Olhsson/Dohnányi — Busoni Piano Concerto

First movement, part I of II

Garrick Ohlsson with The Cleveland Orchestra and Men's Chorus, directed by Christoph von Dohnányi. Enjoy!

 

Good piece of work. But not nearly as commanding as Hamelin's blazing rendition (I think that recording was award-winning, and rightly so).

 

I've heard Ogdon's recording well spoken of as well. I should check them both out.

 

Ohlsson's commercial recording heard on the radio was my first encounter with this piece. I have a broadcast with Ohlsson, Dohnányi, and Cleveland live in Symphony Hall, Boston, which is exhilarating. The Boston Globe's Richard Dyer said of this performance, "Ohlsson's playing of the solo part Sunday was the most comprehensive display of sustained keyboard virtuosity this listener has ever experienced."

It is quite amazing, but even as far as live accounts go, Hamelin is in another realm altogether as far as virtuosic demands are concerned. Still I prefer the Ohlsson to the Hamelin, for it is more of an edge of the seat thriller. Ogden also does things pointing to the immensity of the ideas in the score, apart from simply it being a big piece. Heavy lyricism, his rubato, his general musicality and sense of structure rise above the rest, to my ears. And there's even a live account in the RAI's archive! Ah...and then the 27 year old Noel Mewton-Wood's recording with Beecham, why did he take himself from this world?

I adore this concerto.