Tschaikowsky: Piano Concertos 1 & 2 / Cherkassky, Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra

Tschaikowsky: Piano Concertos 1 & 2 / Cherkassky, Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra | Pyotr Il'yich Tchaikovsky, Leopold Ludwig, ... | Classic Mono Tchaikovsky

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Tschaikowsky: Pian...

	Tschaikowsky: Piano Concertos 1 & 2 / Cherkassky, Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra Pyotr Il'yich Tchaikovsky, Leopold Ludwig, ... Deutsche Grammophon, 1999 average customer review:based on 3 reviews view larger image
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Marvelous Performances

I have quite a few recording by Shura Cherkassky but I was prompted to buy this one after hearing the last two movements of the Tchaikovsky Second Piano Concerto played on the radio. I thought that the playing of the concerto was very different from what I had heard before and found it daring and exciting. Then, it was revealed who the pianist was and I was hooked.

For some listeners Shura Cherkassky will take some getting used to since he comes from the Romantic school of pianists who believed that the player was equally as important to the performance of music as the composer. This idea changed around the 1930s when the pianist was seen more as a performer and less as an interpreter. Mr. Cherkassky was somewhat unpredictable in his choice of tempi and on more than one occasion a concerto performance would find the Cherkassky and the orchestra in different places.

The two recording here are among Shura Cherkassky's best; his keyboard work is dazzling and in both the Tchaikovsky First and Second concerti he is well-supported by the Berlin Philharmonic. The Second Piano Concerto has had its supporters and detractors over the years but I have always found it stimulating and an antidote to the over-played First concerto. Shura Cherkassy plays the edition by Alexander Siloti which made some substantial cuts from Tchaikovsky's original version. I find the original edition preferable and can recommend the recording by Peter Donohoe. The sound is good but these are mono recordings so the engineering will not come up to current standards; however I would not want to be without these performances and the ear will adjust to the sound quality. A nice disc at a nice price.

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Classic Mono Tchaikovsky

I am delighted that some of the mono treasures in the Deutsche Grammophon vaults have been released in the "DG Originals" series, in spite of the fact that they probably won't sell very well. This CD finds the great pianist Shura Cherkassky performing Tchaikovsky's first two Piano Concertos. Piano Concerto No. 1 is with the Berlin Philharmonic under Leopold Ludwig and dates from 1955, while the 2nd Concerto is from 1951 and also with Berlin, but conducted by Richard Kraus. Both Concertos are recorded in mono, with the 1st sounding as good as most early stereo recordings. It is a fine performance for sure, but I would still have to rank it below my personal favorite accounts by Cliburn/Kondrashin, Pennario/Leinsdorf and Graffman/Szell. The 2nd Concerto is a horse of a different color altogether -- it is quite possibly the worst follow-up in the history of music. This is in no way Cherkassky's fault, he can only play the hand he was dealt, and he does a masterful job with what he has been given. No, this is Tchaikovsky's doing, as the master of memorable melody can't come up with a single ear-catching phrase in the whole Concerto. It is easy to see why all the great pianists record the 1st, yet no one touches the 2nd. At least Cherkassky gave it a try.

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You get what you pay for

The music is fantastic--it is Tschaikowsky, after all. I love these 2 concertos and I do listen to them all the time. My only problem with this cd is that it sounds more bassy than it should, which makes some parts difficult to hear. The volume is all over the place; I constantly have to readjust it. You get what you pay for, though, as this is an inexpensive cd.

Tracks
Concerto For Piano And Orchestra No. 1 In B Flat Minor Op. 23: 1. Allegro non troppo e molto maestoso - Allegro con spirito | Concerto For Piano And Orchestra No. 1 In B Flat Minor Op. 23: 2. Andantino semplice - Prestissimo | Concerto For Piano And Orchestra No. 1 In B Flat Minor Op. 23: 3. Allegro con fuoco | Concerto For Piano And Orchestra No. 2 In G Major Op. 44: 1. Allegro brillante e molto vivace | Concerto For Piano And Orchestra No. 2 In G Major Op. 44: 2. Andante non troppo | Concerto For Piano And Orchestra No. 2 In G Major Op. 44: 3. Allegro con fuoco

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