Track Listing

1. Piano Concerto No. 2 in G minor, Op. 16: I. Andantino
2. Piano Concerto No. 2 in G minor, Op. 16: II. Scherzo. Vivace
3. Piano Concerto No. 2 in G minor, Op. 16: III. Intermezzo. Allegro moderato
4. Piano Concerto No. 2 in G minor, Op. 16: IV. Finale. Allegro tempestoso
5. Piano Concerto No. 3 in C major, Op. 26: I. Andante - Allegro
6. Piano Concerto No. 3 in C major, Op. 26: II. Tema. Andantino [Variations: i. Li'stesso tempo ii. Allegro iii. Allegro moderato (poco
7. Piano Concerto No. 3 in C major, Op. 26: III. Allegro ma non troppo

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #186251 in Music
• Released on: 1992-10-28
• Number of discs: 1
• Dimensions: .22 pounds

Customer Reviews

Extreme Virtuosity
I'm sorry to say that I don't know much about Gutierrez, but this CD seems to say a lot. His recording of the 2nd Concerto is simply the best I have ever heard. In the cadenza of the first movement, which is probably the most difficult and longest cadenza ever written, Gutierrez plays all of the notes and gives it a drive that is just a thrill. It is hard to imagine that just two hands are playing during this cadenza! In the Scherzo, Gutierrez does a good job of capturing the capriciousness of this difficult movement, which features extremely fast jumps and requires a lot of endurance, difficulties which Gutierrez quickly overcomes. The Intermezzo is excellent, with the orchestra's truly frightening opening, while the contrasts in the Finale are breathtaking. The Cadenza in the piano in this movement is well handled by Gutierrez, who captures it's march-like nature.

The recording of the Third Piano Concerto is also excellent, although perhaps not as good as the Second, and I personally prefer Argerich or even Bronfman for this one. The collaboration with the orchestra also seems to be a bit off at times. However, for a truly magnificent rendering of the second piano concerto this CD is a great buy.

A musical rollercoaster ride
The two other reviews already given to this disc underline the most prominent quality of this disc: the first movement of the Second Concerto is absolutely breathtaking. A quiet, contemplative mood at the beginning flows into an Allegretto with a spirit of adventure, before returning to the material from the opening. But this time it's also the beginning of an extended, nearly six-minute solo piano cadenza which gradually builds intensity. The writing grows more and more complex, the difficulties pile on top of one another, until finally there is an amazingly powerful moment of release, rightly marked 'colossale' in the score. I'm usually sweating and out of breath by the time Gutierrez has finished! Finally, following a cymbal crash, the quiet mood of the opening returns, signaling the end of the drama and ending the movement in the same sorrowful mood as it began.

From there, it never gets quite as exciting again. The rest of the concerto seems a tad flat, but then again, anything would be a letdown after such a moving outflow of emotion. Furthermore, as the storm of the first movement on the disc fades into the memory, the quality of the playing sinks in that much more. The cooperation between pianist and conductor is almost telepathic. The phrasing matches, the balance is superb, and the rhythms are always exactly in synch. From beginning to end, every performer is flawless. This is an amazingly committed performance of a concerto that is still fresh, and deserves to be played more often.

The Third Concerto is not quite so fresh; there are heaps of recordings out there. My favorite is Prokofiev's own recording, available on the Naxos Historical label, which is about five minutes faster than anyone else and gleefully impetuous. The orchestra can barely keep up with his unpredictable shifts in tempo and mood. By comparison, most other recordings, including this one, sound a bit too straight and predictable. That's not to say that no one else should play it, though. What Gutierrez and Jarvi do best in this recording is underline the Latin flavor of a few specific sections. When the imperative is on the rhythm of the dance, they get it exactly right. And the perpetual-motion feeling of the finale is always a great visceral thrill - the Prokofiev Third is one of the surest ways to thrill and delight an audience, even a stuffy one like myself.

This is near the top of my playlist. Highly recommended.

Had me on the edge of my seat
The title pretty much explains itself. Horacio Gutierrez is a remarkable pianist who is not nearly as well known as he deserves to be. First of all, his performance of the Prokofiev 2nd Concerto is the best I have ever heard as well (I believe that has also been stated by the previous reviewer). He took the first movement of the 2nd Concerto very fast. The cadenza was the most exciting I have ever heard. Pretty much everything here I say is what the other reviewer has stated. As for the 3rd Concerto I personally am not as well acquainted with this concerto as I am with the 2nd but I can say I enjoyed it very much.

Five stars.