GRIEG & SCHUMANN
Piano Concertos
 
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Classics Today.com [4/17/2000]:
Artistic Quality: 10 / Sound Quality: 8
"Claudio Arrau recorded these concertos twice for Philips, the present performances in 1963, and then again in 1980 with Colin Davis and the Boston Symphony. There's very little to choose between them. Tempos are almost identical, and contrary to what one might expect, the slow movement of the Schumann concerto is actually a bit faster in the later version. Arrau's way with the music is wholly characteristic of the man: serious, even reverential (at the beginning of the Schumann), and played with drop-dead gorgeous tone. The result enhances the stature of both works, but the Grieg in particular. The climax of the finale has an epic grandeur without a hint of bombast that you simply won't find in any other performance. Dohnányi's accompaniments are also distinguished: he lets Arrau lead but isn't afraid to permit the orchestra to assert itself where necessary; and of course the playing of the Concertgebouw is top-notch. If you haven't heard Arrau in this music, it really doesn't matter which of his recordings you wind up with, but do try to get at least one of them." --David Hurwitz

EDVARD GRIEG (1843-1907)
Piano Concerto in A minor, Op. 16
1. I. Allegro molto moderato [14:24]
2. II. Adagio [7:04]
3. III. Allegro moderato molto e marcato - Quasi presto - Andante maestoso [11:07]
ROBERT SCHUMANN (1810-1856)
Piano Concerto in A minor, Op. 54
4. I. Allegro affettuoso [16:23]
5. II. Intermezzo (Andantino grazioso) [6:10]
6. III. Allegro vivace [11:09]
Total playing-time: 66:42

Claudio Arrau, piano
Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Amsterdam
Christoph von Dohnányi

Recorded: Concertgebouw, Amsterdam, 5/1963
Art direction: Estelle Kercher, Ton Friesen
® 1963 Philips Classics Productions 
© 1989 Philips Classics Productions
Manufactured and Marketed by PolyGram Records, Inc., New York, NY. Printed in USA
PHILIPS 426 079-2