Beethoven: Triple Concerto, Overtures (Karajan, Mutter, Yo-Yo Ma, Zeltser)

Ludwig van Beethoven: Triple Concerto, Overtures (Egmont, Coriolan, Fidelio)

Herbert von Karajan, Anne-Sophie Mutter, Yo-Yo Ma, Mark Zeltser

Berliner Philharmoniker

Release date 1985

Amazon customer review

Karajan has his critics, and I must say I am not always happy with his interpretations, but in these Beethoven performances he is at his very best. The Beethoven triple concerto is unfortunately not one of the composer's most popular works, and I find it hard to understand why this is. There is so much colour here, with the blending of piano trio and orchestra, combined with great tunes and Beethoven at his deepest, at times darkest, and frequently (especially in the final movement) most jaunty and joyous. The soloists combine superbly with each other, and with the sumptuous sound of the Berlin Philharmonic this is surely one of the great performances of the piece. The sound is also excellent, the recording producing lovely warm tones, and great power at times.

A decade earlier, in 1969, Karajan recorded the piece with three great Russian soloists, producing a classic recording. But I must say this 1980 recording is just as good, and so if you have to choose between the two it would seem to me to rest on the accompanying pieces. The 1969 recording provides also a fantastic performance of Brahms's double concerto. In this 1980 recording three magnificent Beethoven overtures are the accompaniment: the performances are fabulous, with the Berlin Philharmonic at the height of its powers; I have never heard a more exciting, moody reading of Coriolan, and Egmont and Fidelio are not far behind.