Great Piano Concertos (10-CD Box Set)

"The box set Great Piano Concertos has been produced to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Naxos and draws on their extensive catalogue of concerto recordings. The recording quality varies from the older 1980�s recordings but there are some good things to enjoy in the 10 CD set particularly Idil Biret playing the two Chopin piano concerts with the Slovak State Philharmonic under Rubert Stankovsky. The two Liszt concertos with Eldar Nebolsin and the RLPO under Petrenko are also very enjoyable as is Jeno Jando playing the Grieg and Schumann concertos with the Budapest Symphony under Andr�s Ligeti. There are finer performances available in the catalogue of these works but this box set give an excellent introduction at a bargain price." --Audiophilia, May 2012

At the very heart of a concerto is the interplay and contrast of a solo instrument within a larger instrumental ensemble. The natural progression from the Baroque concerto grosso, the concerto as we know it was fully established as a concert staple in the eighteenth century, and many works dating from this period are still a key part of the repertoire today. The opportunity for dazzling virtuosic display from the soloist has resulted in the concerto becoming a vital musical force both on the concert platform and in the audience arena.

The most important composer in the development of the early piano concerto was Mozart, whose masterly compositions for the instrument paved the way for expansion of the form by composers such as Beethoven, Schumann, Brahms and Grieg. In the Romantic era, composers such as Rachmaninov and Tchaikovsky lent a distinctly Russian fluency and passion to the idiom, whilst no pianistic survey would be complete without the transcendent concertos of those great piano masters, Chopin and Liszt. The twentieth century transformed the piano concerto yet further with splendid offerings from a delicate Ravel, fiery Prokofiev and jazzy Gershwin to name but a few.

Tchaikovsky: Symphonies Nos. 1 & 6

��a young man's view of Tchaikovsky's first and last symphonies: infectious, bracing, and idealistic by turns, the results are both lively and heartfelt. This Path�tique� finale� receives a terrifying rendition; its feverish climaxes in the middle and stabbing sforzandos and pizzicatos near the end convey the pain of death more than its sense of release.� --BBC Music Magazine, November 2009 ****

 

 �Jurowski steers a marvellously lithe and clear-sighted course through this youthful canvas, with springy bass-lines, luminous textures and bracing contrapuntal vigour. Jurowski's Path�tique, too, has much to commend it� Everything is exquisitely nuanced, and Jurowski exploits an intrepidly wide range of dynamic...� --Gramophone Magazine, November 2009

�Both are exceptional performances, superbly recorded with a breathtaking range of dynamics. Taking pride of place is the wonderfully bright, buoyant account of the First Symphony... In both works, the playing of the LPO is world class.� --The Guardian, 4th September 2009 ****

Tchaikovsky & Mussorgsky: Symphony No. 2 'Little Russian', Pictures at an Exhibition

�The Musorgsky pieces are superbly performed...Bare Mountain's hair-raising opening sounding genuinely menacing rather than brash, and every cackle of the witches as impersonated by strings and woodwind brought to vivid life. Pictures, too, is a triumph, with Ravel's orchestration telling in every vignette.� --BBC Music Magazine, February 2012 *****

Gramophone Magazine Editor's Choice - March 2012

�If there's a single distinguishing feature of this generously filled disc it's Karabits's determination to convey the grass-roots spirit of the themes which breathe life into these pieces...Characteristically, he is more mindful of the pianistic cragginess of Mussorgsky's Pictures at an Exhibition than of Ravel's finesse...Karabits is big-boned and earthy, and positively encourages coarser-grained sonorities from his Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra.� --Gramophone Magazine, March 2012

�Karabits encourages the players to dig deep into the music, pounding out the rhythms sturdily, in the Tchaikovsky especially, rather than bustling ahead nervously. At 82 minutes this is a generous, as well as an enjoyable CD.� --The Observer, 30th October 2011

�Strong rhythmic definition, clarity of orchestral texture and firmly controlled impetus give the Tchaikovsky a definite boost. Karabits coaxes a ripe, full sound from the Bournemouth players and encourages broad bowings from the strings that add weight to the sonority. Equally he allows for individual instrumental colours to tell..Karabits is an inspired architect.� --The Telegraph, 11th November 2011 ****

�[it] has everything we expect from a Tchaikovsky interpreter of the Moscow school � colour, sweep, majesty, but not a whiff of indulgence. The Bournemouth orchestra responds with style and drive � all wind sections in superlative form � and a symphony that is often dismissed as a poor relation of its better known successors comes across as a masterpiece� --Financial Times, 26th November 2011 *****

Tchaikovsky 'live'

�if the bomb-proof technique, abundant temperament and innate good taste she [Nemtanu] displays here are anything to go by, she's undoubtedly a talent to monitor. A pity the close-set sound is not terribly alluring.� --Gramophone Magazine, June 2013

�friends making fine music for a great cause � and their vitality is infectious� --International Record Review, June 2013

When reading about Sarah Nemtanu�s many musical accomplishments in 2012, it is hard to believe that she is only 31 years old. At the age of 21 she became the joint leader and violin soloist of the Orchestre National de France, and in 2007 she won the French classical music industry�s Instrumental Soloist Revelation award. In 2009 she was the �real� violinist in Radu Mihaileanu�s film 'Le Concert'.

"This is one of my favourite works. The effect it had on me the first time I heard it was almost magical! I sensed I shouldn�t play it too soon; I preferred to save it for a special occasion...The special occasion has occurred. The gifted filmmaker Radu Mihaileanu was able to make the concerto his own through the sincere images and magnificent story of the film 'Le Concert', for which I had the pleasure of advising and doubling the actress M�lanie Laurent.

Mihaileanu�s favourite version for the lengthy final scene was a David Oistrakh recording with the Philadelphia Orchestra, conducted by Eugene Ormandy. I had to adapt my tempi to theirs for the film, but what a pleasure it was to follow this marvellous violinist�s lead � as far as I�m concerned, he is the greatest of them all!

After 'Le Concert' was released, and although I could have taken advantage of the film�s reputation to help my own cause, I didn�t want to record the concerto. I took the time to create my own personal rendition. As chance (or magic. . .) would have it, the concert we recorded took place on 25 April last with the Orchestre National de France conducted by Kurt Masur at the Th��tre du Ch�telet." Sarah Nemtanu