BaL 16.03.19 - Brahms: Piano Concerto no. 2 in B flat

[Lordgeous]

Not strictly relevant but a rare film here of Curzon live perfirmance:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WxcOCDHzkN0

[Barbirollians]

Not strictly relevant but a rare film here of Curzon live perfirmance:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WxcOCDHzkN0

A shame he did not record it for Decca with Szell -Kna's accompaniment sounds a bit soggy in comparison and in never quite comes off.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Fabulous work in compiling the list, Alpie!

Absolutely - and especially given the key of this piece ... !

[gurnemanz]

Oops. Let down by Google. Not on QOBUZ currently. That Amazon price is horribly inflated.

Presto have it at a more normal price.

[Bryn]

Presto have it at a more normal price.

Thanks. The FLACs with booklet pdf looks even more wallet-friendly and saves having to rip.

[gurnemanz]

Didn't the Solomon recording win last time despite its age . Can't argue with it - it is marvellous .

Correct.
Stephen Johnson 2001
First Choice:
Solomon (piano), Philharmonia Orchestra, Issay Dobrowen (conductor)
(1947, mono)
Stereo Choice:
Stephen Kovacevich (piano), London Symphony Orchestra, Sir Colin Davis (conductor)
(1979)

[gurnemanz]

I have the Solomon but Kovacevich with Sawallisch, interestingly coupled with Ann Murray singing five songs, including "Immer leiser" which uses the lovely cello tune from the Andante).

Since that last BaL there have been plenty of good new recordings to choose from. My CD versions are all older:

Rubinstein/Munch
Rubinstein/Krips
Anda/Klemperer - Cologne, live
Gilels/Jochum
Backhaus (aged 83)/Böhm - VPO

[cloughie]

Oops. Let down by Google. Not on QOBUZ currently. That Amazon price is horribly inflated.

Bryn, try searching amazon on 'naxos brahms piano music' you'll find more reasonable prices!

[verismissimo]

Don't see anything remotely HIP here. Am I missing something?

Brahms in Budapest in November 1882 would have played what? A Broadwood? And the orchestra would have sounded quite different from the multitude of modern super-bands listed by Alpie.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

I've completed the list now, so if I've missed anything, I've missed it.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Absolutely - and especially given the key of this piece ... !

But check carefully. I made an exception for this work - the one B flat piece I really like.

[vinteuil]

I've completed the list now, so if I've missed anything, I've missed it.

... and a marvellous piece of work it is too - many thanks.

You may wish to emend :

'François-Frédéric' is

François-Frédéric Guy, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Paavo Berglund



.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Done.

[verismissimo]

Although he's in Alpie's list, I can't find a Kempff recording of PC2.

If he did not do one, I wonder why not, given his very extensive Brahms discography?

[Nick Armstrong]

I have an undying allegiance to the Richter performance with Leinsdorf and Chicago.

Gilels/Jochum is right at the top of the pile in No. 1 but I never warmed to their reading of No. 2.