Beethoven: Piano Concerto No. 4 in G major, Op. 58

Performing Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 4 (STEREO) RAI 1960, the concert was conducted by Torini Mario Rossi. Clara Haskill also performs Schumann’s Piano Concerto taken from her concert in Strasbourg 1955 (MONO). Conducted by Carl Schuricht.

The two performances in this disc were given with Charles Munch in 1961 (in No.4) and Pierre Monteux (in No. 5) in 1960, both with the Boston Symphony. Both performances demonstrate collaborative assurance.

Praised by The New York Times for her “clear articulation … unequivocal phrasing … [and] expressivity”, Ingrid Jacoby has established herself as one of the most poetic and admired pianists of her generation. She began her piano studies with Larisa Gorodecka, herself a pupil of Heinrich Neuhaus. Graduating at 16 with highest honours from the St Louis Conservatory of Music, Ingrid Jacoby went on to win the National Baldwin Piano Competition, the Concert Artists Guild International Piano Competition and the Steinway Hall Artists Prize. In America, the National Society of Arts and Letters awarded her one of its highest distinctions, the Lifetime Achievement Award.

Her discography includes the world premiere recording of Korngold’s solo piano pieces, works of Gershwin and Bernstein with the Russian National Orchestra, and a recording of the Shostakovich and Ustvolskaya piano concertos with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Sir Charles Mackerras, which earned the highest commendation from the American Record Guide.

This recording of Beethoven’s Piano Concertos Nos. 2 & 4 marks Ingrid Jacoby’s debut on ICA Classics ‘Live’ series. It also marks the start of a complete cycle of the Beethoven Concertos for ICA Classics which will be released over the next two years.

The CD contains notes by Richard Wigmore in addition to personal insights by Ingrid Jacoby on Beethoven interpretation. Her performances produce many imaginative and individual touches which make these recordings stand out in a crowded catalogue.

The accompaniment by the Sinfonia Varsovia drew the following praise from Martha Argerich: “...they are wonderful, they are one of the best orchestras, not only in Poland. First class.” (August 2009). Award-winning conductor Jacek Kaspszyk has been Artistic Director of the NFM Wroclaw Philharmonic since 2006 and until recently was also Music Director of the Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra. Here he continues his long association with the Sinfonia Varsovia.

Beautifully recorded in the best digital sound, there is a palpable feeling of the live performance being created in the Witold Lutoslawski Concert Studio.

Alongside a small list of compositions, the Fourth Concerto in G op. 58 occupies a privileged position in the statistics of Beethoven’s works that are most frequently performed, and most often recorded. Accordingly, it might seem paradoxical to include a version of it in a series dedicated to Beethoven rarities, unless we try to find the reason for this apparently singular choice by taking a look at a series of events linked to the genesis of this masterpiece. The events at the time remind us that the first performance of the Fourth – with Beethoven at the keyboard - took place in March 1807 at the palace of Prince Lobkowitz. However, this was an academy reserved for a select few subscribing members.

The Viennese public had to wait another 18 months to hear it, at the Theater An der Wien, with the composer again at the pianoforte, on the occasion of the historic (and interminable) concert of 22 December 1808, which also saw the first performance of the Fifth and the Pastoral Symphony, as well as the Choral Fantasia op. 80. Meanwhile, in August of that year, the Kunst und Industrie Komptor had already published op. 58 in the canonical version which we know today. However, in the following months pianofortes with an extended keyboard had begun to spread, and rapidly too. Beethoven was not indifferent to this new development.

Indeed, he had already conducted some experiments on the newly extended range, introduced in the Waldstein-Sonate op. 53. It is plausible that this may have been one of the reasons which led the composer to modify his op. 58, despite the fact that the sheet music had just been published. In any event, it is certain that, for the academy performance of 22 December he decided to rewrite fully 180 bars of the first and third movement. We have providential evidence of this new version thanks to a manuscript with his own hand-written corrections, at the Musikfreunde Gesellschaft in Vienna.

Chilean pianist Claudio Arrau (1903–1991) was described at various times as ‘Prince’, ‘Emperor’ and ‘King’ of the keyboard, conveying something of the awe in which he was held.

Few artists of any generation prompted such consistent praise, a pianist who embraced virtually every part of the repertoire, including marathon cycles of Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert, Chopin and Liszt.

Both these broadcast recordings are sourced from the original WDR tapes and not from dubious copies (Chopin Concerto) and have been remastered to a very high standard. In Chopin’s E minor Concerto, Arrau is partnered by Otto Klemperer, another legendary titan in this rare 1954 recording.

Here they create a musical place where there is no sense of an early lightweight alternative to Chopin’s later works. Critic Jed Distler wrote: “There is an emotional freshness and freedom from clichés that draws me into the playing, particularly in the vibrancy and note-to-note intensity of his best live performances. Idealised or not, Arrau's playing boasts a vibrancy and forward-moving sweep that sharply contrasts to his relatively measured studio recording”.

The Beethoven Piano Concerto No.4 shows Arrau playing with great freedom in this ‘live’ account from 1959 following his first studio recording in 1955. This recording appears for the very first time on CD.

Emil Gilels (1916–1985), along with Sviatoslav Richter, was one of the most celebrated pianists of the 20th century.

These rare broadcast recordings make their first appearance on CD.

The live recording of the Beethoven Piano Concerto No.4 from the 1966 Edinburgh Festival together with the distinguished accompaniment of Sir John Barbirolli produce a performance of great poetry, imagination and power. Gilels had a wonderful, discriminating ear and throughout the concerto brings a chamber music quality to his playing when the score demands.

Gilels recorded the work in the studio in 1957 and 1968 but there are very few live performances available where the pianist is ‘caught on the wing’ in good sound.

The Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto No.2 in the abridged version by Siloti from 1959 brings out Gilels’ incredible technique and virtuosity (The New York Times dubbed him ‘the little giant’) with Kirill Kondrashin transforming the LPO into an authentic Russian-sounding orchestra.

Ambient Mastering adds an extra dimension to these distinguished performances recorded over 45 years ago.

Gilels’ legendary performances of the Beethoven Piano Concertos, re-mastered and presented at super budget price.

‘This Beethoven Fourth is one of the most perfect accounts (and perhaps the most perfect account) of the Concerto ever recorded. Poetry and virtuosity are held in perfect poise, with Ludwig and the Philharmonia providing near-ideal accompaniment. Gilels’s ‘Emperor’ is also a masterful and compelling performance.’ Gramophone