Search - Ludwig van Beethoven, Simon Rattle, Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra :: Beethoven: Piano Concerto No. 5/Piano Sonata No. 23

A lyrical rendition of Beethoven's "Emperor"

Charles F. Port | Sao Paulo, Brazil | 09/21/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Boy -- there is no accounting for taste! I love this cd, and I have several versions of the same music, including a treasured RCA vinyl disk of Cliburn with Reiner directing the CSO. I prefer this recording -- why? Listen to the Adagio -- it is just so beautiful -- the tempo and the way the orchestra plays off of Brendels queues is really about the best I have ever heard - on a high reslotion playback system, mind you. I love how Brendel intrepts the tempo of this piece, going perhaps slower and softer than I have ever heard it played before. I wasn't paying attention working with the laptop -- the music made working impossible, and the next I know I am almost crying because I never heard such pathos. This CD deserves to be in your library -- Five stars!"

You can't go wrong with this one!

Anthony J. Lomenzo | Fort Ann, New York | 05/18/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Grab this one! I mean, hey, the "Emperor" 5th piano concerto and the "Appassionata", how can you go wrong! Sidebar: It's always been a curious thing to view the Amazon vendor prices and in this particular case see how the price range can go from $1.31 to $112.99 [!] for the identical item which totally escapes me but I will confess to paying exactly $1.32 from an Amazon vendor and its condition was absolutely mint! Including the jewel cover and accompanying booklet! Plus one is getting Alfred Brendel and Simon Rattle! You just can't go wrong especially on the more realistic prices!



What's that? Well, the 5th piano concerto is my favorite although I admit to having a preference to Claudio Arrau doing it since it was, after all, his signature piece for so many years but I believe Brendel does due justice to the piece and Sir Simon does the rest with the, 'auf Deutsch', Wiener Philharmoniker.



Of the sonatas, here again, the Op. 57 "Appassionata" comes to the fore. Alas, when I play the almost serene second movement, I sometimes wish I could borrow that Muppet Show "Bust of Beethoven" [helps if you know the skit with Victor Borge and Fozzie-Bear] so that when I strike the inevitable, as Franz Liszt used to say, "uninvited guests" [sic], AKA "clinkers", and my wife makes with the Fozzie-Bear line, "Did you make a mistake?" , ahhh, the "Bust of Beethoven" could immediately pipe up for 'me' as he did for Borge [as per the skit and when Borge purposely hit the clinker in the "Moonlight Sonata"] in terms of an ad hoc defense of the errant clinker(s), to wit, "No, that's the way I wrote it!" Until then, I suppose repetition and more practice will have to suffice! ;-)



A great buy and decent sound! With booklet. On the Philips label. I only wish it was available by the same two artists and orchestra in live performance via DVD! I would purchase it in a heartbeat and add it to the DVD recital collection!





Doc Tony





[and then ... suddenly ... ]



The "Bust of Beethoven" [in that same voice (Jerry Nelson)]: "So ask for it in DVD, Dümmling!"



Jawohl!"