Brahms: Piano Concerto No.1 ~ Grimaud

Johannes Brahms (Composer), Kurt Sanderling (Conductor), Staatskapelle Berlin (Orchestra), Hélène Grimaud (Performer) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Performer: Hélène Grimaud
• Orchestra: Staatskapelle Berlin
• Conductor: Kurt Sanderling
• Composer: Johannes Brahms
• Audio CD (May 5, 1998)
• SPARS Code: DDD
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Erato
• ASIN: B000006CS6
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #24,074 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Piano Concerto No. 1, Op. 15 In D Minor: Maestoso

2. Piano Concerto No. 1, Op. 15 In D Minor: Adagio

3. Piano Concerto No. 1, Op. 15 In D Minor: Rondo - Allegro non troppo

4. Piano Concerto No. 1, Op. 15 In D Minor: Applause

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com essential recording

Wow! This is one hell of a performance! Grimaud has fought hard during her career not to be typecast as a "French" pianist doomed to spend her life playing cute little concertos by Saint-Saëns and keyboard fluff by Satie, and with this performance she really throws down the gauntlet. This is as classically Germanic a performance as you're likely to hear: rock solid, moderate tempos, a gorgeously modulated piano sonority, and a view of the music that perfectly balances passion with classical discipline. She is helped in no small measure by Sanderling, one of the great Brahms conductors of our day, and also by a live recording that catches the whole inspirational event on the wing. This is one of the great ones, make no mistake. --David Hurwitz

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

24 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Impressive and satisfying performance., September 12, 2000

By 

D. R. Schryer (Poquoson, VA United States) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Brahms: Piano Concerto No.1 ~ Grimaud (Audio CD)

This performance reveals a side of Brahms' 1st Piano Concerto that one does not normally hear. Most performances present the first movement as very stormy and bombastic, albeit beautifully so. Grimaud and Sanderling, however, take a somewhat slower tempo than most and, in doing so, reveal moments of lyrical tenderness that one is not used to hearing -- yet with no loss of grandeur. The second movement is appropriately lyrical but not excessively slow and the finale presents a stirring conclusion to a highly satisfying performance. Clearly Grimaud is a pianist whose work is worth following.

17 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Superb Piano Playing, October 17, 2006

By 

T. Treichler "Music enthusiast" (San Francisco) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Brahms: Piano Concerto No.1 ~ Grimaud (Audio CD)

Among my 17 versions of this concerto (including the two of Arrau, Kovacevich and Weissenberg) this ranks among the best of the crop. Unfortunately, the timpany and horn parts are way too subdued, but Grimaud's superb interpretation compensates for that. The slow tempi don't bother me. They remind me of Richter-Haaser's memorable performances of both Brahms concerti reflecting the weighty character of the piece. I recently heard Grimaud playing the concerto live with Ashkenazy conducting. The tempos were faster, baut that does not take away anything from this CD. The performance was as memorable as those live performances of Curzon, Arrau and Richter-Haaser. Grimaud is an impressive Brahms interpreter, perhaps the most outstanding one since since Julius Katchen.

10 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A must have for your collection, February 11, 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: Brahms: Piano Concerto No.1 ~ Grimaud (Audio CD)

If you like Brahms and/or just like piano repertoire, this d-minor masterpiece is a must have. And Ms. Grimaud's recording deserves to be heard as well. My favorite recording of this work so far is Alfred Brendel's. Leif Ove Andsnes has a wonderful recording as well. Be warned, some people complain that Grimaud's tempo for the 1st movement is too slow (alsmot as slow as glenn gould's infamous performance with leonard bernstein as conductor). If I could play the Brahm's concerto myself, I wouldn't play it as slow as Grimaud, but she still pulls it off very convincingly and passionately.