Claudio Arrau plays Chopin & Beethoven

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Release Date: 31st Oct 2011
Catalogue No: ICAC5045
Label: ica classics
Series: Legacy
Length: 76 minutes

Chopin: Piano Concerto No. 1 in E minor, Op. 11

Work length40:44

Album only

Claudio Arrau (piano)
WDR Sinfonieorchester Köln
Otto Klemperer
Recorded: 25 October 1954
Recording Venue: Saal 1, Funkhaus, Cologne

I. Allegro maestoso

Track length20:21

Album only

II. Romanza. Larghetto

Track length10:49

$3.00

$3.85

III. Rondo. Vivace

Track length9:34

$2.00

$2.60

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

Work length35:48

$8.00

$10.30

Claudio Arrau (piano)
WDR Sinfonieorchester Köln
Christoph von Dohnányi
Recorded: 6 April 1959
Recording Venue: Saal 1, Funkhaus, Cologne

I. Allegro moderato

Track length19:56

$4.00

$5.15

II. Andante con moto

Track length5:44

$1.00

$1.30

III. Rondo. Vivace

Track length10:08

$3.00

$3.85

About
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About

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.

Claudio Arrau plays Chopin & Beethoven

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