# Brahms' piano concertos - favourite recordings



## tempo (Nov 8, 2012)

What are your favourite recordings of these two concertos and why?


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## starthrower (Dec 11, 2010)

I have the Gilels, and I don't know why? I haven't really listened to it. I struggle to enjoy Brahms.


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## Guest (Dec 21, 2014)

View attachment 59112

Riccardo Chailly, conducting
Nelson Friere, piano

This recording is second to none.


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## Cosmos (Jun 28, 2013)

I only have two recordings of the first: Horatio Gutierrez and Andre Previn with the Royal Philharmonic, and Emanuel Ax and James Levine with the CSO. Both are fantastic, but I lean a bit more toward Gutierrez. Of other performances I've heard, his is my favorite

Not a huge fan of the second, but I would say my favorite is by Ax/Levine/CSO


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## Albert7 (Nov 16, 2014)

I definitely will recommend you the live Brahms recording done by Helene Grimaud on the DG label.









She plays both concerti very exceptionally although the second one is a tad stronger in color and emotion. This is definitely a desert island disc.


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## JACE (Jul 18, 2014)

My favorite versions of Brahms' Piano Concertos are Rudolf Serkin's recordings with Szell and the Clevelanders.

















The audio quality on neither of these is up to today's standards. But the performances are _electrifying_.

I've never heard these works performed with greater INTENSITY.


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## hpowders (Dec 23, 2013)

JACE said:


> My favorite versions of Brahms' Piano Concertos are Rudolf Serkin's recordings with Szell and the Clevelanders.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Yes. You could choose R. Serkin for anything in the repertoire-Beethoven, Brahms or Mozart, and be guaranteed a wonderful performance.


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## Albert7 (Nov 16, 2014)

starthrower said:


> I have the Gilels, and I don't know why? I haven't really listened to it. I struggle to enjoy Brahms.


I have that version on DG too. I haven't heard it yet but will get back on that later on.


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## hpowders (Dec 23, 2013)

Claudio Arrau/ Carlo Maria Giulini in the Brahms First Piano Concerto.

Artur Rubinstein/Josef Krips in the Brahms Second Piano Concerto.


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## joen_cph (Jan 17, 2010)

No.1
- Horowitz/Walter (1936, there´s a cut in the 1st movement. Poor sound. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WsoiJ-nlhP8; it´s 1936, not 1935)
- Woodward, Masur
- Manz, Mandeal

No.2
- Horowitz, Toscanini
- Manz, Mandeal

Cf. also http://www.talkclassical.com/8462-favorite-recording-brahms-piano.html

I´ve acquired a couple more since then.


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## DavidA (Dec 14, 2012)

For number 1 try Graffmann, Curzon, Kempff, 

For number two Richter, Gilels (with Reiner), Solomon, Horowitz, Anda

For both Serkin, Frieire, Fleisher

Should keep you going for a bit!


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## PeteW (Dec 20, 2014)

*2nd concerto*

I enjoy Daniel Barenboim's performance of Brahms's 2nd piano concerto. Anyone else heard it?


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## PetrB (Feb 28, 2012)

hpowders said:


> Claudio Arrau/ Carlo Maria Giulini in the Brahms First Piano Concerto.
> 
> Artur Rubinstein/Josef Krips in the Brahms Second Piano Concerto.


Rubinstein was amazing with this


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## DavidA (Dec 14, 2012)

I believe that bronzes piano concertos should be played with plenty of forward momentum, it's probable that Brahms played this way himself. That's one reason I prefer Gilels first performance with the Reiner rather than his second one with Jochum. To o slow tempi will certainly bogged the music down and make it heavy, rather than the fiery music Brahms intended.


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## tempo (Nov 8, 2012)

I have the Giles/Jochum, which often gets high praise but, while I love their adagio from the 1st (the Berlin Phil sound stunning), Gilels fluffs a note really badly halfway through the first movement of the 1st and it's also too slow.

Which Szell is best? I see there's a vote for Serkin above, but what of Fleisher and Curzon?


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## Aecio (Jul 27, 2012)

And what about the Kovacevich, specially for the 1st concerto ?


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## tempo (Nov 8, 2012)

The Curzon/Szell I like in many respects, but I don't know why Szell opted for such a slow tempo in the second movement. Much longer than he delivered with Fleisher or Serkin. There's also a fair bit of extraneous noise (breathing?) in the second movement's quieter moments.


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## JACE (Jul 18, 2014)

tempo said:


> Which Szell is best? I see there's a vote for Serkin above, but what of Fleisher and Curzon?


Of the three, I think Szell with Fleisher is the most highly regarded.

But I haven't gotten around to hearing it yet. Maybe some day.

You've already got my vote.


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## DarkAngel (Aug 11, 2010)

For both concertos in one package Fleisher/Szell, concerto 1 probably R Serkin and concerto 2 definitely Richter

  

There are some good recent recordings but these classics have not been surpassed for me........


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## DiesIraeCX (Jul 21, 2014)

I have two recordings and they're both excellent in my book. If forced, I'd probably side with the Fleisher/Szell recording.

- Fleisher with Szell/Cleveland
- Van Cliburn with Reiner/Chicago


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## tempo (Nov 8, 2012)

DarkAngel said:


> For both concertos in one package Fleisher/Szell, concerto 1 probably R Serkin and concerto 2 definitely Richter
> 
> 
> 
> There are some good recent recordings but these classics have not been surpassed for me........


Which recent recordings do you recommend? Hough on Hyperion?


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## pjang23 (Oct 8, 2009)

Brendel and Abbado for the 1st, Richter and Leinsdorf for the 2nd.


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## DarkAngel (Aug 11, 2010)

tempo said:


> Which recent recordings do you recommend? Hough on Hyperion?


The new Hough seems a touch too relaxed on hyperion for me, his first set on Virgin has not been noticeably surpassed

 

For recent releases someone mentioned Grimaud 1,2 which I agree, also really like Zimerman/Rattle 1 (too bad no 2 was made)


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## Vaneyes (May 11, 2010)

*Brahms*: Piano Concerto No. 1 - Douglas/LSO/Skrowaczewski (RCA, rec.1988).
*Brahms*: Piano Concerto No. 2 - Kovacevich/LSO/C. Davis (Eloquence/Philips, rec.1980).

Good performance and sound balance for both. They manage to keep my attention most of the time, being that this composer's Piano Concerti don't rank very high for me in this genre.:tiphat:


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## Albert7 (Nov 16, 2014)

I need to find out if Argerich recorded both Brahms piano concerti. She is one of my all time favorites.

p.s. I can't seem to find any so maybe anyone else may know better than I do.


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## joen_cph (Jan 17, 2010)

She didn´t, so far.


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## Albert7 (Nov 16, 2014)

joen_cph said:


> She didn´t, so far.


A missed chance . Also Glenn Gould never bothered with those pieces either but that isn't surprising considering that he wasn't a fan of Romantic music.


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## joen_cph (Jan 17, 2010)

Gould recorded the 1st with Bernstein, where Bernstein publicly declared his disagreement with the slow interpretation. As far as I remember, there is at least one other Gould recording too, but I may remember wrongly.

I agree, it would be great to hear Argerich in these pieces!


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## JACE (Jul 18, 2014)

albertfallickwang said:


> I need to find out if Argerich recorded both Brahms piano concerti. She is one of my all time favorites.
> 
> p.s. I can't seem to find any so maybe anyone else may know better than I do.


I think Argerich isn't a big fan of Brahms' music.

IIRC, when an interviewer asked her about Brahms' late solo-piano works, she referred to them as "old man music." (Not exactly the PCs, but you get the idea.)


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## Albert7 (Nov 16, 2014)

joen_cph said:


> Gould recorded the 1st with Bernstein, where Bernstein publicly declared his disagreement with the slow interpretation. As far as I remember, there is at least one other Gould recording too, but I may remember wrongly.
> 
> I agree, it would be great to hear Argerich in these pieces!


Sweet i just found this! http://www.amazon.com/Piano-Concerto-1-D-Minor/dp/B00000C28M

I can't wait to listen to this rendition.


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## DavidA (Dec 14, 2012)

tempo said:


> Which recent recordings do you recommend? Hough on Hyperion?


No the orchestra is weak!


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## DavidA (Dec 14, 2012)

joen_cph said:


> Gould recorded the 1st with Bernstein, where Bernstein publicly declared his disagreement with the slow interpretation. As far as I remember, there is at least one other Gould recording too, but I may remember wrongly.
> 
> I agree, it would be great to hear Argerich in these pieces!


Bernstein later recorded the first with Zimmermann at an even slower tempo than with Gould!


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## Albert7 (Nov 16, 2014)

DavidA said:


> No the orchestra is weak!


Weak in terms of?


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## joen_cph (Jan 17, 2010)

The Gould/Bernstein has even been given its own Wikipedia article,
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_Philharmonic_concert_of_April_6,_1962

also mentioning two other Gould recordings as more conventional in tempi.


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## Haydn man (Jan 25, 2014)

My favourites are Ashkenazy/Haitink/Concertgebouw from the eighties.
I got these two discs when they came out and still turn to them. That said think I will give one of the new recordings a try based on recommendations in this thread


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## tempo (Nov 8, 2012)

To those who own the Giles/Jochum - please humour me and tell me if there's a fluffed notes at 12.18 approx in the first movement of No.1 or is it my imagination?!


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## DavidA (Dec 14, 2012)

The best no 1 is Serkin / Szell imo


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## Janspe (Nov 10, 2012)

I recently listened to an excellent recording of the D minor concerto, with *András Schiff* as soloist and *Sir Georg Solti* conducting the *Chicago Symphony Orchestra*. I really liked it!


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## Itullian (Aug 27, 2011)

Grand, romantic Brahms and my favorite..........


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## tempo (Nov 8, 2012)

I rate the Buchbinder/Harnoncourt quite highly.


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## otterhouse (Sep 6, 2007)

Dit not see it mentioned yet, but I love the interplay between Ivan Moravec on piano and Jiri Belohlavek with the awesome playing Czech Philharmonic Orchestra in Brahms 2nd piano concerto.

Link to the performance, here --> http://classicalspotify.blogspot.nl/2013/11/mas-rad-brahmse-czech-philharmonic-in.html

Rolf, Netherlands


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## aajj (Dec 28, 2014)

My favorite for the 2nd concerto is one of my all-time favorite recordings of any genre, Fleisher with Szell/Cleveland. Awesome from beginning to end but the 2nd mvt in particular is beyond glorious. 

For the 1st, Pollini with Abbado/Berlin as well as Ax with Levine/Chicago.


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## rubysky (Dec 29, 2014)

I have been following this thread with great interests.

I'm looking to add a reasonably modern recording of the Brahms' Concerti to my collection (2005 or later).

I have been seriously considering to acquire one of the followings, in no particular order:-

1. Helene Grimaud
2. Freire / Chailly
3. Pollini / Thielemann

I suppose I could just close my eyes and pick one without too much disappointment?


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## Albert7 (Nov 16, 2014)

I dig Grimaud the best of the three.



rubysky said:


> I have been following this thread with great interests.
> 
> I'm looking to add a reasonably modern recording of the Brahms' Concerti to my collection (2005 or later).
> 
> ...


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## pentaquine (Mar 4, 2015)

Haydn man said:


> My favourites are Ashkenazy/Haitink/Concertgebouw from the eighties.
> I got these two discs when they came out and still turn to them. That said think I will give one of the new recordings a try based on recommendations in this thread


I have never heard of this! I thought Haitink only recorded this with Claudio Arrau?


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## joen_cph (Jan 17, 2010)

No, the Ashkenazy one was heavily present in the 80s on the market.

Haitink also did them with Ax, and maybe others as well.


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## warren (Jul 29, 2011)

PeteW said:


> I enjoy Daniel Barenboim's performance of Brahms's 2nd piano concerto. Anyone else heard it?


There are several recordings by Barenboim. His first recorded performance, with Barbirolli conducting, is superb from the 2nd movement on, but the first movement is just too "different". The 2nd movement remains my favourite rendition of this movement ever. Among his later recordings, there is much to commend the latest live recording with the Staatskapelle Berlin under Gustavo Dudamel.

As for the Brahms 1st concerto, Barenboim's first recording remains my favourite, eclipsing his others and preferred by me over the many other great performances out there.


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## Brahmsianhorn (Feb 17, 2017)

My favorite two sets in stereo are Gilels/Jochum and Fleisher/Szell, but for musicianship without regard to sound quality I always turn to Schnabel.


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## Enthusiast (Mar 5, 2016)

warren said:


> There are several recordings by Barenboim. His first recorded performance, with Barbirolli conducting, is superb from the 2nd movement on, but the first movement is just too "different". The 2nd movement remains my favourite rendition of this movement ever. Among his later recordings, there is much to commend the latest live recording with the Staatskapelle Berlin under Gustavo Dudamel.
> 
> As for the Brahms 1st concerto, Barenboim's first recording remains my favourite, eclipsing his others and preferred by me over the many other great performances out there.


Yes. The young Barenboim and the old Barbirolli knocked sparks of each other. The same thing happened in the famous Beethoven set that Barenboim did with a very old Klemperer - but those, despite the evident sparks, were not performances I have enjoyed: Klemperer (I guess it was down to him) chose perversely slow speeds. No such worries with the Brahms set with Barbirolli.


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## Brahmsian Colors (Sep 16, 2016)

Please note: All listening was done from my vinyl lp collection.

In the First Concerto, I feel the best balance between dynamics and refinement is presented by Curzon with Szell and the London Symphony on Decca. Serkin and Szell/Cleveland on Sony are especially noteworthy for their robustness, and Serkin/Ormandy/Philadelphia Orchestra (Sony) for up front vividness and detail.

For the Second Concerto, there's simply a sense of interpretive rightness in virtually all respects with Serkin/Szell/Cleveland (Sony), though the recorded sound may be perceived by some as lacking a bit of warmth and fullness. I also like the performance by Gilels with Reiner and the Chicago Symphony on RCA. It is straightforward and very well played.


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## BiscuityBoyle (Feb 5, 2018)

Gilels/Jochum for both; Arrau/Kubelik, Curzon and Serkin for 1; Edwin Fischer/Furtwangler, Backhaus, Richter and Gilels/Reiner for 2.


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## CnC Bartok (Jun 5, 2017)

There's a really good No.1 from Stephen Kovacevich on EMI with Wolfgang Sawallisch, but the 2nd was - for me anyway - a big disappointment. Of recently acquired recordings I'd give Claudio Arrau a big thumbs up (recordings with Haitink in the big Arrau Philips box recently released and invested in here!). Oh, and Rubinstein is just a wizard, wonderful!

These are such great works that they quite easily survive being treated very differently, so I find it hard to go for an absolute favourite. For the sparkle, Emil Gilels is probably my favourite, but there is a gentler way of doing Brahms, and I'd reach for Ivan Moravec as my marginal first choice.

Part of the Moravec charm - just being a brilliant pianist aside - is the contribution of Belohlavek. In recent years he seemed to do a lot of conducting concertos, the unglamorous accompaniment side (!), including the very well-received Paul Lewis Beethoven set. He never was a showy conductor, but a very understanding one. I'd recommend his Brahms symphony set as well, a reminder that Brahms can be searingly beautiful as well.


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## agoukass (Dec 1, 2008)

I've always enjoyed Rubinstein's recording of the First with the Chicago Symphony and Reiner. It is a very fine performance that gets to the heart of the work, at least for me.

As for the Second, I've found myself leaning towards a recording that Horowitz made with the NBC Symphony Orchestra and Toscanini. While it is very clear who is at the piano and at the podium, the performance is very powerful. Especially the second movement. Another favorite is Rubinstein's recording with the Philadelphia Orchestra and Ormandy before his retirement. It's a wonderful autumnal recording. Finally, I do enjoy Richter's recording with the Chicago Symphony and Leinsdorf. However, I do find that it is a bit dry in places.


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## Enthusiast (Mar 5, 2016)

Oh dear, there are so many great/excellent accounts of those concertos available. How to choose between them? Of course, Gilels and Rubinstein and young Barenboim's accounts are all excellent! Serkin's with Szell are, too, although I find I have to be in the mood for their fiery 2. And there are so many others. Testament have given us an excellent account of 2 from Edwin Fischer with Furtwangler (you quickly adjust to the sound). I also enjoy the Pollini accounts with Theilemann (not to everyone's taste, I know, but Pollini is special) and Freire with Chailly. And there are so many more. With music this great it is the sheer variety of insights that I enjoy.


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## Merl (Jul 28, 2016)

I have Szell / Serkin and and love it but I've got a big soft spot for Buchbinder / Harnoncourt. It's not to everyone's tastes but I think it's a cracker.


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