Composer: Béla Bartók
Performer: Géza Anda, Paul Blöcher, Tibor Varga, Georg Solti, Karl Peinkofer, Ludwig Porth
Orchestra: WDR Sinfonieorchester Köln
Conductor: Michael Gielen, Ferenc Fricsay
Format: FLAC (tracks)
Label: Audite
Catalogue: AUDITE23410
Release: 2008
Size: 413 MB
Recovery: +3%
Scan: cover
CD 01
Bartók: Piano Concerto No. 1
01. Allegro moderato – Allegro
02. Andante
03. Allegro molto
Bartók: Piano Concerto No. 2
04. Allegro
05. Adagio
06. Allegro molto
CD 02
Bartók: Contrasts for Clarinet, Violin & Piano
01. I. Recruiting Dance (Moderato, ben ritmato)
02. II. Relaxation (Lento)
03. III. Fast Dance (Allegro vivace)
Bartók: Suite for Piano, Op. 14
04. Allegretto
05. Scherzo
06. Allegro molto (attacca)
07. Sostenuto
Bartók: Sonata for two Pianos & Percussion
08. Assai lento – Allegro molto
09. Lento, ma non troppo
10. Allegro non troppo
This fourth and final volume of the Géza Anda edition of recordings from the archives of the WDR, issued by Audite, culminates in music by Béla Bartók to which Anda was devoted from the beginning of his career.
Bartók’s piano concertos, the first two of which are presented here as impressive live recordings from 1952 and 1957, both with the Cologne Radio Symphony Orchestra, achieved their final public breakthrough thanks to Anda’s efforts.
His enthusiasm for chamber music as well as his gift in performing together with world-famous Hungarian colleagues are revealed in two recordings from 1953.
To bring this edition to a close, Géza Anda can be heard once more as a soloist in a rousing performance of the Suite for piano Op 14 from 1955.
The four-part series, largely consisting of so far unreleased studio and concert recordings of the WDR Cologne from the years 1952 to 1970, closes a gap in the discography of the Hungarian Géza Anda, one of the most important pianists of the second half of the 20th century. With piano compositions from three epochs – including works of Mozart, Beethoven, Brahms, Liszt, Schumann, Chopin and Bartók – Anda presents a representative cross-section of his wide repertoire, revealing himself not only as an exceptional pianist free of any form of romanticisation, but also as a conductor.