Leon Fleisher Plays Brahms

Facts

Leon Fleisher Plays Brahms
Music Price: $23.98
As of Dec 4 2:02 EST (details)


Studio	Sony
Release Date	October 14, 1997
UPC Code	074646322529
Buy this item	$23.98 at Amazon.com As of Dec 4 2:02 EST (details) 2 Audio CD, Usually ships in 24 hours, Original recording remastered

About Leon Fleisher Plays Brahms

Wow! George Szell owned the First Piano Concerto. He played the opening movement like no one else, and he recorded the work with three outstanding pianists: Sir Clifford Curzon, Rudolf Serkin, and this performance with Anton Fleischer. When I say this is the best of the three, I'm making a tough choice, but Fleischer brings a youthful vigor and rage to the music that complements Szell's fiery accompaniment so well that they sound like they're both performing from the same musical brain. The Second Concerto is a gentler work, but it's played with no less vigor and dash. Along with the Emil Gilels/Eugen Jochum performances on DG, these are the Brahms piano concertos to have above all others. --David Hurwitz Amazon.com

Tracks

Disc 1

I. Maestoso
II. Adagio
III. Rondo. Allegro non troppo
Aria
Variation I
Variation II
Variation III
Variation IV: Risoluto
Variation V: Espressivo
Variation VI
Variation VII: Con vivacità
Variation VIII
Variation IX: Poco sostenuto
Variation X
Variation XI
Variation XII
Variation XIII: Largamente, ma non più
Variation XIV
Variation XV
Variation XVI
Variation XVII: Più mosso
Variation XVIII
Variation XIX: Leggiero e vivace
Variation XX
Variation XXI
Variation XXII
Variation XXIII
Variation XXIV
Variation XXV
Fuga

Disc 2

I. Allegro non troppo
II. Allegro appassionato
III. Andante
IV. Allegretto grazioso
No. 1 in B Major, Tempo giusto
No. 2 in E Major
No. 3 in G-sharp Minor
No. 4 in E Minor. Poco sostenuto
No. 5 in E Major
No. 6 in C-sharp Major. Vivace
No. 7 in C-sharp Minor. Poco più
No. 8 in B-flat Major
No. 9 in D Minor
No. 10 in G Major
No. 11 in B Minor
No. 12 in E Major
No. 13 in C Major
No. 14 in A Minor
No. 15 in A Major
No. 16 in D Minor

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User Reviews

Average user review:

(22 reviews)

The Concerti Could Not be Better

This album will most often be bought for the two concerti. Others have said as much as I can in their praise. However, if the solo piano works are of any interest to you, be aware.

The sound in the concerti is excellent, no reservations there. But the recording quality in both solo piano pieces is ghastly. The performances are lovely, but they sound like something out of the 30's or 40's.

Other than duplicating the content of the original two separate concerto albums, I cannot see why Sony included these things. And if included, couldn't they find some money in the budget to clean them up to modern restoration levels? September 24, 2008

The early Fleisher

Leon Fleisher Plays BrahmsThe 1957, '58, or '62 recording of Leon Fleisher performing with George Szell and the Cleveland Symphony Orchestra is one of the most beautiful renditions of Brahms' 2nd concerto for piano and orchestra. Every group of muscians does things slightly different, and I have collected a few----. This recording was made before the tragic loss of function of a Fleisher's right (I think) hand. Recorded mono, and remastered in 1997--a wonderful listen. Fleisher's one hand recordings, and the newer ones since he has recovered the use of the hand. He is a specially great artist. April 14, 2008

Fleisher or Gilels?

I go back and forth as to which set I like better, this one, or Gilels. Truely, I couldn't see being without either, along with Richter's No. 2. I think it's fairly clear that Fleisher's No. 1 is one of the best ever recorded, while the competition at Concerto No. 2 is more clouded. I, however, tend to prefer Gilels here more often than not. In the end, I wouldn't want to choose between the two, so just buy both, although Fleisher's playing on the variations may put this set at the top. February 5, 2008

Leon Fleischer performs Brahams D Minor Concerto

Leon Fleischer performed Brahams D Minor (#1) Concerto with George Szell conducting the Cleveland Orchestra. The original recording has been deftly converted to a CD (5 stars). Rudolph Serkin also recorded the D Minor with the Cleveland Orchestra. The LP to CD conversion was not as well done. And, I think Fleischer's performance outperforms Serkin's although the two of them are far superior to any other pianist. Bottom Line: This is a MUST HAVE CD January 20, 2008

Fleisher Is Phenomenal

Finally, I have found the recording of the Brahms First Piano Concerto to suit me. I used to own the one on RCA with Gary Graffman and Charles Munch, which was wonderful. Unfortunately, that is out of print. Since then I have acquired the one with Clifford Curzon (he takes it way too slowly), Alexis Weissenberg (the piano is under miked), and Artur Rubinstein (a pretty good rendering). Fleisher beats them all hands down. He gives the most technically flawless and POETIC performance of the bunch. He plays the concerto as if he were on fire. My only complaint is that the acoustics of Severance Hall in Cleveland are a little too dry for my taste.
As for the Second Brahms Piano Concerto, Fleisher plays it equally well but, unfortunately, the piano is under miked. He performs all kinds of technical miracles and many of them are simply played over by the orchestra. Don't get me wrong, the orchestra sounds fantastic, but the Brahms Second is not an orchestral piece with a piano obbligato.
As for the Handel Variations and the Waltzes, well, ho hum. I would have much preferred hearing some of the smaller Brahms pieces such as the Intermezzos, Capriccios, Rhapsody, or the Hungarian Dances, but they are, nevertheless, very well played. December 30, 2007

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