Customer Reviews

Beethoven, Mozart & Brahms Piano Concertos

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Maurizio Pollini, Jascha Heifetz and Herbert von Karajan are united by some of the strangest criticisms ever lobbed at artists of their stature: they are too good, too cool, too perfect, too detached, too brilliant, too remote und so weiter. Presumably, perfection is to be striven for but never achieved! George Bernard Shaw once suggested that Heifetz deliberately flub notes occasionally to prove his humanity. I assume Heifetz's eventual demise was proof enough of his mortality, even for Mr. Shaw! Yes, Pollini is a Pianist of remarkable brilliance. But he is hardly remote. And if he doesn't linger over every note with exagerated rubato, tears sloshing over the keys of his Steinway, he does something even more effective. He plays the notes as written! With passion, fire and intelligence. And this two DVD set is all the evidence you'll need.

The first disc presents Beethoven's Third and Fifth Piano Concertos with Mr. Pollini accompanied by the fabulous Vienna Philharmonic under the baton of Karl Bohm. These performances are tight; the VPO sounding gorgeously lush, silky and burnished like a Victorian library with oak-paneled walls and plush velvet chairs. Their sound is unique, attributed to the age and hand-made quality of their instruments. Karl Bohm's funky Landler persona and Maurizio Pollini's Italianate and aristocratic playing are a fascinating mix. They give the Beethoven Concertos a mixture of serenity and power so appealing that I replayed the disc immediately. These performances all date from the late 1970's so Pollini adds some youthful bravado to his interpretation.

The second disc features Mozart's Piano Concertos Nos. 19 and 23. If you know these works, you probably love them as much as I do. These are the only Mozart Concertos Pollini has commited to disc thus far; their rarity heightens the sense of occasion one feels. The VPO under Bohm have these works in their bones, so perfect do they sound! Pollini plays them elegantly, with precision and grace. The crystal clarity of the DTS 5.1 sound highlights the beauty of the woodwinds in these lovely instrumental Operas. I replayed them immediately, as well.

The last work on Disc 2 is the Brahms four movement Second Piano Concerto, conducted by Claudio Abbado. This darkly Romantic masterpiece is given a passionate reading, fiery yet lyrical. Less autumnal than most, it is here that the mixture of Italy and Austria is most evident. The melodic lines are long and song-like; less melodrama than one hears under Von Karajan, for example. Pollini attacks the keys and by the work's conclusion is sweat-soaked. Hardly a lack of passion, if judged strictly on visual evidence! A fine performance of a truly magnificent Concerto.

If replaying DVD's is an indication of how a performance has inhabited one's soul, then this two DVD set has erected a condo in mine! Definitely a self-recommending release. If you respond to superbly aristocratic and (yes) passionate Piano playing, you will probably treasure it as I do. My strong recommendation for an important DVD set from Maurizio Pollini, the Vienna Philharmonic, Karl Bohm, Claudio Abbado and DGG.

I really enjoyed this DVD. It contains a collection of some of the most beautiful piano concertos played by the renowned Italian pianist Maurizio Pollini. The visual aspect of this DVD is not that spectacular, you just see an orchestra with pianist performing the work, no audience. However, for you pianists out there, enough shots of the hands, great learning stuff. These are obviously the best performances of these concertos available on DVD. I feel that there are maybe better performances available on cd,like Zimerman/Bernstein for the Brahms, Michelangeli for the 3rd Beethoven, Anda for Mozart. The Emperor however is one of the best available.

I really enjoyed this DVD, you can't go wrong buying it, great value! Enjoy.

Maurizio Pollini's late 1970s film recordings of Beethoven Piano Concertos 3 and 5; Mozart Piano Concertos 19 and 23; and Brahms Piano Concerto 2 have it all: great pianism, beautiful playing by the Vienna Philharmonic, magnificent conducting by Karl Bohm (Beethoven, Mozart) and Claudio Abbado (Brahms), all adding up to one thing: a beautiful experience. These DVDs are a feast for the ears: great audio, and the eyes: great video. The 1970s Unitel films used in this DG release have held up very well in the vaults: there are no glitches or imperfections in the picture. The camera work is also excellent, and serves the music being performed.

In my perception, Pollini plays all the concertos here with an Italian grace and charm, relying more on Classical elements and a "lean" approach, than a more Romantic, heavy handed approach, especially in the Beethoven and Brahms works. I think also the sound of the Bohm-led items is slightly fuller bodied than Abbado's Brahms, but the sound in all 5 Concertos is very good.

For about $30.00, you can't go wrong with this release. Pollini's playing is beyond reproach, and to see the Vienna Philharmonic musicians playing is wonderful, too. There is no audience, and the recording venue: Vienna's Musikvereien, has wonderful acoustics - one of the best concert halls in the civilized world. It was worth alot to me to see Karl Bohm smile at Maurizio Pollini at the beginning of I, of Mozart's Piano Concerto 19 with it's humorous, scherzo like theme which begins the concerto. Highly recommended!

We have here one of the very finest orchestras, under the baton of one of the very finest conductors, in sublime communion with one of the greatest of pianists, performing some of the best works of the greatest composers, and altogether presented in superb sound and video.

So then...additional notes:

1) Pollini becomes a genuine prodigy whenever the the music engulfs his fears (usually in the second and third movements).

2) Every Adagio is sublime and good for your heart.

3) The Maestro Bohm and the Vienna Philharmonic sincerely love one another and you can tell.

Very highly recommended.

I've just watched the Mozart A Major Concerto from this DVD set. Pollini plays like an angel from heaven. Perfection. Piano playing this good I almost thought couldn't exist in reality, but here it does. I cannot understand those who say Pollini is too cool, unemotional, etc. While it is true that he never loses his composure for an instant, his playing is, in my opinion, full of feeling and the subtle nuances of a master. Throughout the viewing I had the feeling that something great was happening, and in the middle I had the feeling that music is a very special thing on this planet, that it comes from a higher realm. That it exists as a transport between this earth plane and higher levels of consciousness and reality. A performance that can make me feel that is very special to me.

Maurizio Pollini is the best pianist lived, and maybe the best of the XX Century.

The emperor is wonderfull with Pollini's hands! So many details that only can be listened with Maurizio Pollini.

DVD arrived in New condtion. The recording is superb as are the performances, it is like being a "live" performance with the very best seats in the house. I only wish they had more DVD recordings like this one.

Many other top pianists have made recordings of these works shown in this dual set. Even so, not all top performances were recorded on DVD or VHS. A pity that Wilhelm Kempff's immaculate set of Beethoven concerti with Paul van Kampen (I would not care for his later set with Leitner, though, which is incomparable to the ones now under review) weren't committed to visual recordings. If people have had the chance to see Kempff on stage, perhaps they would level criticisms of 'mannerism' - on record, Kempff's performances were marked by excessively dramatic bodily movements. Nothing, however, could bear evidence that such movements were faked.
If you would but consider the fact that each and every pianist is unique and has his/her own performance style, there really is nothing to 'criticise' about in terms of demeanour.
That said, the young Maurizio Pollini (mid-30's in these recordings) had a most noble demeanour at the pianoforte. May be this is the reason why there are SO many PROFESSIONAL pianists criticising him for being 'cold', 'aloof', even 'souless'.
These criticisms from professionals can simply be disregarded. They stem from nothing but sheer jealousy.
For critics to so respond, the problem lies in the 'contamination by melodramatic performances' that abound the performance arena that must have drowned most critics, if not all. Monkey shows, excessive bodily movements, facial expression contamination, acrobatic showmanship, you name it, proved to be popular EVEN among those with lessor musicality.
Too sad. Kempff would probably have been termed 'showman' (though he never was one)had he been seen today by the grossly uninformed critic. And the noble and highly romantic Pollini termed 'robotic' by the near deaf.
Back to the works. The Mozart No. 23's second movement must be seen to be believed. Pollini and Boehm's firm reign over the VPO evoked the BEST ever performance heard on recording of this movement. It is an other-worldly performance of the most lyrical and romantic work composed by Mozart for the piano.
The Beethoven No. 3 Concerto that opened the first disc, as well as the No. 5 Concerto 'Emperor' demonstrate that the pianist's greatest interpretive strength lies in these Viennese masters. Without any pyro-technical constraint, it was possible for Pollini to concentrate on the music itself. The support by Boehm and the VPO exceeded that of his later performance by the BPO under Abbado.
The Brahms No. 2 Concerto with Abbado is the first recording of Pollini with this conductor. The two already worked as hand in glove during this early period. If only the No. 1 Concerto with Boehm was also included in this set!
All in all, 5 immaculate performances of 5 great piano concertos.

Every new release on DVD by Deutsche Grammophon is an occasion for discovering or rediscovering some of the most interesting moments in the history of recorded music. In this case we have three great artists like Maurizio Pollini, Karl Böhm and Claudio Abbado, joining a top class orchestra, the Wiener Philharmoniker in concerts that are not really live recordings, even you can watch them filmed and playing on the stage of the wiener Musikverein. If fact there's no public in that moment and the recording is really an studio recording shot by Unitel. We knew some of these versions, like the Beethoven with Karl Böhm.

Even having those wonderful players, I could not give five stars because I really have another favourite performances for every concert. In Beethoven I really prefer Barenboim's playing in his own conducting recordings with the Berliner Philharmoniker (EMI) or the same pianist with Otto Klemperer for EMI too. In Mozart the question is much more complex, because of the style you play that composer, on authentic instruments or in a much more romantic style. Hogwood with authentic instruments and again Barenboim (Teldec better than EMI) are my options. For Brahms' Second Concerto I really prefer Bernstein with Krystian Zimerman and this same orchestra in a live performance that's really a glory of brahmsian sound (DG). Barenboim, one more time, could be a good chance too, conducted by Barbirolli (EMI) on CD or Celibidache (Teldec) in video, not still on DVD.

If I choose those artists for those concerts is not because Pollini doesn't play very well, wonderfully some times, but his style is, in my opinion, much more better for XXth Century repertoire as for some other pieces of the same composers, like Beethoven's late piano sonatas. Anyway, this DVD offers very remarkable interpretations with two batons that know very well the composers they are conducting. Böhm long term relation with Beethoven and Mozart is well known, and even the Wiener of the `70s and `80s is the best orchestra he conducted in those years, maestro's tempi and freshness was not that required for Mozart, and even for Beethoven sometimes. Abbado was in his best moment in the `70s and `80s, his conducting of Brahms' concerto is very good, but a bit cold, like some of Pollini's performances, not really very warm. Both artists have recorded this concert again with criteria very close to those we listen in this concert.

The sound is good and the shooting is really well done too, really a good Unitel Work, better than Mahler's symphonies by Bernstein in sound and image.

So, we have a great DVD, with wonderful players and wonderful works, that really worth if you want to watch and listen those pieces probably in some of the best performances on DVD. Anyway, if you want to discover another possibilities you try another performances on CD too.

If you don't know these pieces very well, this might be the perfect set for you. Pollini plays flawlessly, with the greatest finesse and sensitivity, very much in tune with each composer's personal style. His performances are exemplary in every respect. The video and audio are quite acceptable, given their 1970s vintage. Böhm and Abbado are at home in this repertoire, and the Wiener Philharmoniker in excellent form, notwithstanding a few strange noises coming from the horns. These are not live performances--no audience is present--perhaps they were filmed at dress rehearsals. If you are, on the other hand, really familiar with these concertos, you may be somewhat disappointed. Pollini is not the reason, as he finds original insights in each score. Böhm, on the other hand, is so much steeped in routine and the Austrian Kapellmeister tradition that he seems unable to shed any new light on the orchestral parts. True, they are perfectly played, if you don't mind his "Viennese" sugarcoating of Mozart. But there are no surprising highlights (many passages in the woodwinds could shine forth, instead they are drowned by the strings, the brass are tame etc.), very few individual accents are produced, and the orchestral accompaniment is occasionally bland to the point of being generic. The best of the lot is the Beethoven 5, which the Philharmoniker must have played dozens of times with other conductors, and here Böhm pretty much gives them free rein. I have often wondered how Böhm acquired his reputation of greatness: drilling an orchestra to perfection does not amount to breathing life into the score. Abbado does infinitely better with his temperamental, often fierce realization of the score, and you will be fascinated by the powerful give and take and the often furious interplay between soloist, conductor and orchestra in the Brahms. This is a truly great performance.