Our Summer BaL No 47 : Schoenberg Piano Concerto.

[teamsaint]

I'm putting this to the panel,( hope nobody minds) inspired by last nights wonderful Prom, and nudged by member Verismissimo, who clearly knows a good idea when he sees one.

Only got two " accidental" purchases myself, The Glenn Gould 1952 ( ?) account and the Stadlen (1949 ?) recording from the RIAS box set. Of the two , I prefer the Gould, but I doubt that either really meets modern standards.

off you go....
.

[verismissimo]

Thanks for posting, ts.

I thought that Uchida was especially good in Friday's Prom with Jurowski and the LPO. Well worth a close listen IMO.

I've only ever had Brendel/Gielen from 1966 on a vintage LP. Filled with snap, crackle and pop and the recorded sound hard and unyielding. Is it improved in CD transfer?

Should one go for Pollini/Abbado, Uchida/Boulez, Brendel/Kubelik, P Serkin/Amoyal, P Serkin/Boulez, Malling/Schonwaldt, Gould/Craft, Gould/Mitropoulos, Ax/Salonen? Or back to Brendel/Gielen, but on CD?

[Pulcinella]

Only got the Serkin/Boulez here, dirt cheap in a 2CD compilation:

http://www.prestoclassical.co.uk/r/Apex/2564699845

Must listen to it to see how it compares with last night's performance.

(Glad you enjoyed it so much, ts, and hope you weren't too late home!)

[Roehre]

Thanks for posting, ts.

I thought that Uchida was especially good in Friday's Prom with Jurowski and the LPO. Well worth a close listen IMO.

I've only ever had Brendel/Gielen from 1966 on a vintage LP. Filled with snap, crackle and pop and the recorded sound hard and unyielding. Is it improved in CD transfer?

Should one go for Pollini/Abbado, Uchida/Boulez, Brendel/Kubelik, P Serkin/Amoyal, P Serkin/Boulez, Malling/Schonwaldt, Gould/Craft, Gould/Mitropoulos, Ax/Salonen? Or back to Brendel/Gielen, but on CD?

I "learned" the concerto through Brendel/Kubelik, which is still in my shelves.
At the moment either I'd prefer Uchida/Boulez or Pollini/Abbado, but this Brendel still no far behind.
Both Serkins IMO are too analytical (especially the Boulez), I don't know the Ax/Salonen, and the Goulds and the Brendel/Gielen show their age too much IMO.

[Pulcinella]

.....
Both Serkins IMO are too analytical (especially the Boulez).....

Maybe that's why I have never previously warmed to the work.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Should one go for Pollini/Abbado,

Yes.

Uchida/Boulez,

Yes

Brendel/Kubelik,

Brendel is very good - as are Kubelik and the BRSO, but they're clinging with every fibre of their being to keep control. I love this "seat-of-pants" aspect of it.

P Serkin/Amoyal,

No such animal - Amoyal is the violin soloist in the recording of the Violin Concerto that couples ...

P Serkin/Boulez,

Probably my least favourite recording of the work. Some rather anonymous playing (the Violin Concerto is even worse) - good recording detail.

Malling/Schonwaldt,

Haven't heard this since it was first issued. I wasn't moved to buy it at the time.

Gould/Craft

Great performance, recorded sound isn't very comfortable; very boxy. (The opposite of the Serkin/Boulez)

Gould/Mitropoulos

Wonderful - but Mono, restricted sound.

Ax/Salonen?

Don't know this one.

Or back to Brendel/Gielen, but on CD?

Why not; for old times' sake? There are less ferociously recorded versions, though. Including

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0000041DJ

... which would be one of my three top recommendations (with Uchida and Pollini). They're all very fine, each bringing valid insights into this great work - much will depend on availability (?I think Pollini is only available as part of a huge boxed set?) and couplings (with Pollini, you get his awesome Schönberg solo Piano works recording; Uchida gives a selection from those Piano works and the Webern Piano Variations; Gielen gives the two Chamber Symphonies.)

[Beef Oven!]

Pollini here.

But I dug up the other one that I have, and found it to be Brendel/Kubelik. Listened to it this afternoon and maybe it's as good as (if not better) than the Pollini!

Last night's performance was more post romantic than new modern. Fabulous, all the same!

I have the Pollini solo piano works on DG 20th C Classics, from the very early days of CD (I bet Roehre's got the bloody LP!)

[HighlandDougie]

Oh dear, the Brendel/Gielen remake seems not to feature, other than in FHG's link above. I heard them at the Edinburgh Festival at about the same time as the recording (was it 1999?). For me, it's the best of Brendel's three recordings. It's a work I seem to have heard quite often live (Brendel, Ax, Uchida, Gerstein etc) but on CD I'm firmly in the Uchida/Boulez camp.

[verismissimo]

... No such animal - Amoyal is the violin soloist in the recording of the Violin Concerto that couples ...

Oh, if you insist...

[Roehre]

Pollini here.

But I dug up the other one that I have, and found it to be Brendel/Kubelik. Listened to it this afternoon and maybe it's as good as (if not better) than the Pollini!

Last night's performance was more post romantic than new modern. Fabulous, all the same!

I have the Pollini solo piano works on DG 20th C Classics, from the very early days of CD (I bet Roehre's got the bloody LP!)

I got that LP indeed (my first Schönberg in 1976 ), but got the contents also as part of the CD with Pollini/Abbado piano concerto.

[Beef Oven!]

I got that LP indeed (my first Schönberg in 1976 ), but got the contents also as part of the CD with Pollini/Abbado piano concerto.

[verismissimo]

Invested in Uchida!

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Invested in Uchida!

[BBMmk2]

I think I am confused, on this one but I think as an Abbado fan, I will plummet for him and Pollini. Can't go wrong there! The and I might go for the Uchida one too! :)

[Petrushka]

I have the Pollini/Abbado coupled with the Schumann Piano Concerto as well as the Serkin/Boulez and although I was present at Friday's Prom, I still find it a tough nut to crack. A few more hearings and it will no doubt click into place.