Search - Robert Schumann, Géza Anda, Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra :: Piano Concertos

Ravishing

David Saemann | 08/21/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Geza Anda was one of the great pianists of the years following the Second World War. This popular coupling of the Grieg and Schumann Concertos is one of the finest I've ever heard. In the Schumann, Anda allows himself a degree of freedom with tempos always designed to heighten the expressivity of his interpretation. His tone is beautiful, comparable in its way to Rubinstein's. Rafael Kubelik doesn't keep the orchestra so together in the Schumann, but he nevertheless elicits expressive playing--just not neat. In the Grieg, the orchestra is in better shape, perhaps from having less to do. Anda finds more lyricism in the Grieg than other pianists do. He has all the bravura the piece requires, but he never resorts to slash and burn tactics to show off his virtuosity. There are famous recordings of the Grieg by Kovacevich, Rubinstein, and, at the beginning of his career, Andsnes, but I think Anda's is just as satisfying as any of these. The sound engineering on the CD is good, full toned but somewhat covered by the acoustic either of the hall or the microphone set up. If you only know of Geza Anda through his Mozart or Bartok recordings, for which he was famous, this CD is an ideal place to start to get to know him better."