Piano Concerto 2

Johannes Brahms (Artist), Richard Strauss (Artist), George Szell (Artist), Eugene Ormandy (Artist), Rudolf Serkin (Artist), Cleveland Orchestra (Orchestra), Philadelphia Orchestra (Orchestra) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Orchestra: Cleveland Orchestra, Philadelphia Orchestra
• Audio CD (October 19, 1993)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Sony
• ASIN: B0000028X7
• Also Available in: Audio Cassette
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #26,730 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Piano Concerto No. 2 in B flat major, Op. 83: Allegro non troppo

2. Piano Concerto No. 2 in B flat major, Op. 83: Allegro appassionato

3. Piano Concerto No. 2 in B flat major, Op. 83: Andante

4. Piano Concerto No. 2 in B flat major, Op. 83: Allegretto grazioso

5. Burleske for piano & orchestra (or 2 pianos) in D minor, o.Op. 85 (TrV 145, AV 85)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars masterfull chemistry at the service of brahms, June 11, 2000

By 

demien (U.S.A.) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Piano Concerto 2 (Audio CD)

Serkin and Szell had a chemistry that resulted in interpretations that transformed the listener into that composers world. This dedication was not at the service of their egos but to the composer. This recording represents this kind of miracle. The first movement conveys feelings of passion,contentment,and triumph. The second movement conveys feelings of a struggle and fight. This is music representing humankinds challenge to face and triumph over our adversaries. The movement ends in a explosion of victory. The third movement represents a feeling of loneliness and longing. A wish from the heart to fill that void within. The fourth movement represents complete contentment and joy. Serkin and Szell bring forth each movement with a combination of intellect and heart. Precision of ensemble and dedication to the composers magnificent score are in sync. This is one of the greatest interpretations alongside Richter/leinsdorf and barenboim/barbirolli. This recording transforms us into another world and for a moment our troubles are non-existent.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars My all time favorite Brahms PC #2., January 26, 2004

By 

Jeffrey Lee (Asheville area, NC USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Piano Concerto 2 (Audio CD)

The years come and go and I still find this performance by Rudolf Serkin and George Szell the most satisfying Brahms Second Piano Concerto I've ever experienced. Serkin simply exhibits an expressive rightness with textures, rhythms and overall dynamics. He is matched dead on by Szell and his Clevelanders who reveal in glowing fashion Brahms' colorful and rich sonorities. Together, conductor and pianist combine to offer a near ideal sense of musical synergy. Moments like the opening passage for horn and the wonderful cello theme of the third movement are rendered in an exalted, sensitive manner. A style of rapt play is particularly noteworthy in that third movement where Serkin and Szell's strong yet melodic approach projects a canvas of tonal splendor. The last movement has a satisfying sense of flow right to the emphatic final chords. One of the classic interpretations of this piece along with another superb performance featuring Gilels/Reiner on RCA. I also consider the performance by two Eugenes--Istomin and Ormandy--a very fine one, though I am not aware if it was ever transferred from lp to cd.

The Strauss Burleske, more of a semi-bravura piece, which sounds like a composition for the cinema, is well played by Serkin, Ormandy and the Philadelphians, however I would have preferred Szell's take on Brahms' Academic Festival Overture, or perhaps one of Dvorak's colorful overtures...A final note: The same performance of the Brahms Second Piano Concerto with Serkin/Szell is available, by itself, on Sony's Great Performances series at a higher price. Though the sound on that disc is fine, that provided on this Sony Essential Classics disc is marginally more alive. But, if you want to judge for yourself, simply listen to Amazon's excerpts from each and compare them.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars De lo mejor..., December 15, 2004

By 

felipe "classic" (Chile) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Piano Concerto 2 (Audio CD)

George Szell un gran director no tan popular, ya saben desplazado por la fama de Bernstein y Karajan, que realizo grabaciones impecables de las mejores obras de la musica clasica.
El concierto N°2 es solemne, sutil, imponente, vigoroso y muy afectivo, notaran ese impresionante preimer movimiento donde la orquesta sutilmente suena dando la partida a un piano sutil, pero de a poco va ganando fuerza y nos encontramos de pronto en medio de una majestuosidad pocas veces escuchada es de verdad un inicio grandioso de ahi todo es genial.
La interpretacion de Serkin es sorprendente, se esmera para hacernos vibrar, es delicado y pulcro, y tambien virtuoso y energico. Serkin tiene un sinnumero de grabaciones asi lo pueden disfrutar en Piano concerto N°5 emperador con Bernstein, Mendelssohn piano concertos 1 y 2, Schumann Koncerstuck(Ormandy)y muchas otras mas como Mozart o Beethoven.
Añadimos a este CD Burleske una versatl pieza musical de Strauss que sobresale por su innovadora tematica y por la genial interpretacion de Serkin y Ormandy.
Asi disfruten de un CD incomparable con un concierto soberbio, imperdible.