Wilhelm Kempff- Beethoven Piano Concertos .

[LeMartinPecheur]

I only know the Leitner set, it's been a favourite since I bought an LP of the Emperor which I still find the best of the set. Amazing how your first recordings can imprint themselves on you, nothing has come close to my first recording of the 4th, Gilels and Ludwig, that I acquired as a coupling to Oistrakh's Mozart 3!

Mike: we seem to have followed similar paths through recordings! My order starting c1972 was 5 and 4 in the recordings you name, then Katchen in 1, Stephen Bishop (as he was then) in 3. Never bothered getting 2 on LP though lately I seem to have picked up Arrau, Stephen Bishop-K, Fleischer, Pollini and Solomon on CD. That really ought to be enough for this particular work IMHO!

[mikealdren]

Yes, I started with Gilels no.4 in the late 60s with the others following in the from about 1972: Katchen in No.1, Serkin in No2, Richter in no.3, Gilels and Kempff; all choices greatly influenced by the Stereo Record Guide and Gramophone. I've never found the Serkin or Richter to be very special. Since then I've acquired sets by Kempff, Lewis and Perahia together with sundry concertos by Argerich, Dorfmann, Gavrilov, Gieseking, Michelangeli, Rubinstein and Solomon, more Gilels and Serkin as well as RR's famous Nakajima which never really matched the Kempff in my opinion.

[Barbirollians]

Finally bought a second hand double CD set of the Kempff/Leitner cycle . Concertos 1-4. The First is terrific with interesting cadenzas written by Kempff . There is no doubt to my ears that these recordings are more classical in style than the earlier set with van Kempen but none the worse for that.

[Dave2002]

I don’t think I’ve ever heard a Kempff Beethoven PC reading. I have the Stereo Sonata set but the PCs aren’t included, unlike the complete Arrau and Schnabel sets that I also own.

For some while the Kempff recordings (which one - I guess that's the point of the thread) on DG were considered pretty much the best. I didn't hear them, but then one of my friends had them (4 and 5) - which surprised me, and IIRC they were rather good. However, I still never got round to buying them. Qobuz has those - https://open.qobuz.com/album/0002894794875 as well as some recordings on 78s. I really should listen.

[vinteuil]

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... I got the Kempff/Leitner last year on the recommendation of fellow forumistas.

Many thanks - I have enjoyed them a lot.

Available from amazon :

http://amzn.eu/d/cgUo4eq

http://amzn.eu/d/2fGeU0z

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[mathias broucek]

Niche observation: I think it's the Kempff/Leitner Emperor slow movement that's used in Dead Poets Society

[HighlandDougie]

I've just retrieved the 3-disc set (the 5 concertos + Op 111) from the attic (where it has been mouldering in the 'if anyone wants it, they can have it' box). I can't say that I greatly care for the performance of the 3rd*, not particularly because of Kempff (fine pianist that he is) but rather because of Leitner's rather four-square (dare I say "dull") conducting. I have the van Kempen recordings, both on 10" and 12" LP and on CD - but in Scotland - so no instant comparison to be made. By comparison with, say, Annie Fischer or Maria-Joao Pires, it doesn't set my heather on fire - so back to the attic it goes ....

*better than the 4th, though

[Barbirollians]

I've just retrieved the 3-disc set (the 5 concertos + Op 111) from the attic (where it has been mouldering in the 'if anyone wants it, they can have it' box). I can't say that I greatly care for the performance of the 3rd*, not particularly because of Kempff (fine pianist that he is) but rather because of Leitner's rather four-square (dare I say "dull") conducting. I have the van Kempen recordings, both on 10" and 12" LP and on CD - but in Scotland - so no instant comparison to be made. By comparison with, say, Annie Fischer or Maria-Joao Pires, it doesn't set my heather on fire - so back to the attic it goes ....

*better than the 4th, though

I can’t agree - like fhgl above I think this is a magical account of the Fourth.

As for the Third - the Annie Fischer/Fricsay is top of my list too with Giles/Szell and Solomon close behind.

[Dave2002]

I can’t agree - like fhgl above I think this is a magical account of the Fourth.

As for the Third - the Annie Fischer/Fricsay is top of my list too with Giles/Szell and Solomon close behind.

Love that version of the 3rd. Kempff's 4th is very good, though I have reservations about the orchestral accompaniment.
There are others which I think I like as much or better - depending on the day.