Search - Bela Bartok, Michael Gielen, Vienna Pro Musica Orchestra :: Bartok: Piano Concertos 2 & 3

These recordings first appeared on an early Vox stereo LP. Gyorgy Sándor was already well known as a Bartók player (and as a pupil of the composer), but this was one of Michael Gielen's first recordings. He did wonders whipping the scrappy Viennese orchestra into shape and providing strong support for the very difficult Second Piano Concerto, which is still one of its outstanding recordings. The CD is inexpensive, but it would have been a better bargain had it also included the First Concerto, which Sándor recorded at about the same time with a different conductor. Still, with Sándor playing, it's authentic Bartók. --Leslie Gerber