Re: Culling Report: Recent Beethoven Piano Concerti

Matthew Silverstein <msilverz-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in
news:sijnrud5747v$.ohsrixrx9ruf$.dlg@xxxxxxxxxx:


[snip]

Unfortunately, the same can't be said for his soloist. This is my
first exposure to Pizarro, and based on these two discs, I hope it's
my last. This is some of the dullest Beethoven playing I've ever
heard: weak, grey, unvaried, uninterested. I can't recall ever hearing
anyone play this music with such a limited expressive and dynamic
range. (I could probably count on one hand the number of times he
sounds like he's playing louder than mf.) It's Beethoven for goodness'
sake! Pizarro does have one great moment here: the hushed opening bars
of 4/i are performed so magically I listened to them 5 or 6 times in
quick succession. It's downhill from there, though. I couldn't make it
to the end of the development, I was so disgusted by Pizarro's
lifeless playing. 5 is no better. Verdict: Cull.

You might want to avoid his Beethoven sonata recordings on the same
label....

[snip]

Beethoven: Piano Concerti 4 and 6 (from Violin Concerto)
Berezovsky/Dausgaard (Simax)
I was prepared not to like this, given Simon's rather negative
comments about this ongoing cycle of symphonies and concerti. After
reading Tom Deacon's very positive reviews, though, I wanted to hear
it for myself. I'm glad I did, since I'm considerably more
enthusiastic about these performances than Simon is.

Simon would note that he's considerably more enthusiastic about the most
recent entries in this series than the earlier ones - indeed, he doesn't
the least bit regret buying syms 8 & 9.

Among other recentish sets of concertos you may want to avoid Barry
Douglas and may be as disappointed as I was by Brautigam's 1 & 3. You
probably won't be bored, but could be annoyed, by Mustonen and Pletnev
and, should you ever run across Pludermacher's set, will likely wish a
different orchestra and conductor were involved.

Having very much liked Nelson's Beethoven symphonies, I'm now
reconsidering his concertos with Duchable (a pianist I don't usually
much like). Anyone heard those?

Simon
.

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