Beethoven’s Piano Concertos

In time for his 65th birthday in 2007, pianist Daniel Barenboim rounded off a cycle of Ludwig van Beethoven piano concertos. Recorded live at the Klavier-Festival Ruhr in May 2007, this recording reflects both a very individual and unusual reading of Beethoven’s music and Barenboim's life-long dedication to the composer. Beethoven’s masterpieces have been a key part of Barenboim’s repertoire throughout his career. Simultaneously conducting and playing the piano, Barenboim leads the Staatskapelle Berlin in a performance of Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 1 in C major, Op. 15. Although this piano concerto was actually the second Beethoven wrote, it was his first to see publication. It is a grander work than his earlier Piano Concerto No. 2, as it involves a larger orchestra and has more dynamic contrasts.

Simultaneously conducting and playing the piano, Barenboim leads the Staatskapelle Berlin in a performance of Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 2 in B-flat major, Op. 19. Beethoven premiered his concerto at Vienna's Burgtheater in March 1795, marking his Viennese public concert debut. Contrary to the composer’s other piano concertos, this work is scored for a smaller orchestra, omitting clarinets, trumpets, and timpani.

Simultaneously conducting and playing the piano, Barenboim leads the Staatskapelle Berlin in a performance of Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 3 in C minor, Op. 37. Like two other major works of the composer – Symphony No. 5 and Piano Sonata No. 8 "Pathétique" –, this piano concerto is written in the key of C minor, which contributes to the work’s stormy character.

Simultaneously conducting and playing the piano, Barenboim leads the Staatskapelle Berlin in a performance of Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 4 in G major, Op. 58. Although solo concertos were traditionally opened by the orchestra, Beethoven let the soloist open his piano concerto before the orchestra came in – an idea that had been applied by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart in his Piano Concerto No. 9.

Simultaneously conducting and playing the piano, Barenboim leads the Staatskapelle Berlin in a performance of Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 5 in E-flat major, Op. 73, known as the “Emperor” Concerto. It is noteworthy that Beethoven opened the first movement of his final concerto with a cadenza – an unaccompanied, virtuoso passage played by the soloist – which normally occurs near the end of a concert movement. Contrary to tradition, Beethoven did not allow the soloist to perform his own improvised cadenza, as he wrote out this elaborate passage himself.