Track Listing

1. Piano Concerto No. 1 in G minor, Op. 25: Molto Allegro con fuoco
2. Piano Concerto No. 1 in G minor, Op. 25: Andante
3. Piano Concerto No. 1 in G minor, Op. 25: Presto - Molto Allegro vivace
4. Piano Concerto No. 2 in D minor, Op. 40: Allegro appasionato
5. Piano Concerto No. 2 in D minor, Op. 40: Adagio, Molto sostenuto
6. Piano Concerto No. 2 in D minor, Op. 40: Finale, Presto scherzando
7. Prelude & Fugue for piano in E minor/E major, Op. 35/1
8. Variations s�rieuses, for piano in D minor, Op. 54
9. Rondo capriccioso, for piano in E major, Op. 14

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #14025 in Music
• Brand: Sony
• Released on: 1990-10-25
• Number of discs: 1
• Dimensions: .22 pounds

Customer Reviews

Pianist Perahia as the Foremost Interpreter of Mendelssohn
Mendelssohn was an accomplished and quick-learning pianist who wrote many of his compositions apparently out of boredom with the repertoire of the day. The concertos on this recording show the joyousness that effuses most of his compositions, which probably went hand-in-hand with his ability to write them quickly and effortlessly. That is not to say that these works lack mastery in their conception or execution, but rather that they exhibit the free flowing of musical ideas that had not been seen in a composer since Mozart.

Pianist Murray Perahia is a specialist in the music of the classical and early romantic periods; Mendelssohn as a transitional figure between those periods is perfectly suited to his elegant and coloristic technique. He takes quick and happy tempos throughout, and, as is his trademark, Perahia never seems capable of turning out anything but beautiful phrasing. His tone is subtle but filled with great presence and no forcefulness in the attack. Rather than treat Mendelssohn as a shallow composer of salon pieces, Perahia sees in him the drama and pianistic brilliance more often associated with von Weber. These recordings of the concertos will bring joy to any listener, and most will find little room for improvement.

The Variations Serieuses in is one of the greatest works for the piano in that genre, rivalling Bach's Goldberg, Beethoven's Diabelli, Brahms's Paganinni and Handel sets, and Rachmaninoff's on a theme of Pagannini. Mendelssohn's work, however, is under-appreciated even among pianists. Its greatest invention is the complete integration of the entire work, instead of being a loose set of variations that could be re-arranged, cut, or otherwise altered by a performer. The somber key of D minor does not diminish the brilliance of many of the variations, but rather forms an introspective mood for the work. Perahia lets the piece unfold slowly and lyrically, keeping the virtuosity mostly under control until the Coda. You will be breathless by the time he plays the last note. The expansive melodic content of this work, which often carries smoothly from one variation to the next, is carefully and beautifully captured by Perahia. His performance compares favorably with other good, including De Larrocha, Brendel, and Horowitz.

The disk is rounded out by several other little vignettes, the Prelude and Fugue and the Rondo capriccioso, both in E minor. As before, Perahia demonstrates in these pieces his ability to shade and spin beautiful phrases.

I love this recording and recommend it to anyone.
If you like exhilarative, romantic piano music, then this is the CD for you.

I shall comment on the First Piano Concerto: Murray Perahia, really puts his heart and soul into this recording. The crispness and ease of the arpeggios at the beginning of the first movement really sets the concerto off wonderfully. I have listened to several recordings of this concerto and I feel that this one is by far the best. The passage leading up to Murray's solo section is delightful. He makes the piano sing and his touch and artistic feeling at that moment is something quite special.

The last movement is fiery, energetic and full of enthausiasm. This movement really gets the adrenalin pumping for me!

If you are a lover of Mendelssohn and/or romantic music, this CD is a must!

Beautiful and amazing...
Absolutely wonderful! I recomend this for anyone studying the Fist Concerto, Second or the variations! The first concerto is beyond superb and the variations surpass any previous attempts. These recordings rank with Horowitz and Hautzig!