Unlimited Streaming
Listen to this album in high quality now on our apps
Start my trial period and start listening to this albumEnjoy this album on Qobuz apps with your subscription
SubscribeEnjoy this album on Qobuz apps with your subscription
Digital Download
Purchase and download this album in a wide variety of formats depending on your needs.
Here is a CD reissue that collectors have sought for decades: John Ogdon's magnificent 1967 EMI Angel recording of Ferruccio Busoni's Piano Concerto, Op. 39, with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra under Daniell Revenaugh. This was the first commercial recording of Busoni's elephantine concerto, which is in five movements, calls for male chorus in the last movement and lasts as long as Beethoven's Ninth Symphony. Since its 1967 release, some earlier recordings of the Busoni concerto, made live with Noel Mewton-Wood and Gunnar Johansen, have surfaced, and new ones have been made, most notably with Garrick Ohlsson (for Telarc) and Marc-André Hamelin (for Hyperion). But nothing can supplant the Ogdon recording -- it not only established the Busoni concerto as an unjustly neglected masterpiece well worth hearing, but it also helped begin the process of Busoni's rehabilitation as a composer of worth. For those not familiar with the Busoni Piano Concerto, then this arrives as an excellent, low-cost option to sample it.
The sound quality of this EMI Encore CD is excellent, far better than the original American LP release that, though enclosed in one of the handsomest packages accorded to an instrumental EMI release in the 1960s, suffered from ticky surfaces and indifferent mastering. The new CD also reveals that Daniell Revenaugh's accompaniment, often the target of negative commentary from critics who have dealt with this recording over the years, really isn't as bad one may have thought judging from the murky LP pressing. It's a dense recording to start with, one that incidentally was interrupted momentarily by Paul McCartney, who shunted Revenaugh aside to lead the orchestra in overdubs for the Beatles' A Day in the Life. Pink Floyd was also recording A Piper at the Gates of Dawn down the hallway at the time.
Unfortunately, the concerto gobbles up all but one minute of this 70-minute CD, so we are not treated to the original album filler, a transparent account by Revenaugh and the RPO of Busoni's Sarabande & Cortège, Op. 51. However, given the low asking price of this Encore issue there really isn't that much to complain about, apart from skimpy, practically nonexistent notes and a generic cover design. However, Ogdon's palpitating, Mephistophelean performance is the main reason to own it -- he powers through Busoni's finger-busting piano part like a sawmill through frozen butter, making relatively short work, at least to the ears, of some of the most difficult keyboard music in history.
© TiVo
You are currently listening to samples.
Listen to over 100 million songs with an unlimited streaming plan.
Listen to this playlist and more than 100 million songs with our unlimited streaming plans.
From $16.65/month
John Alldis Choir, Choir, Lead Vocals - Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Orchestra, Lead Vocals - Suvi Raj Grubb, Producer - John Ogdon, Piano, Lead Vocals, MainArtist - Ferruccio Busoni, Composer - Daniell Revenaugh, Conductor, Lead Vocals - The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Orchestra, Vocals
© 2007 EMI Records Ltd ℗ 1968 Warner Classics, Warner Music UK Ltd Digital remastering (p) 1989 Warner Classics, Warner Music UK Ltd
John Alldis Choir, Choir, Lead Vocals - Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Orchestra, Lead Vocals - Suvi Raj Grubb, Producer - John Ogdon, Piano, Lead Vocals, MainArtist - Ferruccio Busoni, Composer - Daniell Revenaugh, Conductor, Lead Vocals - The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Orchestra, Vocals
© 2007 EMI Records Ltd ℗ 1968 Warner Classics, Warner Music UK Ltd Digital remastering (p) 1989 Warner Classics, Warner Music UK Ltd
John Alldis Choir, Choir, Lead Vocals - Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Orchestra, Lead Vocals - Suvi Raj Grubb, Producer - John Ogdon, Piano, Lead Vocals, MainArtist - Ferruccio Busoni, Composer - Daniell Revenaugh, Conductor, Lead Vocals - The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Orchestra, Vocals
© 2007 EMI Records Ltd ℗ 1968 Warner Classics, Warner Music UK Ltd Digital remastering (p) 1989 Warner Classics, Warner Music UK Ltd
John Alldis Choir, Choir, Lead Vocals - Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Orchestra, Lead Vocals - Suvi Raj Grubb, Producer - John Ogdon, Piano, Lead Vocals, MainArtist - Ferruccio Busoni, Composer - Daniell Revenaugh, Conductor, Lead Vocals - The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Orchestra, Vocals
© 2007 EMI Records Ltd ℗ 1968 Warner Classics, Warner Music UK Ltd Digital remastering (p) 1989 Warner Classics, Warner Music UK Ltd
John Alldis Choir, Choir, Lead Vocals - Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Orchestra, Lead Vocals - Suvi Raj Grubb, Producer - John Ogdon, Piano, Lead Vocals, MainArtist - Ferruccio Busoni, Composer - Daniell Revenaugh, Conductor, Lead Vocals - The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Orchestra, Vocals
© 2007 EMI Records Ltd ℗ 1968 Warner Classics, Warner Music UK Ltd Digital remastering (p) 1989 Warner Classics, Warner Music UK Ltd
Album review
Here is a CD reissue that collectors have sought for decades: John Ogdon's magnificent 1967 EMI Angel recording of Ferruccio Busoni's Piano Concerto, Op. 39, with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra under Daniell Revenaugh. This was the first commercial recording of Busoni's elephantine concerto, which is in five movements, calls for male chorus in the last movement and lasts as long as Beethoven's Ninth Symphony. Since its 1967 release, some earlier recordings of the Busoni concerto, made live with Noel Mewton-Wood and Gunnar Johansen, have surfaced, and new ones have been made, most notably with Garrick Ohlsson (for Telarc) and Marc-André Hamelin (for Hyperion). But nothing can supplant the Ogdon recording -- it not only established the Busoni concerto as an unjustly neglected masterpiece well worth hearing, but it also helped begin the process of Busoni's rehabilitation as a composer of worth. For those not familiar with the Busoni Piano Concerto, then this arrives as an excellent, low-cost option to sample it.
The sound quality of this EMI Encore CD is excellent, far better than the original American LP release that, though enclosed in one of the handsomest packages accorded to an instrumental EMI release in the 1960s, suffered from ticky surfaces and indifferent mastering. The new CD also reveals that Daniell Revenaugh's accompaniment, often the target of negative commentary from critics who have dealt with this recording over the years, really isn't as bad one may have thought judging from the murky LP pressing. It's a dense recording to start with, one that incidentally was interrupted momentarily by Paul McCartney, who shunted Revenaugh aside to lead the orchestra in overdubs for the Beatles' A Day in the Life. Pink Floyd was also recording A Piper at the Gates of Dawn down the hallway at the time.
Unfortunately, the concerto gobbles up all but one minute of this 70-minute CD, so we are not treated to the original album filler, a transparent account by Revenaugh and the RPO of Busoni's Sarabande & Cortège, Op. 51. However, given the low asking price of this Encore issue there really isn't that much to complain about, apart from skimpy, practically nonexistent notes and a generic cover design. However, Ogdon's palpitating, Mephistophelean performance is the main reason to own it -- he powers through Busoni's finger-busting piano part like a sawmill through frozen butter, making relatively short work, at least to the ears, of some of the most difficult keyboard music in history.
© TiVo
About the album
- 1 disc(s) - 5 track(s)
- Total length: 01:08:26
- Main artists: John Ogdon
- Composer: Ferruccio Busoni
- Label: Warner Classics
- Genre: Classical
© 2007 EMI Records Ltd ℗ 2007 The copyright in this sound recording is owned by EMI Records Ltd
Distinctions:
Improve album informationWhy buy on Qobuz...
-
Stream or download your music
Buy an album or an individual track. Or listen to our entire catalogue with our high-quality unlimited streaming subscriptions.
-
Zero DRM
The downloaded files belong to you, without any usage limit. You can download them as many times as you like.
-
Choose the format best suited for you
Download your purchases in a wide variety of formats (FLAC, ALAC, WAV, AIFF...) depending on your needs.
-
Listen to your purchases on our apps
Download the Qobuz apps for smartphones, tablets and computers, and listen to your purchases wherever you go.