Beethoven & Hummel: Works for Mandolin & Piano

Advantages: dynamic and gripping
Disadvantages: none

...Fantastic to have another additional collection of all five of Beethoven's piano concerti. Spanning his life we can really get to grips with his evolving use of the orchestra in these works. From the Third's action packed finale to the Fourth's beautiful expressions to the grandeur of the much loved Fifth. The playing is precise, dramatic and full of energy; as indeed it should be. Aimard's playing is always well crafted and beautifully shaped. This is an insightful disk and has taken the musicians an awful lot of hard work. A must-have for any lover of Beethoven's piano music. If you usually go for his chamber music or string quartets why not branch out and explore Aimard's wonderful take on these concerti? Well worth buying and indeed an inspiration for myself and other pianists alike.... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average somewhat helpful

Advantages: One of Beethoven's finest symphonies.
Disadvantages: None from me, but some will say "classical music is boring".

...THE END OF AN ERA 1812 can be seen as the markerpoint where Beethoven's middle-period came to an end and his late-period was ushered in. Beethoven's middle-period saw the composer at his most creative high with one masterpiece following the other in rapid succession. The beginning of this period can roughly be timed as starting in 1803 with the appearance of the Third Symphony "Eroica" and the "Kreutzer" sonata. These two works signalled Beethoven distinctly leaving the 18th century Classicism of Haydn and Mozart behind him and taking on a completely new and individual voice. This individuality became more and more apparent in the works that followed: the "Waldstein" and "Appassionata" piano sonatas, the "Razumovski" quartets, the Violin Concerto, the three last cello sonatas, the "Archduke" piano trio, Fidelio, the Fifth and Sixth... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful

Advantages: a new take on a familiar warhorse
Disadvantages: is it worth full price?

...even the piano, Beethoven was, after all, a pianist himself and hated to see a good tune go unplayed by himself) but after a while, when the first shock wears off, the thing actually works quite well. Pletnev did have to make concessions, of course, a little transposition here, a minor rewrite there, but on the whole Beethoven's Clarinet Concerto (as the booklet cheerfully bills it)is a totally credible addition to the repertoire. It comes too late, unfortunately, for the great Gervase de Peyer, but it will be snapped up quite happily by the likes of Sabine Meyer and other relative youngsters. That said, I suspect the names Pletnev and Collins made it imperative for this recording to be issued on a full-price luxury label like DG. As a curiosity (which it will always be, in spite of its quality) it might have more logically appeared... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful