Beethoven: Piano Concertos (Box Set) [BOX SET]

Leonard Rose (Performer), Ludwig van Beethoven (Composer), Eugene Ormandy (Conductor), George Szell (Conductor), Cleveland Orchestra (Orchestra), Philadelphia Orchestra (Orchestra), Eugene Istomin (Performer), Leon Fleisher (Performer), Isaac Stern (Performer)

Product Details

• Performer: Leonard Rose, Eugene Istomin, Leon Fleisher, Isaac Stern
• Orchestra: Cleveland Orchestra, Philadelphia Orchestra
• Conductor: Eugene Ormandy, George Szell
• Composer: Ludwig van Beethoven
• Audio CD (August 25, 1992)
• Number of Discs: 3
• Format: Box set
• Note on Boxed Sets: During shipping, discs in boxed sets occasionally become dislodged without damage. Please examine and play these discs. If you are not completely satisfied, we'll refund or replace your purchase.
• Label: Sony
• ASIN: B000002801
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #96,483 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Track Listings

Disc: 1

1. Piano Concerto No. 1 in C major, Op. 15: Allegro con brio

2. Piano Concerto No. 1 in C major, Op. 15: Largo

3. Piano Concerto No. 1 in C major, Op. 15: Rondo, Allegro scherzando

4. Piano Concerto No. 3 in C minor, Op. 37: Allegro con brio

5. Piano Concerto No. 3 in C minor, Op. 37: Largo

6. Piano Concerto No. 3 in C minor, Op. 37: Rondo, Allegro

Disc: 2

1. Piano Concerto No. 5 in E flat major ('Emperor'), Op. 73: Allegro

2. Piano Concerto No. 5 in E flat major ('Emperor'), Op. 73: Adagio un poco moto

3. Piano Concerto No. 5 in E flat major ('Emperor'), Op. 73: Rondo, Allegro

4. Concerto for piano, violin, cello & orchestra in C major ('Triple Concerto'), Op. 56: Allegro

5. Concerto for piano, violin, cello & orchestra in C major ('Triple Concerto'), Op. 56: Largo

6. Concerto for piano, violin, cello & orchestra in C major ('Triple Concerto'), Op. 56: Rondo alla Polacca

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

55 of 57 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Historic Recordings! A Real Touchstone!, August 18, 2003

By	D. J. Zabriskie "zabdart" (Park Ridge, NJ USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Going on 40 years since they were recorded, Leon Fleisher's collaborations with George Szell and the Cleveland Orchestra on
some of the greatest of all piano concerti, have gained legendary status among lovers of classical music... and for good
reason. This collection of the complete Beethoven cycle gives
ample proof of why this is so.
George Szell was one of the greatest of all 20th century conductors. Unfortunately, with the passing of time he has also
become one of the most overlooked. Like Toscanini and Solti, Szell was one of the last of the great Apollonarian conductors,
whose goal it was to: "Play what is written, AS it is written."
Toscanini and Solti both posessed an uncanny talent for getting
their ensembles to play "over their heads" and transcend their
individual and collective limitations. What Szell posessed was
a better ORCHESTRA. By the time of these reccordings, Szell had
built the Cleveland Orchestra into the finest in America at that
time, and one of the very finest in the world.
In Leon Fleisher, Szell found the perfect, like-minded collaborator.
These are probably the most disciplined and rigorous recordings of these great masterworks you will ever hear. In revisiting these familiar scores, Fleisher and Szell set out to discover NOT was unique or new or interesting to them, but rather what
BEETHOVEN put into them. The result is to give the listener something of invaluable beauty: the closest thing to Beethoven's
intent as is humanly possible. This is not to say these performances lack passion, intensity and emotion. Far from it!
But the passion, intensity and emotion here are simply what the music requires, nothing more. What these recordings communicate
primarily and with greatest impact is the GENIUS of Beethoven.
Only later does one become aware of the genius of the artists, in their willingness to sublimate their egos in pursuit of that goal.
There are any number of simply superb performances of these works by some of the most astounding pianists of all time, from
Josef Hoffman to Glenn Gould to Martha Argerich. All of them have their special virtues and their special pleasures. But THESE are the recordings you will compare all others to. They will form a permanent point of reference in their sobriety, their probity, their complete lack of affectation, and, ultimately, their GENIUS.

37 of 37 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One Of The Best, August 12, 2001

By	J.A. Michaelson "J.A. Michaelson" (Bay Area, CA) - See all my reviews

Sadly, the world of classical music lost the two handed playing that virtuoso pianist Leon Fleisher once offered us. Until recently, Fleisher had suffered from an ailment in his left hand which left him unable to play the piano. Luckily, the recorded legacy that he left us back in the 1960s, before he was struck with this terrible ailment, was pure musical perfection. This particular set, along with his recordings of the two Brahms piano concertos, showcase Fleisher's immense talent in its finest hour. Fleisher, backed by the great conductor George Szell and his Cleveland Symphony Orchestra, play Beethoven's five piano concertos very much as they were intended. The pieces did not the have revolutionary or romantic tendencies that many of Beethoven's symphonies and piano sonatas have. Instead, they are quite classical in their nature, and the precision and controlled emotion with which Fleisher and Szell play the concertos is very much to Beethoven's intentions. If you prefer a grander, romanticized set of Beethoven's piano concertos, this certainly is not the set for you. If you're looking for precision and just enough warmth in amazing performances of these five masterpieces that emphasize their classical elements, then these recordings are must-haves. Plus, not only do you get Fleisher and Szell playing the five piano concertos, you also get a performance of Beethoven's famous triple concerto, conducted under the baton of another great conductor, Eugene Ormandy. And though the recordings are from the '60s, their age is hardly noticible because the sound is very clear and precise. At any price, this collection would be a bargain, but for it you need only fork over just a bit over twenty dollars. Truly a bargain. This set is amazing and highly recommended.

37 of 38 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Nothing else compares, January 4, 2003

By	Todd Lifka (Spokane, WA United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I owned the recording of Piano Concert No. 5 (Emperor) on CBS tape, way back when in the 70's, and bought it again on cassette tape when the first one wore out. Then the 2nd tape wore out, and I could not find it anywhere. I had to do without for like 15 years until not too long ago, doing a search on the web, discovered that it had been reproduced on CD and owned now by Sony. I was elated to get it again.

I have listened to many artists' rendition of the Emperor and they all stink, by comparison. Fleisher's playing, along with this orchestra is nothing short of perfection!

His playing skill was phenomenal. Other artists play the piano too slowly, and miss so much of the character of the piece, because many passages need "effect" that Fleisher brings out in his performance. I cry sometimes listening to this, because of how excellent it is.

Another critic wrote about the Cleveland Orchestra and Fleisher on piano, saying that they work perfectly together, complementing one another in the most equisite ways, fully aware of one another, seeming to accent one another at perfect times, and laying back to allow each other their time of expression, also in the perfect way. He was so right in his analysis. This is as good as it gets! Buy it.