Comp.piano Concertos: Badura-skoda(P)Scherchen / Vienna State Opera O

This is one of the most satisfying sets of these concertos on record and it is good to see it in print after some 50 years. The first two concertos find the pianist playing with a wonderful youthful abandon, improvising an occasional entry or reinforcing a bass line as the mood strikes him. After all, this is young Beethoven presenting himself to the Viennese public just as Mozart had done in his concertos. But these performances of #1 and #2 could never be mistaken for Mozartian classicism： they are fiercely masculine and adventurous. #3, the only stereo recording of the set, is beautifully proportioned and projected in a manner recalling Schnabel. #4’s slow movement is perfectly captured with a haunting veiled tone from the keyboard. #5 is similarly satisfying. The conducting and orchestral playing are equally marvelous, setting a firm foundation for Badura-Skoda’s disciplined freedom. Along with Gulda/Stein and Giles/Szell, this makes an overwhelmingly sucessfull survey of all 5 concerti wherein soloist and orchestra are ideally interwoven and the individuality of each work is keenly projected.