Beethoven's Complete Piano Concertos ¥152.15 Purchase
In the time of Mozart and Beethoven, it was possible to write piano concertos in Vienna, the center of European music, and to be able to demonstrate the skills of playing piano and composing orchestral music at the same time, not only to establish a stable foothold for musicians, but also to secure a stable source of income.
At the same time, the development of music entered the classical period, the sonata form was established, and the piano concerto has gradually moved away from the style of the Baroque period, and the composer's personal proposition can be fully expressed in a clear format.
Beethoven wrote the ornamentation for the concerto, restrained the degree of improvisation by the soloist, and the orchestral symphonic character of the accompaniment was gradually established, due to the improvement of piano manufacturing technology, the volume and expression amplitude were enough to keep pace with the orchestral music, and the expressive power of the orchestral music must be richer and stronger, which is also an important influence of Beethoven's piano concerto for similar works in later generations.
Among Beethoven's five numbered piano concertos, Nos. 1 and No. 2 clearly inherit the tradition of Mozart and Haydn, and their artistic expression pursues a kind of harmony and beauty in balance.
The Piano Concerto No. 3 in C minor is full of tragedy and heroism, and the dramatic conflict of Beethoven's personality begins to emerge, and the piano is endowed with obvious passion, which is a sign that Beethoven is truly beginning to mature.
The Piano Concerto No. 4 in G major is vivid, rich, large-scale, and rigorously conceived, adding to the contrast between femininity and masculinity, and is distinguished by the delicate and profound singing of the piano part, while the orchestra is more dynamic, comparable to his symphonies.
The Piano Concerto No. 5 in E flat major, due to the accentuation of cadenzas and orchestral effects, makes the whole work a portrayal of high emotions and heroic passion, shining with brilliant and dazzling beauty.
These five concertos, especially the last three, opened the way for the development of the Romantic concerto.
In the second half of the 20th century, Gilles was undoubtedly an important representative of the Russian musicians who were known for his interpretation of Beethoven's works, who systematically played all of Beethoven's piano concertos for a long time, and left many studio and live recordings, and Beethoven's piano sonatas, which he could not fully record due to his death in the middle and later stages of his career, are also treasures that have been praised for many years.
Gilels' interpretation of Beethoven's piano works is absolutely convincing both technically and musically, and his captivating performance impresses on the one hand with its deep resonance with the composer's soul and focus on the heart of the work, and on the other hand, with its meticulous craftsmanship, perfect touch and interpretation full of power and beauty, allowing fans to delve into the world of Beethoven's music.
Of course, this interpretation also applies to the interaction between the piano soloist and the conductor and the orchestra, and in his Beethoven musical world, the composition, the composition and the interpretation form a beautiful unity.
Beethoven's Five Piano Concertos & Three Variations were recorded by Gilles at EMI in 1968 with the George Searle Cleveland Orchestra.
"This recording is as we were expecting, full of powerful and tight performances, with the clarity and variety of Gilles' playing that continues to surprise the whole performance." —Gramophone magazine
The back cover of the album mentions that the five piano concertos were recorded in two years, Nos. 2, 4, and 5 in 1968, and the 1st, 3rd and 3rd Variations were recorded in 1970 (the year George Searle died), including 32 variations WoO 80, 12 variations WoO 71, and six variations Op. 76. Paul Myers, the record producer of CBS Records, was hired to lead the three recording engineers to complete the recording in Severance Hall.
George Searle, who has always been known as a "stern faction" in the conducting world, often faces the members of the orchestra with the image of a "cold-faced tyrant", but it is precisely because of his "strictness" that he turned the tide and successfully led the Cleveland Orchestra into the ranks of the "five major symphony orchestras" in the United States, so music fans consider this to be the most important and outstanding contribution in his life, and for the Cleveland Orchestra, Searle is an important contributor to the creation of the orchestra's "second golden age".
Moreover, Georges Searle, who was professionally trained in the German-Austrian system, has a very incisive understanding and mastery of the works of composers of various styles in the German-Austrian system, such as: Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, Wagner, Richard Strauss and Mahler, etc., are all "blockbuster masterpieces" on his program.
What happens when a pianist, who seems restrained but actually has a steely touch, meets another conductor who is known for his rigorous training? This album of Beethoven's "Five Piano Concertos & Three Variations" is the best testimony to the historical moment of the two.
Prior to their collaboration, George Searle had already recorded Beethoven's Piano Concertos with Leon Fleisher (1959-1961), while Giillers had already recorded Beethoven Piano Concertos with Andre Vandernoot, Andre Cluytens, and Leopold Ludwig. Both of them are very familiar with these five piano concertos, and they both have their own opinions, but fortunately, they work together quite naturally and harmoniously.
In the album, a single piano concerto No. 5 "The Emperor" is enough to make you "feast your ears". Guilels' trademark and powerful playing style is quite in keeping with the image of Beethoven in the hearts of music fans, and his ability to play to the highest level is enough to fascinate mesmerizing.
Gilels plays Piano Concerto No. 3 with the most rustic technique and the most limited rationality and playing technique, and Searle conducts the concerto of the Cleveland Orchestra to be completely in harmony with Girels, in equal dialogue. In addition to this recording, they also have a live recording of the two working together in Salzburg on 24 August 1969, but the orchestra was the Vienna Philharmonic.
The Gilels+Searle + Cleveland Orchestra is a combination of grandeur and deep humanity, and their performances of Beethoven's works have been at the heart of their careers.
Gillers' piano performance is highly controlled and bright, while Searle himself is committed to faithfulness to the original in rehearsals, performances, and recordings, and the orchestra follows Searle's ideas at every turn.
In this ensemble, you can hear Beethoven's works that are authentic, rigorous and delicate.