Search - Beethoven, Gelber, Pao :: Piano Concerto No 5 / Piano Sonata No 8

Lightening Caught In A Bottle

Jo Rock | U.S. | 11/20/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This Emperor is simply BLISTERING and is in my opinion the most electrifying version available alongside the Szell/Fleisher recording.

Bruno Gelber plays with a scintilating crisp articulate speed combined with refined elegant expressive phrasing making his passages dazzle and astound.

He takes a most heroic view of the piece and delivers a performance of guts and passionate glory as heard in movement 1.

Heartfelt delicate poetic phrasing is abundant in the 2nd movement and the 3rd movement takes flight with crackling inspiration and never lets up.

Ferdinand Leitner throughout provides rock solid orchestral support with the Philharmonia playing very well indeed but Leitner has just a bit more gusto and fire here than in his famed recording with Wilhelm Kempff.

So if you're looking for a take no prisoners Emperor that will kick you in the teeth then you've found it.

The bonus Pathetique and Moonlight sonatas are just icing on the cake and offer further proof that Arthur Rubinstein was right when he called Bruno Gelber "a Marvel".

Don't pass up this incredible God send of a bargain because it's simply one of the best.



Stratcat (O.F.)



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