolts (Violin),
Alexander Lonquich (Piano)
Conductor: Claudio Abbado Orchestra/Ensemble: Simon Bolivar Youth Orchestra of Venezuela Period: 20th Century Written: 1933; Italy |
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Length: 34 Minutes 25 Secs. |
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