Till Fellner - Beethoven: Piano Concertos Nos. 4 And 5 (2010) [Official Digital Download]

Austrian pianist Till Fellner whose two Bach albums on ECM have won him unanimous international acclaim teams up with conductor Kent Nagano and his Orchestre Symphonique de Montréal for a sensitive and meticulous interpretation of Beethoven’s much-loved piano concertos Nos. 4 and 5. In a review to be published in the March issue of ‘Fanfare’ Jerry Dubins speaks of a “stunning achievement” and points out that “the recording has a fullness, depth, and solidity to it that are equal to the very best modern technology has to offer.” Fellner and Nagano, musical collaborators for more than a decade, share a delicate and sensitive approach to Beethoven’s middle period that, by eschewing all demonstrativeness, focusses on natural tempi, transparent sound and maximum clarity of articulation. While Fellner continues his much-lauded cycle of Beethoven’s 32 piano sonatas on major concert platforms in the US, Europe and Japan, Nagano and his Montreal orchestra have received much attention with their Beethoven project “Ideals of the French Revolution”. Fellner can also be heard in Thomas Larcher’s “Böse Zellen”, to be released in late March.

„These are superlative performances of these extremely familiar works, though it isn’t easy to say exactly why they are so fine. … The give and take between Fellner and the Montreal Symphony Orchestra is uncanny, in that they seem to be questioning or replying to one another as if only two individuals were concerned. That is not so surprising in the Fourth Concerto, which is intimate… It is much more surprising in the Fifth Concerto… Yet in this performance once more there is a feeling of the orchestra as a unity debating with the pianist, or provoking him, or being teased by him.“ (Michael Tanner, BBC Music Magazine)

„Till Fellner … together with Kent Nagano and the Montreal SO gives us two of the most supremely satisfying performances of both these concertos on record. This is a dream partnership with soloist and conductor working hand-in-glove, and even when you conjure with so many glorious names in such core repertoire you will rarely hear playing of such an enviable, unimpeded musical grace and fluency.“ (Bryce Morrison, Gramophone)

Tracklist:
01. Piano Concerto No.4 In G, Op.58-Allegro Moderato
02. Piano Concerto No.4 In G, Op.58-Andante Con Moto
03. Piano Concerto No.4 In G, Op.58-Rondo. Vivace
04. Piano Concerto No.5 In E Flat Major Op.73 -''Emperor''-Allegro
05. Piano Concerto No.5 In E Flat Major Op.73 -''Emperor''-Adagio Un Poco Moto
06. Piano Concerto No.5 In E Flat Major Op.73 -''Emperor''-Rondo. Allegro, Ma Non Troppo

Personnel:
Till Fellner, piano
Orchestre symphonique de Montréal
Kent Nagano, conductor

Concert recording May and November 2008 at Salle Wilfrid_Pelletier, Montréal
Tonmeister: Markus Heiland
Production coordination: Guido Gorna Mixed at MSM Studios in München by Manfred Eicher, Markus Heiland and Christoph Stickel
Produced by Manfred Eicher