Track Listing

1. Concerto for piano, violin, cello & orchestra in C major ('Triple Concerto'), Op. 56: 1. Allegro
2. Concerto for piano, violin, cello & orchestra in C major ('Triple Concerto'), Op. 56: 2. Largo
3. Concerto for piano, violin, cello & orchestra in C major ('Triple Concerto'), Op. 56: 3. Rondo alla polacca
4. Concerto for violin, cello & orchestra in A minor ('Double'), Op. 102: 1. Allegro
5. Concerto for violin, cello & orchestra in A minor ('Double'), Op. 102: 2. Andante
6. Concerto for violin, cello & orchestra in A minor ('Double'), Op. 102: 3. Vivace non troppo

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #23525 in Music
• Released on: 1999-03-09
• Number of discs: 1
• Formats: Original recording reissued, Original recording remastered
• Dimensions: .21 pounds

Amazon.com
Among the concertos of Beethoven and Brahms, these two have always been stepchildren. One reason is their extreme difficulty; both composers were pianists, so Beethoven wrote an idiomatic part only for the piano. Brahms's friend Joseph Joachim offered advice for the violin concerto, but not for the Double Concerto, which was written as a peace offering after a falling-out. The Beethoven Triple Concerto demands utmost virtuosity, as well as intimate teamwork among the soloists, and that is exactly what these three supreme masters of their instruments bring to it. Free--indeed unaware--of technical problems, they give it a joyful, sparkling lightness. The piano ripples, the cello sings gorgeously, the violin soars ecstatically, the tone is intoxicatingly beautiful. The Finale is wistful, charming, lyrical, gently humorous; the ending is a big joke, with the cello and piano rumbling in the bass, while the violin whistles forlornly in the dark until they all join together. The Brahms is grand, majestic, dreamy, radiant, triumphant; the slow movement warm as dark velvet, the Finale genial and relaxed. Though the orchestra never covers the soloists, it explodes in the tutti passages, especially in the Beethoven, so you might keep a finger on the volume control. --Edith Eisler

Customer Reviews

Excellent versions of two famous concertos.
A wonderful version of Beethoven's Triple Concerto and Brahms' Double Concerto. These pieces are a superb coupling on one CD. David Oistrakh (violin), Mstislav Rostropovich (cello) and Sviatoslav Richter (piano) make a dynamic team with Herbert von Karajan and the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra for the Triple Concerto. All of Beethoven's passion and power shine through admirably. Again, Oistrakh and Rostropovich are in top form playing Brahms' Double Concerto, this time with George Szell and the Cleveland Orchestra.

One minor problem is the CD's engineering, which lets the players down just a little bit. "Forte" passages seem too loud, and as a result lose some of their definition. This is less of a problem in the Brahms Double Concerto.

Despite this minor shortcoming, this is definitely the best recording to own of both Beethoven's Triple Concerto and Brahms' Double Concerto.

Brahms - Double Concerto
It's interesting that there are quite a number of negative comments about this performance of the Beethoven here. I didn't dislike it, but it is true that I almost always jump straight to the Brahms' Double Concerto. The piece and the performance are beyond praise, quite frankly.

The same could be said of David Oistrakh. I know of nobody who can play Brahms and Beethoven as this Russian genius does: his performances of the violin concertos are -- adjective defying...

Do have a look at Oistrakh's performaces of Beethoven's violin concerto, either with Cluytens (perhaps not available now) or in the easily got hold of disc on Testament (Erhling). For the Brahms violin concerto there is also the other CD from EMI with Otto Klemperer from 1960, which is also great (but not a patch on this one. It does, howver an amazing performance of the Sinfonia Concertante, with Igor Oistrakh which is the stand-out performance on the CD.)

Perfect Brahms, almost perfect Beethoven
To have three of the greatest soloists of our time together in one recording is pure ecstasy. The Brahms concerto couldn't have been played finer, precise with the sweet tone of Oistakh, deep passionate playing of Rostropovich, and the outstanding conducting of Szell. There are several great recordings of the Double, like Heifetz & Piatagorsky with Sargeant, but that version is lacking the deep felt emotions felt by Oistrakh and company. The Beethoven triple, however, is not up to the same level as the Brahms. This is due largy to Herbert Von Karajan. He just doens't have what it takes to be a sympathetic accompanist. As usual, HvK has smoothened out the lines imposing that Karajan sound on the Berlin Phil. As it is well known, Richter and HvK couldn't stand each other (listen to their recording of Tchaikovsky's Piano Concerto available on DG, Richter is great, it is still a satifying recording due to the simple fact that three of the greatest soloists of our time are performing in this one recording. Reccomended!!!