Tchaikovsky : Piano Concerto No 1 - your favourite performance of the old warhorse

[Bryn]

No doubt from the early days played on a Dansette or radiogram!

On my father's Alba 'portable' (more like luggable), actually, when I first got it. Via tape and PA at the Purcell Room. From what I recall, it was a pretty fine performance, too (the concerto, that is. That of the Houdini Rite was sans pareil).

[Barbirollians]

I was referring to PC2, BBM

When it comes to No1 Katchen/Gamba is an old but good recording and the coupling I had on an Ace of Clubs LP was a sparkling performance of Liszt’s Hunarian Fantasia. Curzon/Solti was another good one as was Ashkenazy/Maazel. Alternatively there are 3 Gilels - Reiner Maazel and Mehta. I could cite other well executed 1s (and 2s)

I would not dissent from BBM about Argerich’s brilliance in this concerto but Cherkassky is dazzling and poetic by turns I see now why it was raved about by Gramophone in the 1950s .

[pastoralguy]

A work I have a tremendous affection for. I’m sure I’m not alone!

[hmvman]

Lazar Berman with the BPO/Karajan 1976. Rich and full-bodied like an Amarone....!

[BBMmk2]

Do you mean Kondrashin? It's coupled with the Rach3 she did with Chailly. I might give it a spun now that CDs are unboxed and the new Audiolabrador is installed.

Ah yes, I did mean that recording. Thank you.

[gradus]

I can't recall hearing this ex-warhorse recently is it out to pasture now? Never wanted to buy another version since the early sixties when I acquired the RCA studio recording by Van Cliburn.

[Braunschlag]

Pogorelich/Karajan used to be my go to until I discovered the 2nd Concerto which, to me, is somewhat better all round. And there’s only really one version I can listen to of that - Igor Zhukov (recommended by Pianoman). It might sound a bit under par by todays digital ‘standards’ but it’s marvellous, those two first movement cadenzas knocks spots off anyone else.
And the bonus of Rozdestvensky trying to keep up!

[cloughie]

Pogorelich/Karajan used to be my go to until I discovered the 2nd Concerto which, to me, is somewhat better all round. And there’s only really one version I can listen to of that - Igor Zhukov (recommended by Pianoman). It might sound a bit under par by todays digital ‘standards’ but it’s marvellous, those two first movement cadenzas knocks spots off anyone else.
And the bonus of Rozdestvensky trying to keep up!

Have you heard the Kersenbaum PC2?

[Braunschlag]

I haven’t, I’ll look it up though thanks. Igor takes some beating, always up for another version with this piece.

[cloughie]

I haven’t, I’ll look it up though thanks. Igor takes some beating, always up for another version with this piece.

The Zhukov is good - had it on LP - but I see it was available on a 2CD for a while when Melodiya was distributed by RCA.

[pastoralguy]

Pogorelich/Karajan used to be my go to until I discovered the 2nd Concerto which, to me, is somewhat better all round. And there’s only really one version I can listen to of that - Igor Zhukov (recommended by Pianoman). It might sound a bit under par by todays digital ‘standards’ but it’s marvellous, those two first movement cadenzas knocks spots off anyone else.
And the bonus of Rozdestvensky trying to keep up!

Isn’t it Pogorelich/Abbado or Kissin/Karajan? Maybe I’ve missed something but I couldn’t see Karajan indulging Pogorelich!

[Braunschlag]

Of course, Abbado

[pastoralguy]

Of course, Abbado

I saw Abbado and Pogorelich many years ago at the Edinburgh Festival playing this work. It was ‘interesting’ but not really what Tchaikovsky wrote.

[Barbirollians]

Isn’t it Pogorelich/Abbado or Kissin/Karajan? Maybe I’ve missed something but I couldn’t see Karajan indulging Pogorelich!

Weren’t they meant to record it together but HVK couldn’t stand Pogorelich or vice versa?

[cloughie]

Weren’t they meant to record it together but HVK couldn’t stand Pogorelich or vice versa?

Surely personalities didn’t get in the way of a good deal!