Martin Helmchen, Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin & Andrew Manze – Beethoven: Pianos concertos 1 & 4 (2020) [Official Digital Download 24bit/96kHz]

Martin Helmchen, Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin & Andrew Manze – Beethoven: Pianos concertos 1 & 4 (2020)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/96 kHz | Time – 01:09:36 minutes | 1,18 GB | Genre: Classical
Studio Masters, Official Digital Download | Front Cover | © Alpha Classics

As the celebration of the 250th anniversary of Beethovens birth approaches, and following a much-admired version of the Diabelli Variations (Alpha 386 Gramophone Editors Choice), Martin Helmchen has decided to record his complete piano concertos in the company of musical partners with whom he has a special affinity, Andrew Manze and the Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin. They devote this first volume to the Concertos nos. 2 and 5, giving lovingly polished performances of these two masterpieces of the piano repertory. Composed even before Concerto no. 1, the Second Concerto was premiered in Vienna in 1795, when Beethoven was only twenty-five years old, but underwent several revisions before being published in its final version in 1801. Concerto no. 5 is the last that Beethoven composed. Though completed in 1808, it was not premiered until 1811. Beethoven normally gave the first performance of his concertos himself, but this time his increasing deafness meant he was unable to do so.

Beethoven’s Piano Concertos are a precious source for understanding the history of the practice of this instrument, which, in the early nineteenth century, permanently replaced the harpsichord in the hearts of composers. Thus one can still hear the galant influence of Mozart in the First Concerto (1795-1800), whereas the Fourth (1805-06) reveals the introspective personality, at once vigorous and generous, of a Beethoven at the height of his artistic maturity. In the second instalment of his recording of the complete concertos, the German pianist Martin Helmchen performs these two contrasting works with Andrew Manze and the Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin.

Tracklist:
1. Martin Helmchen, Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin & Andrew Manze – Piano concerto No. 1 in C Major, Op. 15: I. Allegro con brio (15:10)
2. Martin Helmchen, Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin & Andrew Manze – Piano concerto No. 1 in C Major, Op. 15: II. Largo (10:26)
3. Martin Helmchen, Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin & Andrew Manze – Piano concerto No. 1 in C Major, Op. 15: III. Rondo. Allegro (09:12)
4. Martin Helmchen, Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin & Andrew Manze – Piano concerto No. 4 in G Major, Op. 58: I. Allegro moderato (18:58)
5. Martin Helmchen, Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin & Andrew Manze – Piano concerto No. 4 in G Major, Op. 58: II. Andante con moto (05:21)
6. Martin Helmchen, Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin & Andrew Manze – Piano concerto No. 4 in G Major, Op. 58: Rondo. Vivace (10:25)

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