Dinu Lipatti

Dinu Lipatti

wikipedia entry

The Roumanian pianist died young and all of his recordings are in mono, though some are in very good sound. This bargain 7-CD set is mandatory purchase for those who like pianism at its loftiest height but who do not mind sometimes compromised sound.

Almost all the content have been issued in single CDs, many deservedly in EMI's "Great Recordings of the Century".

One of my favorites here is the Mozart Piano Concerto No. 21. I recently picked up an EMI LP of this and inside is a note by the producer Walter Legge. Apparently, this 1950 recording was made for Swiss Radio. Listening to the incisive, all-encompassing playing, you'll never realize this was played by a literally dying man. This was the last concerto he played and at the recording session only the pianist's wife, Artur Schnabel, Elizabeth Schwarzkopf (Legge's wife) and Legge were among the audience. Due to Swiss union rules, the tape was destroyed after broadcast and it took Legge/EMI 7 years to find an amateur recorded copy. Although the sound is not good, Lipatti's playing virtually leapt at you; and Karajan got incredibly expressive playing out of the Lucerne Festival Orchestra. This is now my favorite version.

But my favorite Lipatti is the Bach Jesus, Joy of man's Desirings (from Cantata 147; youtube clip embedded below). I have never heard these played better and this is my all time favorite piano Bach (eclipsing Glenn Gould, yes). No one has come close.

Lipatti plays a Chopin Nocturne.
More Chopin

Alban Berg Quartet

The mighty Alban Berg Quartet

The Alban Berg Quartet disbanded soon after the death of their last violist, Thomas Kakusa, but not before visiting HK. Those who were present shall remember the perfectionism they had even if they might not have warmed to their somewhat icy interpretations.

I have followed this quartet since they first burst on the international scene. I have at least half of their early recordings on TELEFUNKEN LPs with fantatstic covers of the string instruments. The LPs now are worth some money. These recordings are now issued in a bargain TELDEC box that is almost mandatory purchase to string quartet lovers.

Some say the early ABQ have a warmer tone. I am not so sure. In a revealing system, the ABQ on Teldec and EMI sound very very similar. I recently compared their Haydn Op 76 quartets on both Teldec and EMI and found little difference in interpretation or tonal splendor. The reason for comments like this may have as much to do with the difference between analogue recordings and digital ones.

The TELDEC box contains the Haydn Op 76, Mozart "Haydn" quartets, some Dvorak, Berg, Schubert etc. All were immaculately played and most emotionally more generous than in their later EMI recordings.

The ABQ made integral recordings of Mozart and Beethoven for EMI, and they are available in bargain boxes. Some of the readings are rather mannered here, and the recordings are not always as fine as in the Teldec issues. Nonetheless, they are desirable.

The ABQ recxorded a large number of composers (like the excellent Wolfgang Rihm), and many CDs are sadly oop. For me, the best place to start with the EMI ABQ would be in the bargain Gemini issue of the most important piano quintets, played by 4 pianists, all with the ABQ.

For those more adventurous. Their Bartok series is worth explosring. With minimal duplication, I'd also recommend their Schubert box.

But the TELDEC box is the place to start.

Glenn Gould

Glenn Gould

Goldberg Variations
I do not need to tell anyone about Glenn Gould. His Bach Goldberg Variations are legendary and almost every classical listener has a copy of either his mono or stereo version. You can easily compare now that they have issued both in a convenient set (right pic). There is little question that Gould probes the MUSIC a lot deeper in the stereo remake, which is the one I prefer (original cover in left pic). Gould has recorded almost all of Bach's keyboard music, all in his inimitable fashion, but none to me reaches the profundity of the stereo Goldberg.

Do you really need Gould's Beethoven and Mozart sonatas? IMHO not really. For his idiosyncracies, they are as much pain as joy to listen to!

As an eccentric, Gould took pleasure in trashing classics and promoting little known music. Hence, he was a formidable exponent of little known piano literature. Berg, Hindemeth, Gibbons, Sibelius, etc. Aside from Bach, these are the composers Gould played the best.

To me, there is one composer that Gould plays without peer, and surprise, he's Brahms! This is really little known. Many years ago, when I bought a copy of his Brahms Intermezzi I was astounded by the delicate sentiments Gould brought to these pieces, and I played the LP (original cover shown) many times in one go. To me these miniatures are Gould's finest achievements. He later recorded digitally the Ballades and all the Brahms are grouped together in various releases. However, these miniatures are the ones you should really listen to. Gould as romantic? You bet! I am not a great fan of Brahms' piano music, but THIS performance is supreme; I have not heard anything that can replace it. Desert island selection.

After playing the immem clip above, if you like to hear more intermezzi,
click here