01. - 03. Piano Concerto No.1 in C major, op.15 [39'42]
04. - 06. Piano Concerto No.2 in B-flat major, op.19 [30'17]
07. - 09. Piano Concerto No.3 in C minor, op.37 [36'30]
10. - 12. Piano Concerto No.4 in G major, op.58 [35'00]
13. - 15. Piano Concerto No.5 in E-flat major, op.73 'Emperor' [38'36]
16. Fantasia in C minor for Piano, Chorus and Orchestra, op.80 * [19'46]
Emanuel Ax- piano; Royal Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Andre Previn; New York Philharmonic Orchestra and New York Choral Artists conducted by Zubin Mehta*
RCA 82876557032 [recorded 1983* and 1985/86; this digital download release 2003]
[Digital download; flacs, cover scan - no booklet]
Recording venues: Walthamstow Assembly Hall & Abbey Road No.1 Studio, London; Avery Fisher Hall, New York*
Recording engineers: Stanley Goodall & Paul Goodman* ; Producer: Jay David Saks & Thomas Z Shepard*
Anybody seeking a traditional concert grand and modern orchestra view of the Beethoven Piano Concertos should be well satisfied with these performances. Emanuel Ax and Andre Previn make a fine pairing - warm and stylish and sympathetic to the Beethoven tradition. However, some may find Ax too expansive at times and he doesn't always dig deep. Previn and his orchestra give good support but with some lack of detail in their playing.
As a makeweight to the concertos, RCA have added this splendid live performance of the Choral Fantasia. This recording was originally issued as another makeweight - to Zubin Mehta's Beethoven Symphony No.9 given at the same concert with the New York Philharmonic. Ax is his usual reliable self here and the orchestral and choral contributions under Mehta are fine.
The recorded sound for the concertos is excellent with the live concert Choral Fantasia a bit flat and a little muddy at times.