A Few Updates
A few updates:
First, I am working on the next post covering Beethoven’s Symphony no. 7. I’m working to stay on schedule, but I’ve also been traveling a lot the past week or so and haven’t been able to write much. Like other recent works, this symphony has an overwhelming number of recordings to sift through, but I am making some headway. I have several favorite recordings which I’ve known for years, but I don’t want to overlook any other gems.
Speaking of overlooking a recording, many thanks to the reader that let me know about a superb recording of the Schumann Piano Concerto that I somehow missed. It is yet another version by the pianist Hélène Grimaud, this time with the Staatskapelle Dresden and conductor Esa-Pekka Salonen recorded in 2007 for Deutsche Grammophon. It actually outshines the other two Grimaud recordings I listed in my post, both the earlier one with David Zinman and the most recent one with the Camerata Salzburg and Giovanni Guzzo. All three recordings are recommended, as Grimaud seems to have a natural affinity for the concerto, and all three readings are fairly similar. But the Salonen recording has that extra ounce of spontaneity and energy which I love. In terms of sound, the piano and strings are captured very well (even if the brass are more recessed than I would like in the first movement). Grimaud’s playing is particularly sparkling with just the right amount of power and touch.
Stay tuned and be well! See you next time.