BaL 26.03.22 - Beethoven: Piano Concerto no 4 in G major

[gurnemanz]

How interesting ? Only two weeks ago I asked BAL why no Beethoven PC apart from the Emperor had been on a BAL for 30 years or so

They did Third Concerto in 2000. Winners were Schiff/Haitink/Dresden, but point taken. I guess the sheer number of available recordings is a deterrent.

[mikealdren]

I have a few favourites Perahia/Haitink, Gilels/Ludwig , Kovacevich/Davis, Gulda/Stein, Grimaud/Masur and Barenboim/Klemperer being at the top of my personal tree.

Still Gilels/Ludwig for me after all these years, there's something about the way they seem to get inside the piece in a way that no-one else approaches (including Gilels/Szell)

[richardfinegold]

Still Gilels/Ludwig for me after all these years, there's something about the way they seem to get inside the piece in a way that no-one else approaches (including Gilels/Szell)

Gilels/Szell whole cycle was a misfire.
I’ve been listening to Backhaus/Krauss on Pristine Audio quite a bit. The sound is really excellent. Alpie has it listed as download only, but it can be ordered as a CD from Pristine. Backhaus fascinates me, with many interesting ideas that seem to have fallen in disfavor. Perahia/Haitink and Fleisher/Szell have been my mainstays, and I also like Arrau/Haitink. Brautigan on BIS is my HIP choice.
I think HIP suffers here in II, with the bear like Orchestra growling at the feminine piano. For me, the more double basses the better, and I prefer the pearly notes of a modern instrument instead of the pseudo harpsichord mumbling of a fortepiano

[Barbirollians]

Gilels/Szell whole cycle was a misfire.
I’ve been listening to Backhaus/Krauss on Pristine Audio quite a bit. The sound is really excellent. Alpie has it listed as download only, but it can be ordered as a CD from Pristine. Backhaus fascinates me, with many interesting ideas that seem to have fallen in disfavor. Perahia/Haitink and Fleisher/Szell have been my mainstays, and I also like Arrau/Haitink. Brautigan on BIS is my HIP choice.
I think HIP suffers here in II, with the bear like Orchestra growling at the feminine piano. For me, the more double basses the better, and I prefer the pearly notes of a modern instrument instead of the pseudo harpsichord mumbling of a fortepiano

Looking at the list sorry to miss out Ashkenazy/Cleveland ,Solomon , Haskil and Pires from my faves.

[makropulos]

Please note that the list of recordings is extremely long, straddling two posts.

Thanks for this enormous list –an amazing job. One version – still available –that you might like to add is Artur Pizarro, Scottish Chamber Orchestra, Charles Mackerras, on Linn.

[Barbirollians]

Looking at the list sorry to miss out Ashkenazy/Cleveland ,Solomon , Haskil and Pires from my faves.

Going through EA’s list it appears I have 38 of them - gulp.

[Bryn]

Going through EA’s list it appears I have 38 of them - gulp.

It's a start.

[BBMmk2]

They bringing out the classics, this season, are they not?

[Bryn]

Only one of Levin's two recordings are listed. What about his recording of the chamber arrangement?

[silvestrione]

Last covered by BaL in September 1992 when David Fanning chose Pollini/Böhm with Fleisher/Szell & Brendel/Wallberg as budget Second Choices. And "if you must have period instruments": Tan/Norrington.

Prior to that, Bryce Morrison covered this concerto in October 1980. The Youtube post of that programme suggests that Ashkenazy/Mehta was first choice on that occasion but the recording of the programme itself is incomplete.

Ashkenazy/Solti I think. At least, that disc won on one occasion, as I remember going out and buying the LP. Now, though I favour Gilels, Arrau, Schnabel, Pollini, Wallisch, Bezuidenhout, and probably others I have forgotten. It comes up really fresh in those last two, though Bez has the much better accompaniment, IMHO.

[cloughie]

Still Gilels/Ludwig for me after all these years, there's something about the way they seem to get inside the piece in a way that no-one else approaches (including Gilels/Szell)

Yes that is a favourite of mine!

[Edgy 2]

One of the very first classical LPs I bought was the Kempff, BPO, Leitner, seem to remember playing it to death
Just ordered a used copy of the cd for old time's sake

[Barbirollians]

One of the very first classical LPs I bought was the Kempff, BPO, Leitner, seem to remember playing it to death
Just ordered a used copy of the cd for old time's sake

It’s very fine - love his set with van Kampen too.

[Barbirollians]

Ashkenazy/Solti I think. At least, that disc won on one occasion, as I remember going out and buying the LP. Now, though I favour Gilels, Arrau, Schnabel, Pollini, Wallisch, Bezuidenhout, and probably others I have forgotten. It comes up really fresh in those last two, though Bez has the much better accompaniment, IMHO.

Yes cannot be the Mehta if the BAL was 1980 as that was not released till 1984.

[pastoralguy]

One of the very first classical LPs I bought was the Kempff, BPO, Leitner, seem to remember playing it to death
Just ordered a used copy of the cd for old time's sake

I used to drool over these Lps as a teenager and, eventually, purchased them one by one. Many years later I bought the set on cd in a charity shop for…20p! Terrific but something died in me a little.