BaL 10.03.18 - Britten: Piano Concerto Op. 13

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

9.30
Building a Library: Erica Jeal chooses her favourite from among the available recordings of Britten's Piano Concerto, Op 13.
Benjamin Britten, prey to lifelong performance anxiety on stage, famously excelled as pianist in chamber music and as accompanist. So his Piano Concerto, written as a vehicle for himself to play, is unusual in his output. The 24-year-old Britten gave the premiere at the 1938 Proms. In a programme note for the occasion Britten said that the four movements were 'conceived with the idea of exploiting various important characteristics of the pianoforte... it is not by any means a Symphony with pianoforte, but rather a bravura Concerto with orchestral accompaniment', a comment belying the brilliant interplay between piano and orchestra.

Available versions:-

Jacques Abram, Philharmonic-Symphony Orchestra of New York, Leopold Stokowski
Jacques Abram, Philharmonia Orchestra, Herbert Menges
Leif Ove Andsnes, City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra/Paavo Järvi
Jane Coop, CBC Radio Orchestra, Mario Bernardi (Download)
Barry Douglas, Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France, Marek Janowski
Robert Leonardy (piano), Saarbrücken Radio Symphony Orchestra, Stanislaw Skrowaczewski (Download)
Ralf Gothoni, Helsingborg Symphony Orchestra, Okko Kamu (Download)
Gillian Lin, Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, John Hopkins (Download)
Joanna MacGregor, English Chamber Orchestra, Steuart Bedford
Nowl Mewton-Wood, London Symphony Orchestra, Basil Cameron
Steven Osborne, BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, Ilan Volkov
Sviatoslav Richter, English Chamber Orchestra, Benjamin Britten
Elizabeth Joy Roe, London Symphony Orchestra, Emil Tabakov
Annette Servadei, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Joseph Giunta
Howard Shelley, BBC Philharmonic, Edward Gardner
David Strong, Aalborg Symphony Orchestra, Douglas Bostock

[richardfinegold]

The piece is completely unknown to me. The Richter/Britten sounds promising; I wonder if I have it nestling in my big Richter Sony box

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

The piece is completely unknown to me. The Richter/Britten sounds promising; I wonder if I have it nestling in my big Richter Sony box

Unlikely - it's a Decca recording, rfg.

I like the work - and if you enjoy the Prokofievs, I think you'll find the Britten PC right up your street.

[Parry1912]

Some recordings (e.g. Osborne and MacGregor) also include the original third movement as a supplement.

[CallMePaul]

While I know and love much of Britten's vocal output, I am much less familiar with his orchestral music. I have not knowingly come across the reviewer before, but it should be an interesting BAL. Without listening to them MacGregor/ Bedford and Richter/ Britten are the recordings that leap out at me. I was aware that Britten wrote the concerto for him to perform as soloist, but he chose not to record it in this role, preferring to conduct for Richter. Their collaboration in Schubert is outstanding music-making despite indifferent sound on the BBC CD.

[Barbirollians]

While I know and love much of Britten's vocal output, I am much less familiar with his orchestral music. I have not knowingly come across the reviewer before, but it should be an interesting BAL. Without listening to them MacGregor/ Bedford and Richter/ Britten are the recordings that leap out at me. I was aware that Britten wrote the concerto for him to perform as soloist, but he chose not to record it in this role, preferring to conduct for Richter. Their collaboration in Schubert is outstanding music-making despite indifferent sound on the BBC CD.

Unless you have to have the most modern recording this is a one horse race - Richter and Britten.

[HighlandDougie]

The Richter/Britten combination does rather tower over everyone else (fine recording, too - as well as an equally rewarding coupling) but I'd like to put in a good word for Steven Osborne as an adjunct, not least because of the other works on the Hyperion CD.

[richardfinegold]

I listened to the (Decca) recording (Richter/Britten) via Apple on my drive in to work, only up through III, which is certainly the most arresting movement so far.
I don't have the Sony Richter collection here at work with me, but per ArkivMusik, it is contained in that box... very strange

Actually, Ferney, instead of Prokofiev, Ravel came more my mind, but listening to IV now and I guess I hear some commonality with the Prokofiev 2nd and 3rd.

[visualnickmos]

The piece is completely unknown to me. The Richter/Britten sounds promising; I wonder if I have it nestling in my big Richter Sony box

You're in for a treat! This is a most rewarding recording; the chemistry between Britten, Richter and the wonderful English Chamber Orchestra is sheer magic. Beautiful - impossible to improve on.

[EdgeleyRob]

You're in for a treat! This is a most rewarding recording; the chemistry between Britten, Richter and the wonderful English Chamber Orchestra is sheer magic. Beautiful - impossible to improve on.

[Beef Oven!]

I only have the Sviatoslav Richter, English Chamber Orchestra, Benjamin Britten Decca release and it is absolutely superb, including sound quality, despite its vintage. I cannot imagine acquiring another recording of this work. Co-written by Prokofiev , it's going to be an interesting BaL!


Edit: The Decca/Richter/Britten Piano Concerto, c/w the Violin Concerto CD is available brand new from Amazon for as little as £4.85 excl p&p and very good condition second hand copies going for as little as £3.28 excl. I wonder how far the price will be driven up by this BaL as people clamour for it?

[visualnickmos]

.....I wonder how far the price will be driven up by this BaL as people clamour for it?

I have a feeling the price will self-drive up, in anticipation of this BaL, a few hours before the broadcast...

As you say, the sound quality is remarkable, Decca sound and technical engineers at their usual excellence. Bravo to them, too....

[richardfinegold]

I listened to the (Decca) recording (Richter/Britten) via Apple on my drive in to work, only up through III, which is certainly the most arresting movement so far.
I don't have the Sony Richter collection here at work with me, but per ArkivMusik, it is contained in that box... very strange

Actually, Ferney, instead of Prokofiev, Ravel came more my mind, but listening to IV now and I guess I hear some commonality with the Prokofiev 2nd and 3rd.

I am at home now, and yes, the Richter/Britten version is part of the big Sony/ RCA collection. I am paying my son to burn all my CDs to an HD and this box was added last week. I am listening to theFireWire input on my DAC from the Mac Air and what a difference between the MP3 version in the car! I had written off I and II as only moderately interesting but there is a host of low level detail on display here that is fundamental to appreciation, imo. Well, it’s a new car, and I just learned how 3rd rate the sound system is. Glad to know the piece!

[Beef Oven!]

I have a feeling the price will self-drive up, in anticipation of this BaL, a few hours before the broadcast...

As you say, the sound quality is remarkable, Decca sound and technical engineers at their usual excellence. Bravo to them, too....

I notice this morning that the price of a new CD from the third party vendors now starts at £5.99.

[BBMmk2]

I have the version that’s in that massive Britten box from the old EMI recording, plus Howard Shelley On Chandos. Should be quite a good BaL