Beethoven 5 Piano Concertos Choral Fantasy by by D'Anna Fortunato, Terry Cook, Ludwig van Beethoven

Beethoven 5 Piano Concertos Choral Fantasy

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Beethoven 5 Piano Concertos Choral Fantasy

Features

Composer: Ludwig van Beethoven

Conductor: Vladimir Ashkenazy

Performer: D'Anna Fortunato, Terry Cook, et al.

Orchestra: Cleveland Orchestra

Label: Decca

Catalog Number: 21718

Audio CD (October 25, 1990)

Number of Discs: 3

Reader Reviews
Vladimir Ashkenazy's account of Beethoven's five Piano Concertos and the Coral Fantasy is pleasing on almost all accounts: he is brilliant and poetic in his interpretations; technically his performance is quite flawless, and the Cleveland Orchestra's orchestral sound is great. The Coral Fantasy is an especially entertaining piece of music, much like the finale of the Ninth Symphony, and the Cleveland Orchestra Chorus is excellent. Ashkenazy's introspective style lends itself naturally to the slow movements of the concertos, and these come off marvelously- masterfully even. However, he seems hesitant to show any kind of energy or gusto in the forte or fortissimo passages. As a result, the bravura we expect from these concertos is missing. This being said, his rendition of the fourth piano concerto is the most successful of the five, due to the more restrained quality of the work itself; conversely, the "Emperor" concerto suffers most from Ashkenazy's lack of bravura. It's as though he's afraid of harming the piano by playing too hard. Other than that, these are very satisfying recordings, and I would be able to recommend them wholeheartedly if it weren't for this one deficiency.

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