Beethoven • Piano Concertos 1-5
 he 250th anniversary of Beethoven’s birth has seen a
veritable deluge of recordings and reissues, boxed sets and collections, as musicians and
record labels look to celebrate (or cash in on) the life and work of arguably the most
recognized of all classical composers. Amongst the flood of material, new and old, the
piano music and, in particular, the concertos have been well represented. This is hardly
surprising, given their popularity and monumental status. The young Canadian Jan
Lisiecki’s set in which he leads The Academy of St. Martin in the Fields ([Deutsche
Grammophon Gesellschaft 483 7637] released by the venerable German institution along with
a partnering set of late sonatas from Maurizio Pollini) brings a fresh, energetic account
that augments rather than replaces existing readings and is definitely worth a listen.
But for me, none of the recent offerings has held the same fascination as Mitsuko Uchida’s complete cycle with Rattle and the Berliner Philharmoniker, recordings that are available in no fewer than three different packages: the hybrid SACD set reviewed here, a two-Blu-ray/three-CD set that includes 24-bit downloads, or the downloads on their own. The BPO has also been making some of its more popular recordings available on vinyl -- Beethoven, Schumann and Sibelius symphonic cycles, amongst others -- and you’ve got to figure that this set will eventually be added to that list. Until then, optical disc or file replay are the available options. Uchida is a London resident, and I’ve experienced her consummate music-making at many a concert and with ever-growing respect. Perhaps better known for the earlier repertoire, especially Mozart, this is not her first stab at the Beethoven concertos. Her previous set, recorded over twenty years ago (with Kurt Sanderling and the Concertgebouw for Philips) was a bit of a mixed bag, the earlier concertos notably more successful than Nos.4 and especially 5, where she sounded underpowered compared to the imperious performance of Bendetti Michelangeli, et al. But a decade and a half later she brings a new sense of range and authority to the works that, combined with the incredible delicacy and fluidity that have always characterized her playing, transforms her standing on this material. Any concerto involves a conversation between the solo instrument and orchestra, and the balance of that conversation is key to the success of any performance. Here, you are dependent on Rattle (who has never been my favorite conductor) to marshal and direct those forces. It’s the weakest aspect of this set. His tempi in the faster movements seem almost hurried, bringing a cluttered feel to some of the orchestral passages, while his weighting is questionable too: too light and almost Mozartian in the earlier works, portentous and almost Brahmsian later. But there are plenty of upsides to compensate: the Berliner’s immaculate ensemble, the live recordings with their vivid sense of performance, the natural tonal balance, the sense of space and perspective on the SACD recordings (a significant step up over the somewhat murky CD layer), and last but most important of all, Uchida’s wonderful playing. If Uchida’s piano -- she brought her own instrument for the concerts -- still lacks the sheer weight and impact of that of Benedetti Michelangeli or Lisiecki (whose tempi are even faster than Rattle’s, yet never seem to create confusion) she more than makes up for it with the absolute authority of her phrasing, the clarity of her lines, her tonal and expressive range and the poise and sensitivity in her playing, qualities that are never more obvious than in the slow movements. The short, desolate andante con moto from Concerto No.4 is widely held to encapsulate Beethoven’s dismay at his encroaching deafness, but never has that desperation been more apparent than in Uchida’s measured playing, each note placed with precision. She takes almost 45 seconds longer to play the 70-odd bars than Lisiecki and all that extra time is space between the notes. It’s a captivating performance that echoes throughout the other slow movements, culminating in a triumphant Concerto No.5, where the balance, clarity and lively precision of her playing is a dramatic and compelling alternative to the explosive fireworks that typify so many recordings. Given my reservations about the conducting, a lot rests on both the quality of the piano-playing and the extent to which the recording captures its distinctive character. Uchida doesn’t just rise to the occasion; she soars and the SACD recording captures that perfectly -- although this is one instance where the higher-res media really do score. To describe a musician whose career has been as long and
distinguished as Mitsuko Uchida’s as "coming of age" seems almost
disrespectful -- especially when you consider her status when it comes to Mozart -- but
for the Beethoven concertos that’s exactly how these performances feel: confident,
expressive and authoritative in a way that she’s never achieved before. Maybe
it’s the gravity that comes with seniority, but if that’s the case, then
I’d love to know where she finds the youthful vivacity that runs through so much of
her playing. These performances may not be the last (or even the latest) word on the
Beethoven piano concertos, but they show a different, subtle, beautiful and deeply
personal side to this otherwise familiar music, which deserves a place in any serious
classical collection. |
