Beethoven -Piano Concertos Zimerman/LSO/Rattle

[Barbirollians]

Anyone bought or heard these ? Patrick Rucker was clearly irritated by some interpretative decisions in Gramophone but other reviews have been very positive and I liked the extracts I caught on RR of the Fifth.

[BBMmk2]

Anyone bought or heard these ? Patrick Rucker was clearly irritated by some interpretative decisions in Gramophone but other reviews have been very positive and I liked the extracts I caught on RR of the Fifth.

I might just give them a hearing.

[Barbirollians]

I might just give them a hearing.

I have finally succumbed and bought these . I have brought them to France with me for a week to listen to . So far I have only heard 1 and 2 . I get what some reviewers have said about the unusual balance from socially distanced players but I rather like the air it seems to give to the textures.

As for the performances Rattle and the LSO excel with building up real atmosphere from the word go in both works and to be honest throughout . As for Zimerman - well the First Concerto has a wit and humour from such a serious artist that is almost a surprise if he does not quite touch the heart in the woodwind exchanges in the slow movement as Argerich unerringly does in her recordings of the piece.

The Second Concerto , is just extraordinary - all its bounce and vim is there in spades with an account of the slow movement that reveals depths of feeling in the music that I think I had never heard before . I think this would now be my favourite version of all - even up against Fleisher.

I hope the other three are of such an exalted standard too.

[richardfinegold]

I have finally succumbed and bought these . I have brought them to France with me for a week to listen to . So far I have only heard 1 and 2 . I get what some reviewers have said about the unusual balance from socially distanced players but I rather like the air it seems to give to the textures.

As for the performances Rattle and the LSO excel with building up real atmosphere from the word go in both works and to be honest throughout . As for Zimerman - well the First Concerto has a wit and humour from such a serious artist that is almost a surprise if he does not quite touch the heart in the woodwind exchanges in the slow movement as Argerich unerringly does in her recordings of the piece.

The Second Concerto , is just extraordinary - all its bounce and vim is there in spades with an account of the slow movement that reveals depths of feeling in the music that I think I had never heard before . I think this would now be my favourite version of all - even up against Fleisher.

I hope the other three are of such an exalted standard too.

I liked the 2nd better than the First. The latter starts slowly, with some odd phrasing by KZ in his entrance, and he sounds like he is allergic to the sustain pedal.
One reason that I may have preferred the Second is that my ears had adjusted to the balance, which is just plain odd. This won’t displace Fleisher for me, who has so much panache, but it still is a high standard.

[Barbirollians]

I liked the 2nd better than the First. The latter starts slowly, with some odd phrasing by KZ in his entrance, and he sounds like he is allergic to the sustain pedal.
One reason that I may have preferred the Second is that my ears had adjusted to the balance, which is just plain odd. This won’t displace Fleisher for me, who has so much panache, but it still is a high standard.

I understand where you are coming from and the fact I have been listening on a small CD player system in France might mean I have not noticed the balance issues quite so much .

I like the performances of the Third and Fourth Concertos a lot . The slow movements of both are particularly fine to my ears. The finale of the Fourth is perhaps less exciting than I had hoped compared to the Third.

The let down of the set for me is the Fifth. It just doesn’t quite seem to come off . KZ’s playing sounds a touch brittle and small scale and the orchestra a bit more remote. Perhaps the social distancing had a bigger effect on the work than the others . I do rather like big grand performances of this concerto ( Barenboim/Klemperer , Fischer/Fürtwangler etc though so others may like it a deal more than me.

[richardfinegold]

I understand where you are coming from and the fact I have been listening on a small CD player system in France might mean I have not noticed the balance issues quite so much .

I like the performances of the Third and Fourth Concertos a lot . The slow movements of both are particularly fine to my ears. The finale of the Fourth is perhaps less exciting than I had hoped compared to the Third.

The let down of the set for me is the Fifth. It just doesn’t quite seem to come off . KZ’s playing sounds a touch brittle and small scale and the orchestra a bit more remote. Perhaps the social distancing had a bigger effect on the work than the others . I do rather like big grand performances of this concerto ( Barenboim/Klemperer , Fischer/Fürtwangler etc though so others may like it a deal more than me.

I was also on vacation when I listened, using headphones and my cellphone, but the balance was unlike any other music that I have played with that set up. I might try tonight on the usual rig. Your reference to KZ sounding brittle in 5 is probably what I am referencing with regard to his choppiness and avoidance of the sustain pedal