Content:

Ludwig van Beethoven
Piano Concertos Nos. 4 & 5



Artists:
Olli Mustonen, piano
Tapiola Sinfonietta
Olli Mustonen, conductor

Genres:
Instrumental
Orchestral

Features:

Hybrid SACD (recorded in DXD; SACD Surround 5.0 / SACD Stereo / CD Stereo - playable on all SACD and CD players); booklet with liner notes in English, German, and Finnish

Format:
CD / SACD

Released:
October 2009 (Finland)
November 2009 (internationally)

Catalogue No.:
ODE 1146-5

EAN/UPC Code:
0761195114650

Track listing

Disc 72:45
Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827)
Concerto for piano and orchestra No. 4 in G major, Op. 58 32:31
1 I. Allegro moderato (Cadenza: L. van Beethoven) 18:14
2 II. Andante con moto 4:45
3 III. Rondo. Vivace (Cadenza: L. van Beethoven) 9:31
Concerto for piano and orchestra No. 5 in E-flat major, Op. 73 39:57
4 I. Allegro 21:10
5 II. Adagio un poco moto 7:23
6 III. Rondo. Allegro, ma non troppo 11:21



Also recommended...

Press review

Olli Mustonen is supremely gifted and plays with courage: the courage of someone who plays with all stops full out, of a pianist unafraid of making a mistake, and of a conductor confident in his musical taste and knowledge.
Ilya Oblomov, Fanfare Magazine, March/April 2010

Beady-eyed and provocative, (Olli Mustonen's) opening to the Fourth tells us that it is time to move on from the legendary poetry of Myra Hess, Gilels, Lupu and Perahia and opt for a more invigorating and modernist approach.
Bryce Morrison, Gramophone, February 2010

Mustonen's crisply articulated runs and angular phrasing (...) turn the piano into an individual personality in vivid contrast to the suave cantabile of the orchestra. (...) With excellently balanced engineering and some particularly attractive work form the horns and winds, this is a disc that deserves serious consideration.
David Hurwitz, ClassicsToday.com, December 2009, Artistic Quality 9 / Sound Quality 9

Mustosen kristallinkirkas, hallittu ja ihailtavan pitkälinjainen avausfraasi saa täydellisen tuen Tapiola Sinfoniettan huippumuusikoilta, jotka ovat oppineet kuuntelemaan pitkäaikaista yhteistyökumppaniaan. (...) Sarjan päätöslevy tuo korostetusti esiin, että Mustosen suvereeni musiikin suunnan ymmärrys ei rajoitu vikkelien osien energialatauksiin; myös hitaissa osissa soitto kantaa kuulijaa minuuttikaupalla.
Kare Eskola, Rondo Klassinen musiikkilehti, 12/2009

Mustonen brings great energy to his performances, particularly the more rumbustious opening movement of the lengthy 5th, whose colossal aspect clearly offers no obstacles to his abilities.
Andy Gill, The Independent, November 20, 2009

Olli Mustonen osaa soittaa Beethovenin musiikkia juuri niin kuin haluaa. Jokainen sävel asettuu kristallinkirkkaana kohdalleen, jokainen aksentti toteutuu äärimmäisen tarkasti, jokainen tekstuuri soi kuin läpivalaistuna. (...) Tapiola Sinfonietta seuraa Mustosen edesottamuksia äärimmäisen tarkasti, yhtenäisellä soinnilla, vuosien yhteistyöstä oppineena.
Kare Eskola, YLE Radio 1, 22.10.2009


Complete description

Olli Mustonen crowns his acclaimed cycle of Beethoven Piano Concertos with recordings of the famous concertos nos. 4 and 5.

In line with the two earlier installments, he performs these two virtuoso works simultaneously as pianist and conductor - a demanding practice in line with Beethoven's intentions, which can however be only seldom experienced in today's concert life or on disc. Mustonen develops his visionary approach to these works together with the renowned chamber orchestra Tapiola Sinfonietta; together they have toured Europe with this program to much acclaim.

The SACD quality faithfully renders Mustonen's incomparable mastery of piano sound and technique. The booklet includes extensive liner notes written by noted Beethoven scholar and author of the new complete Piano Concerto Edition, Dr. Hans-Werner Küthen of the Beethoven-Archiv, Bonn.

Olli Mustonen's recording series of Beethoven's five piano concertos and the piano version of the violin concerto has been hailed by the international press as "stimulating" (Fono Forum/Germany, Jan 2008) and "thoroughly refreshing and convincing" (International Piano Magazine/U.K., Sep/Oct 2008)