Norrington, Tan: Beethoven – The 5 Piano Concertos (4 CD box set, FLAC)

Performer: Melvyn Tan
Orchestra: London Classical Players
Conductor: Roger Norrington
Composer: Ludwig van Beethoven
Audio CD
SPARS Code: DDD
Number of Discs: 4 CD box set
Format: FLAC (image+cue)
Label: Virgin Classics
Size: 822 MB
Recovery: +3%
Scan: yes

Disc: 1
01. I Allegro Con Brio
02. II Adagio
03. III Rondo (Molto Allegro)
04. I Allegro Con Brio
05. II Largo
06. Rondo (Allegro Scherzando)

Disc: 2
01. Allegro Con Brio
02. II Largo
03. III Rondo (Allegro)
04. I Allegro Moderato
05. II Andante Con Moto
06. III Rondo (Vivace)

Disc: 3
01. I Allegro
02. II Adagio Un Poco Mosso
03. III Rondo (Allegro)
04. A Adagio – Finale: Allegro – Meno Allegro – Allegro Molto
05. B Adagio, Ma Non Troppo – Marcia, Assai Vivace
06. C Allegro – Allegretto, Ma Non Troppo (Quasi Andante Con Moto) – Presto

Disc: 4
01. 7 Variations On ‘God Save The King’ WoO 78
02. I Andante Grazioso, Quasi Allegretto
03. II Scherzo (Allegro)
04. III Allegretto
05. IV Andante
06. V Allegro, Ma Non Troppo
07. VI Allegretto Quasi Andante
08. VII Presto
09. Fantasie Op. 77
10. I Allegretto
11. II Andante Con Moto
12. III A L’allemande
13. IV Andante Cantabile
14. V Risoluto
15. VI Andante
16. VII Allegro, Ma Non Troppo
17. VIII Moderato Cantabile
18. IX Vivace Moderato
19. X Allegramente
20. XI Andante, Ma Non Troppo
21. I Andante Con Moto
22. II Allegro
23. III Andante
24. IV Presto
25. V Quasi Allegretto
26. VI Presto – Andante Amabile E Con Moto – Tempo I
27. 5 Variations On ‘Rule Britannia’ WoO 79

Well worth owning

Melvyn Tan is a superb player, and Norrington (I think) conducts Beethoven appropriately, which means with great feeling and sensitivity, but without syrupy melodrama. This fine recording shows both at their best. But for the life of me, I don’t know why they didn’t move the mike a little closer to the fortepiano. It’s just a little too low in the mix. Fortepianos – good ones – aren’t mousy little music boxes. They aren’t Bosendorfers, but they can sure hold up their end of the deal. Here, the instrument is just a little too soft. Other than that, it’s a spendid recording. And the addition of a “recital” of several of Beethoven’s solo piano works on (one of his many) original pianos is a real plus.