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Tomásek: Piano Concertos No 1 & 2 / Válek, Simon, Prague Rso
Supraphon Jul 2006
CD
$27.99

Beethoven: Piano Concerto No. 1 - Symphonies Nos. 2 and 3 / Blomstedt, Argerich, Lucerne Festival Orchestra [DVD]

Accentus Music

DVD

$31.99 ~~$41.99~~ Save 25% Nov 19, 2021

In August 2020, Herbert Blomstedt made his debut with the Lucerne Festival Orchestra. You could hardly tell that the maestro had celebrated his 93rd birthday only a month prior for he continuously exudes vitality, awareness, and curiosity. “I’m in love with music,” says Blomstedt, who views his profession as a kind of joie de vivre. Together with the Lucerne Festival Orchestra and Martha Argerich he revealed just what this joy sounds like with Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 1 – the work that marked Argerich’s stage debut in 1949 - and Symphonies Nos. 2 and 3, the famous Eroica. Recorded live at the Concert Hall of KKL Luzern, August 2020.

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Beethoven: Piano Concerto No. 1 - Symphonies Nos. 2 and 3 / Blomstedt, Argerich, Lucerne Festival Orchestra [DVD]
Accentus Music Nov 2021
DVD
~~$41.99~~ $31.99

Brahms: Variations on a Theme by Haydn, Piano Concertos Nos. 1 & 2, Tragic Overture / Welser-Most, Bronfman, Cleveland Orchestra

Belvedere Edition

DVD

$32.99 Sep 14, 2018

Also available on Blu-ray

The Cleveland Orchestra is the “aristocrat among American orchestras” (The Telegraph) and its sovereign, Franz Welser-Möst, rules his subjects with a velvet glove. Indeed, velvet and silk keep showing up in descriptions of the Clevelanders’ sound under its principal conductor. It is Welser-Möst’s nimble alternation between smoothness and a sound that’s as “sharp-edged as a skyscraper” (The Telegraph after the Brahms’ First at the orchestra’s London Proms concert). That keeps the ensemble and the audience figuratively on its toes. The Second Piano Concerto, completed in 1881, is the work of a composer who has become skilled in the manipulation of large forms. Brahms treats the soloist as an equal partner with the orchestra. Yefim Bronfman has the uncanny ability to play large without stridency, to handle the most delicate passages without losing presence, and to play everything in between with a ravishing sense of tonal color. Welser-Möst and Bronfman brought pulsing energy to the concerto’s second movement, a Scherzo, setting up an oasis of calm for the third that segued immediately into the genial finale, whose last chords were nearly obliterated by roars of approval from the audience. Laced into his forceful performance of Piano Concerto No. 1 was a surprising element of fury, as if the pianist had come unhinged momentarily. And yet Bronfman was also wholly present, taking time in relaxed passages to savor every second. Which of the two concertos Bronfman knocked further out the park is impossible to say. Both scores the pianist seized by their very hearts, drawing forth all the majesty, raw power and exquisite beauty that each contains.

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Brahms: Variations on a Theme by Haydn, Piano Concertos Nos. 1 & 2, Tragic Overture / Welser-Most, Bronfman, Cleveland Orchestra
Belvedere Edition Sep 2018
DVD
$32.99

C.P.E. Bach & Graun: Viola Concertos

CPO

$18.99 Apr 05, 2024

For some time, writes viola virtuoso Mathis Rochat in the preface of this new release, he had been thinking to adapt Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach's Cello Concerto in B-flat Major for his own use. He calls it a "somewhat audacious transcription", but the range of the solo part is well-suited for the viola and can be performed on the instrument with great ease. Which had to be proven first! Indeed, the young Swiss artist lends the "higher-pitched" composition a power of momentum and elasticity from which the already supple, melodious music can only benefit. All the more, since it is a superb "overture" to both of the following works, which Johann Gottlieb Graun, eleven years Bach's senior, had intended for the viola. Sometimes flanked by its little sister, as in the quiet Sturm und Drang C Minor concerto, then alone in sole competition with the string orchestra, this under-appreciated instrument shows in the music of the Berlin Court a wealth of expression that need not hide behind its higher and lower rivals.

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C.P.E. Bach & Graun: Viola Concertos
CPO Apr 2024
CD
$18.99

HORN CONCERTO / OBOE CONCERTO
MUSICAL CONCEPTS Nov 2011
CD
$16.36

Scriabin: Piano Concerto / Prometheus / Fantasy
Chandos May 1999
CD
$21.99

J.S. Bach: Concertos for 1, 2, 3, 4 Keyboards - Idil Biret A

Idil Biret Archive

$13.99 ~~$19.99~~ Save 30% Feb 07, 2025

Idil Biret was introduced very early to the music of Bach. At the age of three she was trying to play from ear the preludes of Bach from the Well Tempered Clavier which her mother played on their upright piano and drawing his picture in her note book. In her memoires, Idil's mother Leman Biret writes: "After listening for a while to orchestral music on the radio Idil would detect the main melody and then play it on the piano with one finger. Afterwards, when she reached the age of four, she would play these on the piano with two hands and with the correct harmony. Bach preludes and fugues from the Well Tempered Clavier, for example, which even the talented musicians took considerable time to study and memorise, were mastered by Idil in only a few days after listening once or twice, after which she would play these without a single wrong note. "Then, at the age of four her teacher Mithat Fenmen played for Idil on an 78rpm record by Edwin Fischer the Prelude and Fugue in F minor from the Well Tempered Clavier Book II. She says that Bach's music has been a part of her life ever since that day. In 1946, at the age of five, she played the D Minor Piano Concerto of Bach with a string quartet at the Ankara Radio, a work that would be a staple of her concert programs from then on. "The remarkable evening began with D Minor Piano Concerto of J.S. Bach. The concerto required, from the very first measure, agile, precise dexterity from the pianist. Idil Biret took the challenge with a ravishing pulse which carried one away. How this artist combines the strict discipline of the score with the capacity to build sovereign forms is exemplary. Energetically, she drove the flanking Allegro movements forward and dwelled on the song like beauties of the Adagio with concentrated abandon." Dietrich Wolf DRESDNER NEUESTE NACHRICHTEN (Germany) 1996

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J.S. Bach: Concertos for 1, 2, 3, 4 Keyboards - Idil Biret A
Idil Biret Archive Feb 2025
CD
~~$19.99~~ $13.99

Mozart: Symphonies Nos. 39, 40 & 41; Bassoon Concerto / Immerseel, Gower, Anima Eterna Brugge

Alpha

$8.99 ~~$11.99~~ Save 25% Aug 24, 2018

During a scant ten weeks in the summer of 1788, Mozart wrote three outstanding symphonies, highly innovative in their complexity and length. He was thirty-two and living in Vienna, a city which had offered him numerous opportunities in the past. Musically, it had provided a platform combining excellent musicians and enthusiastic audiences. In more personal terms, it was the place where he had freed himself from the emotional pressure exerted by his father Leopold and his former employer, the Archbishop of Salzburg. However, Viennese audiences were no longer interested in his masterful modernist compositions. When Mozart composed these, his last three symphonies, he was thought of as a ‘dissonance hunter.’ In this symphonic ‘trilogy,’ Mozart illuminates all aspects of human expression, quite independently of his personal situation. Each work presents a different character. No. 39 in E flat major contains numerous elements reminiscent of chamber music, while no. 40 in G minor makes clear references to opera. No. 41 in C major includes formal elements from Baroque music (overture, concerto, fugue). Its synthesis of sonata form and fugue was, and still is, a tour de force that could only have been written by Mozart.

-----

REVIEW:

These are exciting, distinctive readings that don't make the music into something that it is not. Tempos, while decidedly brisk, do not seem rushed, even in the slow movements. The sense of excitement thus produced feels real, not artificially forced upon the music. The readings are full of ideas that seem inevitable.

– Fanfare

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Mozart: Symphonies Nos. 39, 40 & 41; Bassoon Concerto / Immerseel, Gower, Anima Eterna Brugge
Alpha Aug 2018
CD
~~$11.99~~ $8.99

CONCERTO FUNEBRE BURLESKE MUS

Wergo

$20.99 Apr 01, 2009

The concertos of Karl Amadeus Hartmann exhibit a rich spectrum of formal and expressive possibilities, not only richly varied in relation to each other, but also a welcome addition to his more unified group of eight symphonies. Particularly with his departures from the classical-romantic concerto form, Hartmann discovered new and individual solutions that confirm the importance of his concertos as significant and original contributions to the development of this form in the twentieth century. The works compiled on this CD were written between 1931 and 1955, thus providing a superb insight into all of Hartmann's important creative phases.

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CONCERTO FUNEBRE BURLESKE MUS
Wergo Apr 2009
CD
$20.99

Lidarti: Musica da camera e concerto per clavicembalo
Tactus Jan 2003
CD
$21.99

Chopin: Piano Concertos 1 & 2
Brilliant Classics Jan 2001
CD
$13.99

Hjellemo: Orchestral Works / Andersen, Fossheim, Makris Symphony

Sterling Records

$20.99 Jan 06, 2023

After the critic’s failure with his first symphony in 1912, Hjellemo took his time before presenting his second work in this genre – symphony no. 2 in B minor, which was premiered in 1926. The 2nd Symphony is even more extensive and advanced than the 1st, and requires an even larger orchestra. This suggests well that Hjellemo had more confidence in his own abilities than in the critics’ judgment. The symphony is a large, epic work almost unparalleled in Norwegian music history. The symphony was, as critics reported, very well received by the audience – the composer had to come forward three times to receive applause. There are no sources mentioning anything about this concerto when it suddenly appeared on a concert program with the Philharmonic Company Orchestra in May 1934, where Hjellemo himself was conducting three of his works. The violin concerto received a good reception, and in the reviews, the soloist was particularly noticed. The entire program was also broadcast live on radio in several European countries. This piece has been performed on several occasions, also after the composer’s death. The premiere took place on 17 June 1936, and the soloist was Ernst Glaser. Hugo Kramm conducted the Radio Orchestra in Oslo, and also this time the concert was broadcast live in several European countries. At the premiere, the work had the title Rondo for violin and orchestra, but later Hjellemo changed it to Norsk Caprice. The piece consists of a short orchestral opening, introducing the soloist. What follows is a traditional Norwegian Halling (a folk dance in 2/4 or 6/8 meter typical for Norway), virtuoso written for the violin.

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Hjellemo: Orchestral Works / Andersen, Fossheim, Makris Symphony
Sterling Records Jan 2023
CD
$20.99

British Piano Concertos - Ferguson, Gerhard / Donohoe

Naxos

$19.99 Feb 22, 2005

For those of us who have learnt to play the piano over the last half century the name of Alec Rowley will be extremely familiar. Even today when I visit the secondhand music shops in Kelvinside and Fishergate in Glasgow and York, I am amazed at the number of volumes of this composer that are always available. I have managed to build a small collection of his easier pieces. I doubt that there is much in print these days, but historically there are reams of miniatures and teaching pieces available to the interested explorer and collector. I did not realise until quite recently that Mr Rowley did have a serious side to him - that is until I inherited an album of organ works. None of these are for neophytes and all of them seem to be interesting examples of the ’tween-the-wars genre. However I will always remember him for two salon pieces – Witchery and Hornpipe – both for piano. I still play these at least once a month!

I have long known about the Concerto in D major and have plonked my way through the score. However, until this present release I had never heard it. And what a pleasure it is. I will state my case – I love the work – it is a fine discovery and deserves its place in the repertoire.

The work received its premiere in a BBC broadcast way back in 1938. The work is scored for soloist and strings; however there are optional parts for timpani and percussion. This is the version recorded here. From the very first note we are in the presence of a delightful work. Forget anyone who says that it relies heavily on Delius or Britten or Cyril Scott. This is an original concerto that is well scored and has ‘a breezy, open-air freshness about it’ that is both charming and satisfying. The work is well constructed, with the opening of the last movement mirroring the introduction to the first. My only criticism is that this concerto is too short! But Naxos and Mr Donohoe please note, there is another Piano Concerto and Three Idylls for Piano and Orchestra just begging to be recorded!

Christian Darnton is an unknown quantity to me and I imagine for many other listeners as well. However the Piano Concerto in C Major is a fine example of the genre. It was composed in 1948 for the South African pianist Adolf Hallis. In fact the work was premiered in Durban the following year.

It is quite a short work and this is perhaps its one fault. There seems to be a little bit of a stylistic imbalance between quite ‘elegant’ and sometimes even ‘dreamy’ music and the harder edged neo-classicism of Stravinsky. For example the first movement vacillates between these two contrasting styles and the disparity is too great for good balance. That being said there is much that is attractive about this work. Once again the contrasts in the middle movement are quite extreme. There is a whiff of Britten about the outer sections whilst the middle section nods to the Warsaw Concerto in its ‘heart on sleeve’ romanticism.

The finale is a good example of neo-classical fun. There are moments when Malcolm Arnold seems about to break through. However the entire movement is well wrought and is quite exciting.

I reiterate my comment that this work is far too short. There is a wealth of interesting material that could have been developed into a major work.

However, I do hope that Naxos will issue some more music by this obviously talented composer, for example any one of the four symphonies.

The Roberto Gerhard Concerto for Piano and Strings is the antithesis of the Darnton. It is slightly later, having been composed in 1951 (the CD cover states 1961 as the date of composition) for the Aldeburgh Festival. It is the first of Gerhard’s works to be written using serial techniques. Yet continuity with the past is introduced as the composer gives a renaissance musical title to each movement. The first being Tiento which is Spanish for ‘toccata,’ the second is Diferencias which is loosely translated as ‘variations’ and the last movement is inscribed Folias which means ‘fantasy.’

Gerhard uses the serial technique with subtlety. We are never conscious that the work is being controlled by a pre-defined sequence of notes. However its unity is never in doubt. This is an extremely well-balanced and nuanced piece that is totally consistent with itself from the very first note to the last. Harmonically there is none of the astringency of Webern and his followers; in fact it is difficult to pin the concerto down to a style or period. This is quite definitely a work that is infused with the moods of Spain. However do not look for Spanish Dances – the ethos is derived from darker aspects of Iberian culture.

There are two things to say about Howard Ferguson. Firstly, he wrote too little! It is always a great disappointment to me that Ferguson gave up composing in the early 1950s; he reckoned that he had said all he wanted to say! Of course the listener’s loss is the student and performer’s gain as most of the rest of his life was spent in editing early music and teaching material. The second thing is that every piece that Ferguson wrote is near perfect and commands our attention. There is nothing that does not deserve to be permanently in the repertoire.

The Piano Concerto is a case in point. I have no doubt that if this work was by a Polish or German composer it would be in the public domain. As it stands I imagine that it is well known to a handful of British music enthusiasts. Yet what a great and wonderful work it is. It is not really necessary to try making comparisons. I do not agree with Andrew Burn’s notes that it nods to Mozart. What we have is a beautifully composed piece that throws introspection and an extrovert, almost ‘puckish’ feel into contrast, yet manages to give a satisfying sense of completeness. Of course the heart of the work is the reflective ‘Theme and Variations’ – this movement is quite bitter-sweet and stays in the mind long after the last note plays. The last movement, an Allegro giovale, is a tour de force. However there are some quieter, more introverted moments and there is a reprise of the slow movement ‘tune’ towards the end. But this is positive, uplifting music that is a joy and pleasure and a privilege to listen to.

The sound quality is great. The playing is second to none. The programme notes could have been a bit more fulsome. The programme itself is well thought out and repays repeated hearings. All credit must go to Peter Donohoe and his British Piano Concerto Foundation.

Now a personal plea. Mr Donohoe, if you read this please can you consider one or two or more of the following for your next batch of releases in this great series – the piano concertos by William Baines, York Bowen, Rosalind Ellicott and Walford Davies. But whatever you choose please keep them coming and concentrate on those works that are not otherwise available!

-- John France, MusicWeb International

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British Piano Concertos - Ferguson, Gerhard / Donohoe
Naxos Feb 2005
CD
$19.99

CONCERTOS FOR SOLO ORGAN
MDG Nov 2009
CD
$23.99

Johann Stamitz: Flute Concertos / Aitken, Katkus

Naxos

$19.99 Nov 17, 2009

J. W. STAMITZ Flute Concertos: in D; in C; in D; in G • Robert Aitken (fl); Donatas Katkus, cond; St. Christopher CO • NAXOS 8.570150 (69:15)

The music of Johann Stamitz (1717–57) is largely known through a handful of works. For clarinetists, the B? Concerto is arguably one of (if not the) earliest written for the instrument that uses both the upper clarion and the lower chalumeau registers, and thus earns its reputation for its modernity. Orchestral trios foreshadow the emerging symphony; and his later works, including the La melodia germanica series published in Paris in 1756, not only are some of the earliest to establish the four-movement conventional symphonic pattern, but they also popularized the orchestral effects associated with the Mannheim orchestra, of which Stamitz was the concertmaster. These include rapid scales (the so-called coup d’archet ), the layered crescendo (the original Mannheim steamroller), and the rapidly ascending triads known as the Mannheim rocket. Less well known is the fact that he was a prolific composer, who, in his position, was able to experiment with the capabilities of his instruments, the various textures that could be obtained, and with form and structure. As a result, his efforts had far-reaching impacts upon the music and composers that followed him.

Stamitz was active during a period that one either can characterize as galant or (to borrow a term from literature) empfindsam . Both of these are tricky to translate accurately in musical terms, the former meaning something like “polite” or “well bred” and the latter “emotional” or “sensitive” (and there are other words that work as well). But what it really means for the listener is that there is a new sense of freedom to explore the capabilities of the music, to play with rhythm and contrast, and to develop new genres and styles. This disc presents four of his flute concertos, probably written for Johann Baptist Wendling, a flutist who was arguably one of the best of the entire century. Considering that the instrument was made of wood and had only a couple of keys, both the tone production and technical capability was limited, making the instrument more appropriate to chamber work than playing versus an orchestra, particularly one the size and power of Mannheim. In all four works, Stamitz demonstrates a skill that focuses on a dazzling display of technical virtuosity that is rarely overshadowed by the accompaniment. Even when he adds horns, as he does in the two D-Major concertos, the use is sensitive to the overall sonority. As for the flute part itself, if the listener, spoiled by the long, lyrical lines and regular phrases of the two Mozart pieces, seeks such in these works, disappointment will follow. Instead, there is a virtual compendium of pyrotechnics that leaves the listener breathless (not to mention the poor flutist). Rapid runs, leaps between registers, perpetual-motion figuration, and the rapid oscillation between duple and triple rhythms make this a flute virtuoso’s delight, as these works push the envelope of what is technically possible with the instrument. Moreover, in the C-Major Concerto, even the orchestral ritornello is technically demanding for the strings. These are not student works, but require the utmost of agility and ability to perform.

Aitken, fortunately, is quite up to the task. He takes the break-neck tempos of the opening movements with apparent ease and clarity of tone, allowing the display to come through. In the slow movements, he pulls back the throttle, but never enough to dull the sometimes-sensitive lyrical writing. For instance, in the C-Major Concerto, the second movement’s minor key, replete with echo effects, is delineated with precision and displays considerable musical deftness. In the G-Major final movement, he allows for the folk-like main theme to peer through the leaps and runs, providing a contrast that is both pleasing and a welcome relief to the pyrotechnics. Only occasionally does he blur his scales and leaps, though this may be an aftereffect of using a modern instrument.

The Lithuanian St. Christopher group provides a precise and understated accompaniment. One might have wished for more presence in the recording, but perhaps this was a decision by the sound engineer to focus on the flute. It is true that the music on this disc is mostly all about the flute and its ability, and this lends a certain sameness to each of the concertos, but if one concentrates upon the remarkable technical display, then one will find a perfect example of what can happen when a composer of this pivotal period pushes the aerobatic envelope of a more reticent and intimate instrument. We would be lucky to have the remaining 10 recorded in the future. Highly recommended.

FANFARE: Bertil van Boer

Johann Stamitz is a name well known in musical history, but his voice is seldom heard. This latest Naxos disc of flute concertos - two volumes of symphonies and one of orchestral trios are already available - is therefore a welcome release.

Famous as a virtuoso violinist and then as Kapellmeister of the celebrated Mannheim court orchestra, Stamitz presided over the establishment of that band of players and over the development of what became the ‘Mannheim style’ – disciplined playing, thrilling dynamics and innovative instrumentation. He played a key role in developing the symphonic form, and in transforming musical composition from the Baroque style to the nascent Classical sound.

As well as symphonies, Stamitz left behind a large number of concertos, including fourteen for flute. The four featured on this disc probably date from the 1750s and may well have been played by the Elector Carl Theodor, and by Mannheim virtuoso Johann Baptist Wendling, who so impressed Mozart on his visit to Paris in 1763 and Mannheim in 1777-78.

They are beautiful works, but the main problem is that there is little to distinguish one from the other. The two D major concertos in particular sound very much alike, although the horn parts in the second at least differentiate it from it predecessor. The C major concerto’s shift into C minor for the slow Andante offers some tonal variety, while rapid triplet figures for the soloist in the first movement keep the momentum alive.

But one cannot escape the feeling that these works were really vehicles for Wendling’s – or someone else’s – prodigious talents. Attention therefore falls on soloist Robert Aitken. His flawless technique and lightness of touch make him perfectly suited to this kind of repertoire. He is particularly impressive in the hugely demanding cadenzas in each concerto, although his forward positioning in the recording can make the flute sound a little shrill on the ear in some of the higher registers.

For their part, the St Christopher (formerly Vilnius) Chamber Orchestra under Donatus Katkus have few opportunities to shine. Nevertheless, they keep the accompaniment chugging along nicely, hinting at Haydnesque and Mozartian sounds to come.

-- John-Pierre Joyce, MusicWeb International

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Johann Stamitz: Flute Concertos / Aitken, Katkus
Naxos Nov 2009
CD
$19.99

Herbert von Karajan - The Early Lucerne Years

Audite Musikproduktion

$20.99 ~~$27.99~~ Save 25% Sep 15, 2023

For the first time; this edition makes available Herbert von Karajan's previously unpublished early live recordings from the Lucerne Music Festival - made in a decade in which Karajan was rebuilding his career. Included are legendary soloists such as Clara Haskil and Géza Anda; Robert Casadesus and Nathan Milstein. The Lucerne International Music Festival (today's Lucerne Festival) was the first organiser outside Austria to engage Herbert von Karajan after his ban from performing and denazification proceedings; thus enabling him to return to the international podiums. "I will never forget that," Karajan later confessed. For almost four decades; from 1948 to 1988; he was to make his mark on Lucerne Festival. His annual guest appearances with the Berlin Philharmonic (from 1958) enjoyed cult status. But already in the decade before; which this edition documents; Karajan thrilled audiences and critics alike in Lucerne and quickly rose to become the defining artistic personality alongside Wilhelm Furtwängler: with the Philharmonia Orchestra and the Vienna Symphony Orchestra; but above all on the podium of the Swiss Festival Orchestra; which he held in high esteem and which he conducted in a total of nine concerts.

The preserved Lucerne live recordings range from Bach's C major Concerto for Two Keyboard Instruments BWV 1061 (with Clara Haskil and Géza Anda) to Arthur Honegger's Symphonie liturgique. The exciting; rhythmically tightly formed interpretations show Karajan to be an extremely form-conscious; textually faithful conductor of great expressive power. He spurs his orchestras on to top performances; but also acts as a sensitive and at the same time extremely present accompanist - for example in Brahms' Violin Concerto with Nathan Milstein or in Mozart's dramatically pointed C minor Concerto K. 491 with Robert Casadesus. As a digital bonus; the edition includes Bach's Mass in B minor; which Karajan celebrated at the end of the 1951 festival with the Vienna Symphony Orchestra; the Vienna Singverein and a top-class quartet of soloists (Elisabeth Schwarzkopf; Elsa Cavelti; Ernst Haefliger and Hans Braun): a stylistically distant; but nevertheless fascinating audio document due to Karajan's very personal approach. The sound of the live recordings on the 3-CD box set has been carefully restored. The 62-page; trilingual booklet contains essays by Wolfgang Rathert and Erich Singer on Karajan's new career start in the post-war years and on his special relationship with Lucerne Festival. It contains numerous previously unpublished photos.

REVIEW:

Included among the contents of this set are quite a few gems. Most unexpected but welcome is Brahms’s Violin Concerto with Nathan Milstein. Karajan and his Swiss Festival Orchestra are fully ablaze, Milstein’s tone typically lean and sinewy. Overall, this is an intriguing batch of musically worthwhile live Karajan discoveries, very well transferred from clean analogue sources.

— Gramophone

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Herbert von Karajan - The Early Lucerne Years
Audite Musikproduktion Sep 2023
CD
~~$27.99~~ $20.99

Beethoven: Piano Concerto No. 1 - Symphonies Nos. 2 and 3 / Blomstedt, Argerich, Lucerne Festival Orchestra [Blu-ray]

Accentus Music

Blu-Ray

$40.99 ~~$53.99~~ Save 25% Nov 19, 2021

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Beethoven: Piano Concerto No. 1 - Symphonies Nos. 2 and 3 / Blomstedt, Argerich, Lucerne Festival Orchestra [Blu-ray]
Accentus Music Nov 2021
Blu-Ray
~~$53.99~~ $40.99

FINZI: Songs / Prelude / Romance / Violin Concerto
Chandos Jan 2001
CD
$21.99

Piano Concertos Nos. 1 and 4
Archipel Jan 2012
CD
$10.99

Schumann: Violin Concerto & Works for Violin and Piano by Cl

PENTATONE

$19.99 Apr 03, 2026

Violinist Midori, Festival Strings Lucerne under the direction of Daniel Dodds, and pianist Özgür Aydin present an album of Schumann: Violin Concerto & Works for Violin and Piano by Clara and Robert Schumann, highlighting two deeply connected artistic voices. At the centre is Robert Schumann's Violin Concerto in D Minor, composed in 1853 but withheld from publication for more than eighty years after Clara Schumann and Joseph Joachim questioned it's place within his legacy. Long clouded by it's troubled history and a problematic 1937 premiere, the concerto has only recently gained recognition as a powerful and distinctive late work, valued today for it's emotional depth and expressive candour. The programme also includes Robert Schumann's 5 Pieces in Folk Style, Op. 102, and 3 Romances, Op. 94 - lyrical miniatures from his remarkably productive year of 1849, alongside Clara Schumann's 5 Romances, Op. 22, dedicated to Joachim and now fully restored to the repertoire after decades of neglect. Together, these works reveal an artistic world shaped by intimacy, sincerity, and clarity of expression, echoing Robert Schumann's belief that the artist's task is "to send light into the darkness of men's hearts." This recording marks the PENTATONE debut of Midori and Özgür Aydin. Midori, an internationally celebrated violinist with numerous awards and performances on the world's leading stages, brings her expressive depth and technical mastery, complemented by Aydin's sensitive virtuosity at the piano. Festival Strings Lucerne and their artistic director, Daniel Dodds, have been collaborating successfully since 2012, bringing this orchestra international acclaim, and establishing themselves as one of the world's leading chamber orchestras, both on the concert platform and in the recording studio. The album showcases the interplay of Clara's tender lyricism with Robert's late works, offering a vivid, emotionally resonant, and technically brilliant portrait of the Schumanns' late musical world.

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Schumann: Violin Concerto & Works for Violin and Piano by Cl
PENTATONE Apr 2026
CD
$19.99

Clementi: Piano Concerto; Two Symphonies, Op. 18

Naxos

$9.99 ~~$19.99~~ Save 50% Aug 12, 2014

These four works are among the few surviving examples of Muzio Clementi’s early orchestral music. The two Symphonies, Op. 18 follow Classical models but are full of the surprise modulations and dynamic contrasts to be found in his piano sonatas. The Piano Concerto has a dazzling solo part and some delightful orchestral touches. Clementi’s Symphonies Nos. 1-4 can be heard on Naxos 8.573071 and 8.573112.

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Clementi: Piano Concerto; Two Symphonies, Op. 18
Naxos Aug 2014
CD
~~$19.99~~ $9.99

Soviet Trumpet Concertos / Black, Orbelian, Moscow Co
Chandos May 2000
CD
$21.99

W.A. Mozart: Piano Concertos Nos. 15, 24, 25 & 27 (Biret Con

Idil Biret Archive

$13.49 ~~$26.99~~ Save 50% Jun 14, 2019

This release features the 7th and 8th volumes in the Naxos Idil Biret Concerto Edition. "Miss Biret was soloist in an entrancing performance of Mozart's concerto K. 482 with the Halle Orchestra conducted by Mlle Nadia Boulanger. The variety of her playing it's finely-shaded gradations and brilliant but never mechanical figurations, revealed her as already a remarkable artist. Not for many years has a Halle audience heard such perfectly balanced Mozart playing... No words can describe the wondrous finale, with it's mixture of gaiety and anguish. This was a performance in which every note counted for it's full value." (Daily Telegraph UK) "Idil Biret is one of the few women pianists who has been able to assert her position on the world stages for decades. Biret plays here the works of... Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and with these recordings proves once again that she belongs among the greatest pianists of her time." (Frolich & Kaufmann)

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W.A. Mozart: Piano Concertos Nos. 15, 24, 25 & 27 (Biret Con
Idil Biret Archive Jun 2019
CD
~~$26.99~~ $13.49

Shostakovich: Prelude & Fugue, Fantastic Dances

Brilliant Classics

$14.99 Apr 30, 2026

Dmitri Shostakovich (1906-1975) composed two piano concertos that stand as strikingly different yet complementary reflections of his evolving musical and emotional world. The Piano Concerto No.1 in C minor, Op. 35 (1933), written for piano, trumpet, and string orchestra, is a work of youthful brilliance and wit. Shostakovich himself was the soloist at it's premiere, showcasing his virtuosity and sharp humor. The concerto brims with parody, irony, and stylistic playfulness-traits that would define much of his music. The first movement alternates between dramatic, driving passages and cheeky references to classical motifs. The second movement offers a surprisingly lyrical, melancholic interlude before the music veers back into high-spirited satire. The inclusion of the trumpet, often acting as a witty commentator or foil to the piano, adds to the concerto's sense of mischievous dialogue. Beneath the humor, however, lies an undercurrent of anxiety and intensity, reflecting Shostakovich's growing awareness of the political pressures surrounding Soviet artists in the 1930s. The Piano Concerto No.2 in F major, Op. 102 (1957), by contrast, is lighter, more transparent, and more optimistic. Written as a gift for his son Maxim's 19th birthday, it is among Shostakovich's most accessible works. The outer movements sparkle with energy and joy, evoking the vitality of youth, while the slow movement stands as one of the composer's most beautiful lyrical statements-a tender, introspective melody that has become a concert favorite. Although less satirical and complex than the First Concerto, the Second demonstrates Shostakovich's mastery of clear form, elegant orchestration, and emotional directness. Giuseppe Andaloro (Palermo, 1982) is one of the most acclaimed Italian pianists of his generation. Winner of prestigious international competitions-including the Ferruccio Busoni (Bolzano), London World, Sendai, Hong Kong, and Porto-he was awarded the Medal for Artistic Merit by the Italian Ministry of Culture in 2005. He has performed in some of the world's leading venues: Teatro alla Scala and Sala Verdi in Milan, Teatro San Carlo in Naples, Mozarteum in Salzburg, Konzerthaus Berlin, Salle Gaveau in Paris, Royal Festival Hall in London, Sumida Triphony Hall in Tokyo, Esplanade in Singapore, and Concert Hall in Hong Kong. He has appeared at renowned festivals such as the Salzburg Festival, Ruhr Piano Festival, Spoleto Festival dei Due Mondi, George Enescu Festival, Ravello Festival, and Beirut Al Bustan. As soloist, he has collaborated with orchestras such as the London Philharmonic, NHK Symphony (Tokyo), Philharmonische Camerata Berlin, Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia, and Hong Kong Philharmonic, under the direction of conductors like Vladimir Ashkenazy, Gianandrea Noseda, and Andrew Parrott.

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Shostakovich: Prelude & Fugue, Fantastic Dances
Brilliant Classics Apr 2026
CD
$14.99

Mix & Match

Hummel: Piano Concertos / Shelley, London Mozart Players

Chandos

$21.99 Sep 01, 1997

This admirable recital forms a sequel to Stephen Hough's Gramophone Award-winning Chandos disc of the A minor and B minor Piano Concertos (4/87). And although the music is less enticing and substantial, the performances less exuberantly virtuosic and elegantly inflected, these are decorous rarities played with an assured brilliance and affection. Hummel's Mozartian rather than Chopinesque bias declares itself most obviously in his Op. 73 Concertino, though even here, at 315" for example, the figuration has a recognizably Hummelian froth and sparkle. Too charming to be vacuous, such surface brio has little in common with Mozart's depth and subtlety, and for music of greater romantic range and ambition we turn to the A flat Concerto (music briefly in Jorge Bolet's repertoire), with its fuller scoring and lavishly decorated solo part. Lovers of a finespun, operatic cantilena will warm to the central "Romanze" and find the final Rondo alla Spagniola, even when it outstays its welcome, more than a prophecy of Chopin's E minor Concerto.

The Gesellschafts Rondo (offered here in a premiere recording) commences in solemn Adagio vein before turning to a more typically bustling and ceremonious Vivace. It may be that Hummel "puffed, blew and perspired" when he played but he won the admiration of Chopin (a hard master to please and one who turned Hummel's animation to rare poetic advantage) and his sheer style is infectious when projected with such unfailing expertise by Howard Shelley in his dual role as pianist and conductor of the London Mozart Players. The recordings are exceptionally well balanced, the acoustic pleasingly spacious.

-- Gramophone [1/1995]

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Hummel: Piano Concertos / Shelley, London Mozart Players
Chandos Sep 1997
CD
$21.99