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 - attacca:
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: #143424 in Music
• Released on: 2005-03-08
• Number of discs: 1
• Dimensions: .23 pounds

Customer Reviews

The Greatest Triple-Double Returns
Deutsche Grammophon seemed to have forgotten about its single disc "Originals" line recently, concentrating instead on reissuing titles via the "Original Masters" boxed sets and "Musik...Sprache der Welt" series (see my reviews). But all that has changed with a recent batch of ten titles, most of which simply are must buys. One of those essential discs is this one -- the Beethoven Triple Concerto and Brahms Double Concerto conducted by the great Ferenc Fricsay leading his beloved Berlin RSO. Fricsay is joined on the 1960 performance of the Triple by pianist Geza Anda, cellist Pierre Fournier and violinist Wolfgang Schneiderhan, and on the 1961 Double again by Schneiderhan this time with cellist Janos Starker. This pairing appeared on CD previously in the early 1990s (and the Triple has been available on a variety of Beethoven comps), and it is a logical reissue to compete with the Karajan/Szell title in EMI's GROTC series. And as celebrated as the EMI title is, in many ways I prefer these recordings as the conductor, orchestra and soloists achieve far greater harmony and unison here, particularly in the Triple. I still have a soft spot in my heart for Oistrakh's accounts with Sargent & Galliera (on an EMI Import Double Forte), but overall this would have to be my first choice recommendation.

Remastered from Vinyl?
Unless my ears deceive me, the Beethoven was remastered from vinyl; in the quieter passages one can discern what sound like little clicks and pops. Even so, the sound is astonishgly good, on par with the best of that era.

BRAHMS' DOPPELKONZERT!...
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Beethoven's concerto for Piano Trio and Orchestra is one of The Master's less notable works: it's not very big; it's in the heroic vein, but in a major key; its ideas are fairly plebian by Beethoven's usually exalted standards.

On the other hand, it is of marginal interest for its unusual combo format. Plus, the cello passages give us some idea how a cello concerto by Beethoven might have sounded. (Too bad he didn't give us a quintet for clarinet and string quartet, too!)

The real star here is Brahms' "double" concerto. This is a late great work--actually his last big orchestral work--and too infrenquently heard. The echt-Brahmsian slow middle movement is absolutely sublime; the thrilling and dashing first and third movements have their special charms as well: a supreme work of art.
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