Customer Reviews

Piano Concertos 17 & 24

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(0)
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I agree completely with "almac1975." Concerto 17 is almost impossible to play properly, and the Previn/Boult collaboration is, if not perfect, very acceptable. Boult brings out subtleties in the strings that are rarely heard, and Previn plays with a confident lyricism that allows the listener to forget the performance and listen to the concerto. No perfect performance of the first movement, which combines puckish humor with wistful nostalgia, has ever been recorded to my knowledge. We must settle for a lucid, lyrical approach which allows the ambiguity to come in the back door, so to speak. This recording is old, the strings are somewhat scratchy, but it ranks among my top 2 or 3 recordings anyway. Well worth the reasonable price.

In his autobiography, Boult wrote of Previn's beautiful pearly touch in Mozart, and this rather unlikely collaboration of elderly, very English conductor and much younger, very American soloist gave him great pleasure. The two had never met and were brought together by the recording company for a meal at which Previn, out of deference to his distunguished colleague, unusually wore a tie. The resultant CD - from an LP issued to mark EMI's 50th. anniversary, featuring two of their foremost contract recording artistes of the time - gives the listener eqaul pleasure. Previn is absolutely excellent, producing a consistently beautiful sound, lovely phrasing and a fine sense of overall structure. Boult and the LSO accompany with great sympathy and concentration, and the disc is an absolute bargain. Very much recommended.