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25 of 26 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Andsnes's Great Grieg and Schumann Concerto Performances, November 26, 2003
Leif Ove Andsnes joins an already crowded field in this splendid CD, coupling the popular Grieg and Schumann piano concertos. This CD is as splendid as classic recordings of the same works by Stephen (Bishop) Kovacevich and Sir Colin Davis, Krystian Zimmerman and Herbert von Karajan and Murray Perahia and Sir Colin Davis. Regrettably, this fine EMI recording lacks the warmth I've heard in the earlier Phillips, Deutsche Grammophon and Sony (CBS) recordings I've mentioned, otherwise it would surely be regarded as the best. Andsnes offers a glowing, lyrical performance of the Grieg piano concerto that is better than his early 1990's recording made with a lesser known Norwegian orchestra and Russian conductor. His vibrant playing is well supported by conductor Mariss Jansons and the Berlin Philharmonic. Their performances can be best described as silky, smooth, rich in atmosphere and sonority. Without question this may be regarded as one of the definitive recordings of the Grieg piano concerto in the 21st Century. The Schumann piano concerto is just as fine, with more of Andsnes' lyrical, graceful playing and warm, vibrant performances from the Berlin Philharmonic; most notably its string and brass sections.
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27 of 29 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
An invaluable collaboration, April 29, 2004
Andsnes is such a pianist who can make a very striking point in his performances without ever doing `too much', a most welcome ability, particularly in pieces that sometimes fall prey to unnecessarily sluggish Romantic interpretations. The Grieg concerto can, in the wrong hands, sound like a shorter version of the saccharine Tchaikovsky B flat minor. No such things in Andsnes' performance, however. He has an impressive and authoritative command of the music and never lacks in lyricism, strength or virtuosity, yet there's nothing at all in his playing that sounds forced, exaggerated or overly aggressive. His wonderful build-up of the climax in the first movement cadenza is simply priceless. And listen to the enthusiasm with which he jumps into the third movement's main theme (also in the recap). It sounds so simple, yet the effect is marvellous. But Andsnes can also play in perfect sympathy with a conductor, as it shows here. This time, I thought the standard picture inside the booklet of pianist-and-conductor-staring-at-score was genuine. Andsnes and Jansons (who conducts the Berliner Philharmoniker) simply collaborate together perfectly. In the final for example, it seems as if both are constantly driving each other further. Jansons' BPhO also has a wonderfully rich and beautiful sound. The flutes and strings in the typically Norse theme that appears after 2'40 in the final, for instance, are marvellous. The other concerto here is the Schumann, a piece that can be treated as merely chamber music (as in the classic Richter recording). But Andsnes and Jansons choose for a more large-scale approach that fits the piece equally well, I think. In fact, it is played so well that you hardly need other performances than this. There's a great feeling for the structure: every phrase in the concerto seems to follow completely logically after the previous one. Even more importantly, the pianist and the orchestra again play as though they're speaking through one mouth. This may be even more important than in the Grieg, because I think it's mainly the *combination* of piano and orchestral sound that can make the Schumann concerto sound so special. One of my favourite moments occurs after 3'30 in the first movement, where the piano starts a rousing melody that ends in an orchestral tutti after 4'00. As played here, it is exactly the way I think it should sound, with all its amazing subtleties and poetry. This is essentially what makes the whole concerto so good: listen closely and you'll hear how precisely Andsnes and Jansons respond to each other. But in the `solo' moments they are equally impressive: listen to Andsnes' thrilling first movement cadenza or the little orchestral fugue three minutes into the final, or the wonderful tutti after 4'30, with great timpani support as well. This all makes a pretty impressive recording and a very strong coupling of the Grieg and Schumann concertos altogether. The sound is very good too, although there's some hiss in the background (may be caused by the fact that it's recorded live). Overall a simply essential disc for those who like piano concertos in general.
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23 of 25 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
BEYOND WORDS !!!, October 16, 2003
Despite the fact that there are already so many beautiful recordings available of these popular concertos (e.g. Andsnes and Katayenko's 1991 performance on Virgin Classics or Zimmerman and von Karajan on DG or Kovacevich and Sir Colin Davis on Philips), this new coupling of these so well-known masterpieces of the romantic repertoire is far beyond words, even close to immaculate perfection.The creamy, glooming and fullblooded tone of the peerless Berlin Philharmonic under Jansons opposed to the fenomenal pianistic subdued noblesse and passionate poetry of this absolutely stunning pianist,result in both an aristocratic and overwhelming outburst of pure romantic music, a truly classic interpretation. Especially the Grieg performance will become undoubtebly one of THE recordings of the century, unwrapped of all common clichés, breathing with an impressionistic glow. The cadenza in the end of the first part, astonishing. The intro of the second movement with an acquiescent and silken horn section of the Berlin Philharmonic, of a rare beauty. The climax of the slow movement,two hands of Andsnes touching the piano with a yearning and deeply moving intensity. The third movement, a pure osmosis between orchestra and soloist. This performance is really the one to have, especially on cold and sometimes sad winter eves, even when your cd compartment is already filled with two or three versions of these concertos. Music for the centuries. Even if it could be judgded that it's very difficult to surpass the legendary Richter performance of the Schumann concerto (Original recordings on DG), this live performance full of volatile and passionate outbursts opposed to the many chilled restraint passages by the orchestra and the fenomenal Andsnes again equals perfection. The EMI sound quality of this disc is impeccable, revealing every detail and every shade of these beautiful pages. Buy it. You'll never regret.
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~ Edvard Grieg
~ Sergey Rachmaninov
~ Edvard Grieg
~ Franz Liszt
~ Isaac Albeniz
by Leif Ove Andsnes 
