Grieg, Schumann: Piano Concertos / Radu Lupu, André Previn [Original recording reissued, Original recording remastered]

Edvard Grieg (Composer), Robert Schumann (Composer), André Previn (Conductor), London Symphony Orchestra (Orchestra), Radu Lupu (Performer) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Performer: Radu Lupu
• Orchestra: London Symphony Orchestra
• Conductor: André Previn
• Composer: Edvard Grieg, Robert Schumann
• Audio CD (March 14, 2000)
• SPARS Code: ADD
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Original recording reissued, Original recording remastered
• Label: Decca
• ASIN: B00004C8TC
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #87,189 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

26 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Outstanding performances for both concertos, September 1, 2001

By 

pm444 "pm444" (Okemos, MI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Grieg, Schumann: Piano Concertos / Radu Lupu, André Previn (Audio CD)

Radu Lupu, the famously reclusive virtuoso, gives thrilling perfomances of these two concertos, so often paired on LP and CD. The only other recording that comes close is Kristian Zimerman with von Karajan on DG; sonically, it is marginally superior, and Zimerman's flawless technical skill and emotional intensity are beyond reproach. But there's something almost indefinable about Lupu's playing, a sort of barely-controlled passion, that puts his recording in a class by itself. Like Zimerman, he negotiates the most difficult passages with ease, not only hitting the right notes, but giving them just enough of a new interpretation to make you sit up and take notice.

But he goes further, playing familiar phrases and entire passages so that the listener hears the notes more clearly than usual, and he doesn't just do this during the big, dramatic moments. It's more than just engineering or recording balances: Lupu plays the notes with a strength that you can hear, while never seeming to hammer them out. Perhaps it's this combination of powerful playing and extreme sensitivity to the music itself that makes his performances so memorable. Whatever the case, this is a recording you can listen to over and over, each time discovering something you had not heard before, and each time marveling at the sheer beauty of the playing.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic Grieg and Schumann, May 28, 2004

By 

Prescott Cunningham Moore (San Francisco, California) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Grieg, Schumann: Piano Concertos / Radu Lupu, André Previn (Audio CD)

Radu Lupu, André Previn, and the London Symphony Orchestra give us two of the finest accounts of these great concertos. Hands down, these are marvelous interpretations.

Radu Lupu's handling of these concertos is very intelligent and passionate. Lupu is in full control of his fantastic technique, which allows him to bring a level of depth to his part that is very deep and thoughtful. Never does he simply "pound" out passages - rather, even during the most dramatic of parts, Lupu is always in total control. His power is wonderful, and he brings a full-bodied approach to the louder passages. But it's his lyric beauty that is truly astounding. Lupu's gentle touch in lighter passages is breathtaking.

Previn brings a level of understanding to his part as conductor. As a pianist himself, Previn's sympathetic and insightful interpretation never drowns out the soloist, but accompanies the piano with a high level of sensitivity. In essence, Previn knows what he is doing here, molding the LSO into the perfect companion for Lupu.

All together, these two performances are wonderful. Highly recommended.

13 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Decca delivers, April 3, 2001

By 

Judah Adashi (Baltimore, MD USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Grieg, Schumann: Piano Concertos / Radu Lupu, André Previn (Audio CD)

Decca's "Legendary Performances" line continues to mine the impressive depths of the label's back-catalogue, re-issuing timeless gems from its archival vaults. Radu Lupu has already been featured once in this series, with a poetic rendition of the Schubert Impromptus D. 899 and D. 935 from 1983 (Decca 460975). Lupu is notoriously reclusive, with both performances and recordings often few and far between. As a result, his albums are never disappointing, always enlightening, and often brilliant. This impressive disc, initially released on LP in 1973, is no exception. Lupu brings new insight to bear on these staples of the concerto repertoire, delivering the requisite virtuosity, as well as a keen sense of the finer nuances necessary to a truly well-rounded account of these masterworks. The London Symphony under Andre Previn gives a compelling performance in the excellent acoustics of Kingsway Hall; Decca's digital remastering process vividly underscores the palpable energy of the original session. Lupu is a prodigious talent: his recordings are veritable treasures, without which any collection of piano music is unquestionably incomplete.