When Idil Biret went to France in 1949 she generated as much excitement as she had earlier done in Turkey. In the fall of that year the French Radio RTF made an interview with Idil and recorded her performing works by Bach, Couperin, Beethoven and Debussy. Later, in February 1953 the RTF made a second series of recordings with Idil following her performance of Mozart’s Concerto for Two Pianos with Wilhelm Kempff. Both of these are preserved in Idil Biret’s archive and are available in this set. These were her first recordings. She would go on to make professional recordings of nearly every major composer in her recording career that has lasted more than half a century and is still going strong. All of these studio recordings, including someRead more that were never before released commercially, are included in this edition.
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REVIEW:
Biret grasps the size of Beethoven’s style. The polyphony is laid out in a relaxed way with little indulgence in point making. She keeps the big line and yet is thankfully sparing in her use of fortissimos. The piano is sumptuous. Biret’s gentle and almost sensuous sonorities are really captivating.
Concerto for Piano no 1 in F sharp minor, Op. 1by Sergei Rachmaninov Performer:
Idil Biret (Piano)
Conductor:
Antoni Wit
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra
Period: Romantic Written: 1891/1917; Russia
2.
Concerto for Piano no 4 in G minor, Op. 40by Sergei Rachmaninov Performer:
Idil Biret (Piano)
Conductor:
Antoni Wit
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra
Period: Romantic Written: 1926/1941; USA
3.
Rhapsody on a theme of Paganini, Op. 43by Sergei Rachmaninov Performer:
Idil Biret (Piano)
Conductor:
Antoni Wit
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra
Period: Romantic Written: 1934; USA
4.
Concerto for Piano no 2 in C minor, Op. 18by Sergei Rachmaninov Performer:
Idil Biret (Piano)
Conductor:
Antoni Wit
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra
Period: Romantic Written: Russia
5.
Concerto for Piano no 3 in D minor, Op. 30by Sergei Rachmaninov Performer:
Idil Biret (Piano)
Conductor:
Antoni Wit
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra
Period: Romantic Written: 1909; Russia
6.
Preludes (10) for Piano, Op. 23by Sergei Rachmaninov Performer:
Idil Biret (Piano)
Period: Romantic Written: 1901-1903; Russia
Concerto for Piano no 1 in E minor, B 53/Op. 11by Frédéric Chopin Performer:
Idil Biret (Piano)
Conductor:
Robert Stankovsky
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Kosice Slovak State Philharmonic Orchestra
Period: Romantic Written: 1830; Germany
173.
Concerto for Piano no 2 in F minor, B 43/Op. 21by Frédéric Chopin Performer:
Idil Biret (Piano)
Conductor:
Robert Stankovsky
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Kosice Slovak State Philharmonic Orchestra
Period: Romantic Written: 1829-1830; Poland
Concerto for Piano no 1 in D minor, Op. 15by Johannes Brahms Performer:
Idil Biret (Piano)
Conductor:
Antoni Wit
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra
Period: Romantic Written: 1854-1858; Germany
Concerto for Piano no 2 in B flat major, Op. 83by Johannes Brahms Performer:
Idil Biret (Piano)
Conductor:
Antoni Wit
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra
Period: Romantic Written: 1878-1881; Austria
Quartet for Stringsby Ulvi Cemal Erkin Orchestra/Ensemble:
London String Quartet
Period: 20th Century Written: Turkey
232.
Concerto for Piano no 3 in E flat major, Op. 75by Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky Performer:
Idil Biret (Piano)
Conductor:
Emil Tabakov
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Bilkent Symphony Orchestra
Period: Romantic Written: 1893; Russia
233.
Concerto for Piano no 2 in G major, Op. 44by Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky Performer:
Idil Biret (Piano)
Conductor:
Emil Tabakov
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Bilkent Symphony Orchestra
Period: Romantic Written: 1879-1880; Russia
234.
Concerto for Piano no 1 in B flat minor, Op. 23by Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky Performer:
Idil Biret (Piano)
Conductor:
Emil Tabakov
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Bilkent Symphony Orchestra
Period: Romantic Written: Russia
Concerto for Piano no 5 in F major, Op. 103 "Egyptian"by Camille Saint-Saëns Performer:
Idil Biret (Piano)
Conductor:
Jean Fournet
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Bilkent Symphony Orchestra
Period: Romantic Written: 1896; France
237.
Concerto for Piano no 4 in C minor, Op. 44by Camille Saint-Saëns Performer:
Idil Biret (Piano)
Conductor:
James Loughran
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Philharmonia Orchestra
Period: Romantic Written: 1875; France
238.
Concerto for Piano no 2 in G minor, Op. 22by Camille Saint-Saëns Performer:
Idil Biret (Piano)
Conductor:
James Loughran
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Philharmonia Orchestra
Period: Romantic Written: 1868; France
239.
Concerto for Piano in G majorby Maurice Ravel Performer:
Idil Biret (Piano)
Conductor:
Jean Fournet
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Bilkent Symphony Orchestra
Period: 20th Century Written: 1929-1931; France
240.
Concerto for Piano in E flat majorby Jules Massenet Performer:
Idil Biret (Piano)
Conductor:
Alain Pâris
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Bilkent Symphony Orchestra
Period: Romantic Written: 1903; France
241.
Les Djinns, M 45by César Franck Performer:
Idil Biret (Piano)
Conductor:
Alain Pâris
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Bilkent Symphony Orchestra
Period: Romantic Written: 1884; France
242.
Symphonic Variations for Piano and Orchestra, M 46by César Franck Performer:
Idil Biret (Piano)
Conductor:
Alain Pâris
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Bilkent Symphony Orchestra
Period: Romantic Written: 1885; France
243.
Concerto for Piano in A minor, Op. 54by Robert Schumann Performer:
Idil Biret (Piano)
Conductor:
Antoni Wit
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Bilkent Symphony Orchestra
Period: Romantic Written: 1841-1845; Germany
244.
Concerto for Piano in A minor, Op. 16by Edvard Grieg Performer:
Idil Biret (Piano)
Conductor:
Antoni Wit
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Bilkent Symphony Orchestra
Period: Romantic Written: 1868/1907; Norway
Concerto for Piano no 1 in C major, Op. 15by Ludwig van Beethoven Performer:
Idil Biret (Piano)
Conductor:
Antoni Wit
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Bilkent Symphony Orchestra
Period: Classical Written: 1795; Vienna, Austria
267.
Concerto for Piano no 2 in B flat major, Op. 19by Ludwig van Beethoven Performer:
Idil Biret (Piano)
Conductor:
Antoni Wit
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Bilkent Symphony Orchestra
Period: Classical Written: 1793/1798; Vienna, Austria
268.
Concerto for Piano no 3 in C minor, Op. 37by Ludwig van Beethoven Performer:
Idil Biret (Piano)
Conductor:
Antoni Wit
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Bilkent Symphony Orchestra
Period: Classical Written: 1800; Vienna, Austria Date of Recording: 1/2008 Venue: Ankara, Turkey
269.
Concerto for Piano no 4 in G major, Op. 58by Ludwig van Beethoven Performer:
Idil Biret (Piano)
Conductor:
Antoni Wit
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Bilkent Symphony Orchestra
Period: Classical Written: 1806; Vienna, Austria Date of Recording: 1/2008 Venue: Ankara, Turkey
270.
Concerto for Piano no 5 in E flat major, Op. 73 "Emperor"by Ludwig van Beethoven Performer:
Idil Biret (Piano)
Conductor:
Antoni Wit
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Bilkent Symphony Orchestra
Period: Classical Written: 1809; Vienna, Austria
271.
Fantasia in C minor, Op. 80 "Choral Fantasy"by Ludwig van Beethoven Performer:
Idil Biret (Piano),
Gulben Ozisik Cayan (Soprano),
Ali Sinan Gulsen (Bass),
Ethem Demir (Tenor),
Ozgecan Gencer (Soprano),
Can Serhat Saygi (Tenor),
Sema Baysal (Alto)
Conductor:
Antoni Wit
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Bilkent Symphony Orchestra,
Turkish State Polyphonic Chorus
Period: Classical Written: 1808; Vienna, Austria
Sonata for Piano no 7 in D major, Op. 10 no 3by Ludwig van Beethoven Performer:
Idil Biret (Piano)
Period: Classical Written: 1797-1798; Vienna, Austria Date of Recording: 5/1994 Venue: Brussels, Belgium
Sonata for Piano no 25 in G major, Op. 79by Ludwig van Beethoven Performer:
Idil Biret (Piano)
Period: Classical Written: 1809; Vienna, Austria Date of Recording: 5/1994 Venue: Brussels, Belgium
Sonata for Piano no 8 in C minor, Op. 13 "Pathétique"by Ludwig van Beethoven Performer:
Idil Biret (Piano)
Period: Classical Written: 1797-1798; Vienna, Austria Date of Recording: 1985 Venue: Augustinum, Stuttgart, West Germany
Concerto for Piano in A minor, Op. 54by Robert Schumann Performer:
Idil Biret (Piano)
Conductor:
Antoni Wit
Period: Romantic Written: 1841-1845; Germany Date of Recording: 11/2006 Venue: Bilkent Symphony Hall, Ankara Length: 33 Minutes 34 Secs.
Theme and Variations for Piano on the name ABEGG, Op. 1by Robert Schumann Performer:
Idil Biret (Piano)
Period: Romantic Written: 1829-1830; Germany Date of Recording: 01/2012 Venue: Bilkent Symphony Hall, Ankara Length: 7 Minutes 56 Secs.
316.
Sonata for Piano no 2 in G minor, Op. 22by Robert Schumann Performer:
Idil Biret (Piano)
Period: Romantic Written: 1833-1838; Germany Date of Recording: 01/2012 Venue: Bilkent Symphony Hall, Ankara Length: 20 Minutes 8 Secs.
317.
Phantasie for Piano in C major, Op. 17by Robert Schumann Performer:
Idil Biret (Piano)
Period: Romantic Written: 1836-1838; Germany Date of Recording: 01/2012 Venue: Bilkent Symphony Hall, Ankara Length: 32 Minutes 33 Secs.
318.
Toccata for Piano in C major, Op. 7by Robert Schumann Performer:
Idil Biret (Piano)
Period: Romantic Written: 1829-1832; Germany Date of Recording: 01/2012 Venue: Bilkent Symphony Hall, Ankara Length: 7 Minutes 32 Secs.
319.
Kreisleriana, Op. 16by Robert Schumann Performer:
Idil Biret (Piano)
Period: Romantic Written: 1838; Germany Date of Recording: 01/2012 Venue: Bilkent Symphony Hall, Ankara Length: 32 Minutes 33 Secs.
320.
Blumenstück for Piano in D flat major, Op. 19by Robert Schumann Performer:
Idil Biret (Piano)
Period: Romantic Written: 1839; Germany Date of Recording: 01/2012 Venue: Bilkent Symphony Hall, Ankara Length: 8 Minutes 11 Secs.
321.
Faschingsschwank aus Wien, Op. 26by Robert Schumann Performer:
Idil Biret (Piano)
Period: Romantic Written: 1839-1840; Germany Date of Recording: 01/2012 Venue: Bilkent Symphony Hall, Ankara Length: 22 Minutes 13 Secs.
322.
Bunte Blätter for Piano, Op. 99by Robert Schumann Performer:
Idil Biret (Piano)
Period: Romantic Written: 1838-1849; Germany Date of Recording: 1983 Venue: Bunte Blätter in Dublin Length: 37 Minutes 4 Secs.
323.
Phantasiestücke (8) for Piano, Op. 12by Robert Schumann Performer:
Idil Biret (Piano)
Period: Romantic Written: 1837; Germany Date of Recording: 1959 Venue: Paris Length: 53 Minutes 41 Secs.
324.
Papillons, Op. 2by Robert Schumann Performer:
Idil Biret (Piano)
Period: Romantic Written: 1829-1831; Germany Date of Recording: 05/2013 Venue: Brussels Length: 14 Minutes 29 Secs.
325.
Carnaval, Op. 9by Robert Schumann Performer:
Idil Biret (Piano)
Period: Romantic Written: 1833-1835; Germany Date of Recording: 05/2013 Venue: Brussels Length: 26 Minutes 33 Secs.
326.
Arabeske for Piano in C major, Op. 18by Robert Schumann Performer:
Idil Biret (Piano)
Period: Romantic Written: 1838; Germany Date of Recording: 05/2013 Venue: Brussels Length: 6 Minutes 40 Secs.
327.
Waldszenen, Op. 82by Robert Schumann Performer:
Idil Biret (Piano)
Period: Romantic Written: 1848-1849; Germany Date of Recording: 05/2013 Venue: Brussels Length: 25 Minutes 21 Secs.
328.
Quintet for Piano and Strings in E flat major, Op. 44by Robert Schumann Performer:
Idil Biret (Piano)
Period: Romantic Written: 1842; Germany Date of Recording: 05/2014 Venue: Heidelberg Length: 30 Minutes 52 Secs.
329.
Symphonic Etudes for Piano, Op. 13by Robert Schumann Performer:
Idil Biret (Piano)
Period: Romantic Written: 1837/1852; Germany Date of Recording: 05/2014 Venue: Heidelberg Length: 26 Minutes 39 Secs.
330.
Kinderszenen, Op. 15by Robert Schumann Performer:
Idil Biret (Piano)
Period: Romantic Written: 1838; Germany Date of Recording: 05/1993 Venue: Heidelberg Length: 16 Minutes 24 Secs.
331.
Album pour enfants, Op. 39by Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky Performer:
Idil Biret (Piano)
Period: Romantic Written: 1878; Russia Date of Recording: 05/1993 Venue: Heidelberg Length: 21 Minutes 21 Secs.
332.
Children's Cornerby Claude Debussy Performer:
Idil Biret (Piano)
Period: 20th Century Written: 1906-1908; France Date of Recording: 05/1993 Venue: Heidelberg Length: 16 Minutes 1 Secs.
Bagatelle for Piano in A minor, WoO 59 "Für Elise"by Ludwig van Beethoven Performer:
Idil Biret (Piano)
Period: Classical Written: 1808; Vienna, Austria Date of Recording: 1949 Venue: Paris Length: 3 Minutes 42 Secs.
Children's Corner: no 5, The Little Shepherdby Claude Debussy Performer:
Idil Biret (Piano)
Period: 20th Century Written: 1906-1908; France Date of Recording: 1953 Venue: Paris Length: 1 Minutes 57 Secs.
Sonata for Harpsichord in G minor, K 12/L 489by Domenico Scarlatti Performer:
Idil Biret (Piano)
Period: Baroque Written: by 1738 Date of Recording: 1953 Venue: Paris Length: 3 Minutes 39 Secs.
344.
Radio interviewby Spoken Word Performer:
Idil Biret (Piano)
Date of Recording: 1949 Venue: Paris Length: 1 Minutes 51 Secs.
345.
Concerto for Piano no 1 in E flat major, S 124by Franz Liszt Performer:
Idil Biret (Piano)
Conductor:
Emil Tabakov
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Bilkent Symphony Orchestra
Period: Romantic Written: 1849/1856; Weimar, Germany
346.
Concerto for Piano no 2 in A major, S 125by Franz Liszt Performer:
Idil Biret (Piano)
Conductor:
Emil Tabakov
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Bilkent Symphony Orchestra
Period: Romantic Written: 1839/1861; Weimar, Germany
347.
Totentanz, S 126by Franz Liszt Performer:
Idil Biret (Piano)
Conductor:
Emil Tabakov
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Bilkent Symphony Orchestra
Period: Romantic Written: 1849/1859; Weimar, Germany
348.
Sonata for Piano in B minor, S 178by Franz Liszt Performer:
Idil Biret (Piano)
Period: Romantic Written: 1852-1853; Weimar, Germany Date of Recording: 1/2010 Venue: Bilkent Hall, Ankara
349.
Grandes Etudes (6) de Paganini, S 141by Franz Liszt Performer:
Idil Biret (Piano)
Period: Romantic Written: 1851; Weimar, Germany Date of Recording: 12/1987 Venue: Brussels
Symphonie fantastique (Berlioz), S 470by Franz Liszt Performer:
Idil Biret (Piano)
Period: Romantic Written: 1833; Paris, France Date of Recording: 7/1978 Venue: Town Hall, New York City
356.
Harold in Italy (Berlioz), S 472by Franz Liszt Performer:
Idil Biret (Piano)
Period: Romantic Written: circa 1836; Geneva, Switzerland Date of Recording: 1/2011 Venue: Bilkent Symphony Hall
Allegro barbaro for Piano, Sz 49by Béla Bartók Performer:
Idil Biret (Piano)
Period: 20th Century Written: 1911; Budapest, Hungary
379.
Pieces (8) for Piano, Op. 76by Johannes Brahms Performer:
Idil Biret (Piano)
Period: Romantic Written: 1878; Austria Date of Recording: 11/1989 Venue: Tonstudio Van Geest, Heidelberg, Germany
Variations on a theme of Corelli, Op. 42by Sergei Rachmaninov Performer:
Idil Biret (Piano)
Period: Romantic Written: 1931; USA Date of Recording: 1972 Venue: Maronite Church, Rue d’Ulm, Paris
Moments musicaux (6), Op. 16by Sergei Rachmaninov Performer:
Idil Biret (Piano)
Period: Romantic Written: 1896; Russia Date of Recording: 1972 Venue: Maronite Church, Rue d’Ulm, Paris
386.
Sonata for Piano, Op. 1by Alban Berg Performer:
Idil Biret (Piano)
Period: 20th Century Written: ?1907-08; Austria
387.
Variations for piano, Op. 27by Anton Webern Performer:
Idil Biret (Piano)
Period: Modern Written: 1935-1936; Austria
388.
Sonata for Piano no 2by Pierre Boulez Performer:
Idil Biret (Piano)
Period: 20th Century Written: 1948
389.
Sérénade grotesqueby Maurice Ravel Performer:
Idil Biret (Piano)
Period: 20th Century Written: 1893; France
390.
Gaspard de la nuitby Maurice Ravel Performer:
Idil Biret (Piano)
Period: 20th Century Written: 1908; France
Sonata Pian e Forteby Leo Brouwer Performer:
Idil Biret (Piano)
Period: 20th Century Written: 1970
400.
Sessionby Ilhan Mimaroglu Performer:
Idil Biret (Piano)
Period: 20th Century
401.
Symphonie fantastique (Berlioz), S 470by Franz Liszt Performer:
Idil Biret (Piano)
Period: Romantic Written: 1833; Paris, France Date of Recording: 6/1992 Venue: Clara Wieck Auditorium, Heidelberg Length: 55 Minutes 54 Secs.
Quartet for Piano and Strings in A minorby Gustav Mahler Performer:
Idil Biret (Piano)
Orchestra/Ensemble:
London String Quartet
Period: Romantic Written: ?1876-78; Vienna, Austria
Sonata for Piano no 8 in C minor, Op. 13 "Pathétique"by Ludwig van Beethoven Performer:
Idil Biret (Piano)
Period: Classical Written: 1797-1798; Vienna, Austria Date of Recording: 1985 Venue: Augustinum, Stuttgart, West Germany
Concerto for Harpsichord in D minor, BWV 1052by Johann Sebastian Bach Performer:
Idil Biret (Piano)
Conductor:
Hakkı Öztürk
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Kuşadası Chamber Orchestra
Period: Baroque Written: circa 1738-1739; Leipzig, Germany
Concerto for Harpsichord in F minor, BWV 1056by Johann Sebastian Bach Performer:
Idil Biret (Piano)
Conductor:
Hakkı Öztürk
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Kuşadası Chamber Orchestra
Period: Baroque Written: circa 1738-1739; Leipzig, Germany
Concerto for Piano no 13 in C major, K 415 (387b)by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Performer:
Idil Biret (Piano)
Conductor:
Patrick Gallois
Orchestra/Ensemble:
London Mozart Players
Period: Classical Written: 1782-1783; Vienna, Austria
443.
Concerto for Piano no 17 in G major, K 453by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Performer:
Idil Biret (Piano)
Conductor:
Patrick Gallois
Orchestra/Ensemble:
London Mozart Players
Period: Classical Written: 1784; Vienna, Austria
444.
Concerto for Piano no 15 in B flat major, K 450by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Performer:
Idil Biret (Piano)
Conductor:
John Gibbons
Orchestra/Ensemble:
London Mozart Players
Period: Classical Written: 1784; Vienna, Austria
445.
Concerto for Piano no 24 in C minor, K 491by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Performer:
Idil Biret (Piano)
Conductor:
John Gibbons
Orchestra/Ensemble:
London Mozart Players
Period: Classical Written: 1786; Vienna, Austria
446.
Concerto for Piano no 9 in E flat major, K 271 "Jeunehomme"by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Performer:
Idil Biret (Piano)
Conductor:
Jörg Färber
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Wurttemberg Chamber Orchestra
Period: Classical Written: 1777; Salzburg, Austria
447.
Concerto for Piano no 20 in D minor, K 466by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Performer:
Idil Biret (Piano)
Conductor:
Louis Frémaux
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Sydney Symphony Orchestra
Period: Classical Written: 1785; Vienna, Austria
Concerto for 2 Pianos in E flat major, K 365 (316a)by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Performer:
Idil Biret (Piano),
Jean Françaix (Piano)
Conductor:
Nadia Boulanger
Orchestra/Ensemble:
French Radio and Television Symphony Orchestra
Period: Classical Written: 1779; Salzburg, Austria
