Bartok – Piano concerto n°3 – A discography

Bartok – Piano concerto n°3 – A discography

Annie Fischer - Praga Digitals
Annie Fischer – Praga Digitals

Praga Digitals has just released 3 live concertos by Annie Fischer.
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Mozart:
n° 21 – Philharmonia orchestra – Wolfgang Sawallisch – 02/1958
n° 23 – Philharmonia orchestra – Adrian Boult – 4/1959
Bartok n°3 – Symphonieorchester des Bayerische Rundfunks – Ferenc Fricsay – 11/24/1960

Annie Fischer (1914-1995) was an outstanding pianist, praised for her Beethoven interpretations. She was also a great Mozartian, evidenced by these 2 piano concertos (specially the 23rd with Boult).
I wanted to make a (very quick) survey of Bartok’s 3rd piano concerto. I despite both opinions about his music : the neo-reactionaries trying to emphasize the folk roots of his music and the ultra-modernists snubbing his last works (Boulez softened his positions and conducted the Concerto for orchestra, the 2nd Violin concerto and this 3rd Piano concerto [1970…]).

The 3rd piano concerto is a chef d’œuvre but hasn’t been too much recorded, only 6 times since 2000. It was premiered in Philadelphia on February 8, 1946 under Eugene Ormandy with György Sándor as piano soloist.

Dinu Lipatti Paul Sacher Orchester des Südwestdeutschen Rundfunks 1948
Louis Kentner Ferenc Fricsay Radio-Symphonie-Orchester Berlin 1950
Monique Haas Ferenc Fricsay Radio-Symphonie-Orchester Berlin 1955
György Sandor Eugene Ormandy Philadelphia Orchestra 1959
György Sandor Michael Gielen Pro Musica Orchester Wien 1959
Edith Farnadi Hermann Scherchen Orchestre de l’opéra d’état de Vienne 1959
Geza Anda Ferenc Fricsay Radio-Symphonie-Orchester Berlin 1960
Annie Fischer Igor Markevitch London Symphony Orchestra 1960
Annie Fischer Ferenc Fricsay Symphonieorchester des Bayerische Rundfunks 1960
Julius Katchen Ernest Ansermet Orchestre de la Suisse romande 1962
Julius Katchen Istvan Kertesz London Symphony Orchestra 1966
Philippe Entremont Leonard Bernstein New York Philharmonic 1968
Samson François David Zinman Orchestre National de l’ O.R.T.F. 1969
Daniel Barenboïm Pierre Boulez New Philharmonia Orchestra 1970
Stephen Kovacevich Colin Davis London Symphony Orchestra 1976
Vladimir Ashkenazy Georg Solti  London Philharmonic Orchestra 1980
Bogdan Czapiewski Alfred Walter Orchestre symphonique de la RTBF 1985
Zoltan Kocsis Iván Fischer Budapest Festival Orchestra 1987
Russell Sherman Michael Gielen SWF Symphony Orchestra 1989
György Sandor Adam Fischer Hungarian State Orchestra 1989
Boris Krajný Jiri Belohlavek Czech Philharmonic Orchestra 1991
Peter Donohoe Simon Rattle City Of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra 1993
Jeno Jando Andras Ligeti Orchestre Symphonique de Budapest 1994
Yefim Bronfman Esa-Pekka Salonen Los Angeles Philharmonic 1995
Andras Schiff Iván Fischer Budapest Festival Orchestra 1996
Martha Argerich Charles Dutoit Orchestre Symphonique de Montréal 1998
Hélène Grimaud Pierre Boulez London Symphony Orchestra 2005
Martha Argerich Alexander Vedernikov Orchestra Della Svizzera Italiana 2007
Jane Coop Mario Bernardi Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra 2008
Klára Würtz Theodore Kuchar Janácek Philharmonic Orchestra 2009
Jean-Efflam Bavouzet Gianandrea Noseda BBC Philharmonic 2010

Allegretto

Dinu Lipatti – Paul Sacher – Orchester des Südwestdeutschen Rundfunks – 1948
Sounds old, many faults at the orchestra, provincial like. 6

Monique Haas – Ferenc Fricsay – Radio-Symphonie-Orchester Berlin – 1955
Fricsay recorded it already with Louis Kentner in 1950. It is more lively, a little dull though, better at the end of the movement. 7,5

György Sandor – Eugene Ormandy – Philadelphia Orchestra – 1959
The creators of the work. It sounds limping, figures don’t come out. 6,5

György Sandor – Michael Gielen – Pro Musica Orchester Wien – 1959
Still not really convinced by the pianist, but the sound is clearer. 7

Edith Farnadi – Hermann Scherchen – Vienna State Opera orchestra – 1959
Good pianist, rather badly captured, lively orchestra. 7,5

Geza Anda – Ferenc Fricsay – Radio-Symphonie-Orchester Berlin – 1960
Having been disappointed by older versions, finally a must, rhythms, colors in the orchestra, the ruffling pianist. 8,5

Annie Fischer – Igor Markevitch – London Symphony Orchestra – 1960
Affectionate and colorful playing from Annie Fischer. She seems clearly to be the leader in this lively recording. Rather dull sound. 8

Annie Fischer – Ferenc Fricsay – Symphonieorchester des Bayerische Rundfunks – 1960 – Live
Same qualities here. The best player up to here with Anda, the best conductor up to here and the best orchestra. Difficult to admit it’s a live recording… 8,5

Julius Katchen – Ernest Ansermet – Orchestre de la Suisse romande 1962
Precise and decided conducting, maybe the pianist isn’t enough aerial. 7,5

Julius Katchen – Istvan Kertesz – London Symphony Orchestra – 1966
Superb – and big – sound, the orchestra sounds better than with Markevitch. Moderate tempo, Katchen still a little bit earthy. It’s not really Allegretto, an eloquent lecture anyway. 7,5

Philippe Entremont – Leonard Bernstein – New York Philharmonic 1968
One doesn’t recall the great carrier of the pianist (specially in the US), still active as a conductor at 81yo. Again a rather slow tempo, elegant piano, vivid lecture, missing a little of “bartokian style”. 7

Samson François – David Zinman – Orchestre National de l’ O.R.T.F. – 1969 – Live
Surely the less known recording by David Zinman…  A live recording, but we got only 1mn of it…

Daniel Barenboïm – Pierre Boulez – New Philharmonia Orchestra – 1970
A very vivid lecture, joyful, Allegretto. 8

Stephen Kovacevich – Colin Davis – London Symphony Orchestra – 1976
A good lecture from the pianist a little placid at the orchestra. 7

Vladimir Ashkenazy – Georg Solti – London Philharmonic Orchestra – 1980
Nervous and idiosyncratic lecture from Solti, Ashkenazy’s piano is a little too much faraway, thus not totally convincing. 7,5

Bogdan Czapiewski – Alfred Walter – Orchestre symphonique de la RTBF – 1985

Bogdan Czapiewski (Naxos)
Bogdan Czapiewski (Naxos)

A Polish pianist, now piano teacher at Gdansk, with the Austrian conductor Alfred Walter (1929-2005). One of the slowest tempi. Nice singing piano playing, dull orchestra, overall uneven. 5,5

 

 

Zoltan Kocsis – Iván Fischer – Budapest Festival Orchestra – 1987
The first 100% hungarian recording.  Piano a little faraway, a rather rhapsodic lecture. 7

Russell Sherman – Michael Gielen – SWF Symphony Orchestra – 1989
Russell Sherman is an American pianist (1930*). Clear piano, rather heavy orchestra, but altogether a lively version. 7,5

György Sandor – Adam Fischer – Hungarian State Orchestra – 1989
Creator of the work, Sandor (1912-2005) said the first edition was a very poor one, the correct one having just been issued in the 80s. Superb agility from this already old pianist. A playful lecture, natural phrases at the orchestra, a little too much ‘studio’. 8

Boris Krajný – Jiri Belohlavek – Czech Philharmonic Orchestra – 1991
A Czech recording. A very slow tempo.  Sounds like having been written by Kodaly… 6,5

Peter Donohoe – Simon Rattle – City Of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra – 1993
A very light version, orchestra faraway, curious tempi variations. 6,5

Jeno Jando – Andras Ligeti – Orchestre Symphonique de Budapest – 1994
Another Hungarian version. Sounds rather dull, good pianist (with whom you distinct clearly the two hands), but I listened to it till the end, since there is an immersive atmosphere. 7,5

Yefim Bronfman – Esa-Pekka Salonen – Los Angeles Philharmonic – 1995
Rather romantic playing from the pianist. A placid version. 6,5

Andras Schiff – Iván Fischer – Budapest Festival Orchestra – 1996
A remake by Iván Fischer. Eloquence from the pianist, great sound. Superb balance piano / orchestra, good sound recording. Just a little slow for my taste. 8

Martha Argerich – Charles Dutoit – Orchestre Symphonique de Montréal – 1998
Superb phrasings. Beautiful things, but lacks of some insight. 7,5

Hélène Grimaud – Pierre Boulez – London Symphony Orchestra – 2005
Boulez had redone the piano concertos for DG with Zimerman (1), Andsnes (2) & Grimaud here.  Everything is technically superb and boring at the same time. 6,5

Martha Argerich – Alexander Vedernikov – Orchestra Della Svizzera Italiana – 2007
Will it be as extraordinary as the Schumann concerto with Rabinovitch? Almost, a furia at the piano, sometimes with some liberties withe the score, but its joyful, playful, in right tempo, with a responding orchestra. 8

Jane Coop – Mario Bernardi – Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra – 2008
A Canadian CD with two local artists. Good things, a little cautious and a common orchestra (strings). 6,5

Klára Würtz – Theodore Kuchar – Janácek Philharmonic Orchestra – 2009
Klára Würtz (965*) is an hungarian-born pianist, married to Brillant Classics’s director. This CD is edited by Brillant Classics. Theodore Kuchar (1963*) is an American conductor who has made numerous recordings for Naxos. And it’s a very good version. Maybe a bit too much serious. 7,5

Jean-Efflam Bavouzet – Gianandrea Noseda – BBC Philharmonic – 2010
Another good version, very good pianism, average orchestra, reading a bit dispersed. 7

So we will stick with 7 versions :

  • Geza Anda – Ferenc Fricsay – Radio-Symphonie-Orchester Berlin – 1960
  • Annie Fischer – Igor Markevitch – London Symphony Orchestra – 1960
  • Annie Fischer – Ferenc Fricsay – Symphonieorchester des Bayerische Rundfunks – 1960
  • Daniel Barenboïm – Pierre Boulez – New Philharmonia Orchestra – 1970
  • György Sandor – Adam Fischer – Hungarian State Orchestra – 1989
  • Andras Schiff – Iván Fischer – Budapest Festival Orchestra – 1996
  • Martha Argerich – Alexander Vedernikov – Orchestra Della Svizzera Italiana – 2007

Adagio religioso

Anda / Fricsay: some liberties at the piano with the score, but altogether splendid. A.  Fischer / Markevitch is a little more placid for the orchestra, more refined and more atmosphere with Fricsay and the SOBR – religious piano playing… Barenboïm / Boulez (46y ago…): sounds curiously slower, superb atmosphere, impressive piano. Sandor / A. Fischer: Orchestra a little bit too soft, piano alike, religioso went sleepy here at the beginning, but a coherent vision, superb ‘nocturnal birds’.  Schiff / I. Fischer:  orchestral introduction less appealing, great pianist, a little autere. Argerich / Vedernikov:  a good lecture, Argerich’s piano sounding like a cymbalum by the end.

Remaining versions :

  • Geza Anda – Ferenc Fricsay – Radio-Symphonie-Orchester Berlin – 1960
  • Annie Fischer – Ferenc Fricsay – Symphonieorchester des Bayerische Rundfunks – 1960
  • Daniel Barenboïm – Pierre Boulez – New Philharmonia Orchestra – 1970
  • György Sandor – Adam Fischer – Hungarian State Orchestra – 1989
  • Martha Argerich – Alexander Vedernikov – Orchestra Della Svizzera Italiana – 2007

Allegro vivace

A last joyful movement defying death… Anda / Fricsay are just amazing, hardly less A. Fischer / Fricsay (superb timpanist), Barenboïm / Boulez are clear and vivid, Sandor / A. Fischer: maybe lacking of some vista which is not of course the case for Argerich!

These 5 versions should satisfy any music lover. Since it has not been available for a long time, try the recent reissue Annie Fischer / SOBR / Fricsay, with 2 great accounts of Mozart’s concertos. Here

Funny, a quick discography of Schumann’s piano concerto praised Argerich / Rabinovitch and A. Fischer / Keiberth along with Arrau / Kubelík…

Bartok - Piano concerto 3

2285312_20th CENTRY CLASSICS-PROKOFIEV/BARTOK_BL.qxd:cdq301e CD
2285312_20th CENTRY CLASSICS-PROKOFIEV/BARTOK_BL.qxd:cdq301e CD

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