Beethoven: Triple Concerto in C Major, Op. 56 - Johannes Brahms: Double Concerto in A Minor, Op. 102

Album review

Great Soviet violinist David Oïstrakh championed Beethoven’s Triple Concerto in C major throughout his career, during a time when it was virtually unknown. His first version, recorded in Moscow in 1947 under the direction of Nikolaï Golovanov, featured Lev Oborin on piano and Sviatoslav Knouchevitski on cello. The three also made another recording in Moscow during the same period, conducted by Aleksander Orlov.

Twelve years later, they returned to the studio, this time in London, to record the reissue of this album under the direction of Sir Malcolm Sargent at the head of the Philharmonia Orchestra (which was created by Walter Legge specifically for this album). David Oïstrakh performed other live versions, but he made an official final recording of the Triple Concerto in Berlin in 1970 as part of one of the biggest marketing operations in the history of classical music. He did so alongside some of the biggest names of the time: Herbert von Karajan, Sviatoslav Richter and Mstislav Rostropovich. This recording, published by EMI, ultimately launched this all-too-often overlooked work, which has since become one of Beethoven’s most frequently performed pieces, on a par with the Emperor Concerto and his Violin Concerto.

This stunning version is directed by Sir Malcolm Sargent, and it’s certainly one of the most balanced of all Oïstrakh’s pieces, where neither the conductor nor the soloists take precedence. Just like the Japanese vinyl edition published in 1975 by the Seraphim label, it’s paired with Brahms’ Double Concerto. Here, Oïstrakh converses with the great French cellist Pierre Fournier under the direction of Italian conductor Alceo Galliera, and the sound is considerably better than the old editions. Great performers never die. © François Hudry/Qobuz