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.
The name of Irish pianist John O'Conor hasn't achieved household familiarity, and Andreas Delfs is known to U.S. audiences as the conductor of the regionally heard Milwaukee Symphony. Marquee names aren't necessary for distinctive Beethoven, however, and the two concerto performances here are indeed distinctive. They might not have stood out 40 or 50 years ago, when studious Middle Europeans like Wilhelm Kempff (with whom O'Conor studied) and Walter Gieseking ruled the classical sales charts, but later Ashkhenazian muscle became the order of the day. If you are looking for a big, glittering peroration at the beginning of the Piano Concerto No. 5 in E flat major, Op. 73 ("Emperor"), this is not the performance for you; O'Conor tends instead to get inside the details of the opening flourish, giving it a somewhat fantasy-like effect, rather than pounding it out. His tempos are generally on the brisk side, and he accents unusual details by pushing them slightly. With all these caveats borne in mind, the listener will find unusually detailed, accomplished, and challenging Beethoven performances here. The early Piano Concerto No. 2 in B flat major, Op. 19, runs against type and does so successfully; O'Conor focuses on cross rhythms in the main theme of the finale, diminishing its dancelike character but bringing out rhythms that turn out to appear all through the movement. His version of the work is unconventional but imbues it with a full quota of the young Beethoven's edginess. The finale of the "Emperor" almost willfully disregards the triple meter swing of the music but keeps the listener alert with phrasing that builds carefully toward the cadences and fully follows through them. Delfs works with O'Conor as a full partner, and the London Symphony Orchestra sounds great in Telarc's spacious engineering. For those who loved the Germanic Classicist Beethoven of the middle of the last century, here's a chance to experience it in full sonic color.
© 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 12.49€/month
Ludwig van Beethoven, Composer - London Symphony Orchestra, Orchestra, MainArtist - Jonathan Stokes, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Andreas Delfs, Conductor, MainArtist - Michael Bishop, Mixer, Mastering Engineer, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - John O'Conor, Piano, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Elaine Martone, Producer, Recording Producer - Thomas C. Moore, Editor, StudioPersonnel - Jack Renner, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel
℗ 2007 Telarc International Corp.
Ludwig van Beethoven, Composer - London Symphony Orchestra, Orchestra, MainArtist - Jonathan Stokes, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Andreas Delfs, Conductor, MainArtist - Michael Bishop, Mixer, Mastering Engineer, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - John O'Conor, Piano, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Elaine Martone, Producer, Recording Producer - Thomas C. Moore, Editor, StudioPersonnel - Jack Renner, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel
℗ 2007 Telarc International Corp.
Ludwig van Beethoven, Composer - London Symphony Orchestra, Orchestra, MainArtist - Jonathan Stokes, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Andreas Delfs, Conductor, MainArtist - Michael Bishop, Mixer, Mastering Engineer, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - John O'Conor, Piano, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Elaine Martone, Producer, Recording Producer - Thomas C. Moore, Editor, StudioPersonnel - Jack Renner, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel
℗ 2007 Telarc International Corp.
Ludwig van Beethoven, Composer - London Symphony Orchestra, Orchestra, MainArtist - Jonathan Stokes, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Andreas Delfs, Conductor, MainArtist - Michael Bishop, Mixer, Mastering Engineer, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - John O'Conor, Piano, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Elaine Martone, Producer, Recording Producer - Thomas C. Moore, Editor, StudioPersonnel - Jack Renner, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel
℗ 2007 Telarc International Corp.
Ludwig van Beethoven, Composer - London Symphony Orchestra, Orchestra, MainArtist - Jonathan Stokes, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Andreas Delfs, Conductor, MainArtist - Michael Bishop, Mixer, Mastering Engineer, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - John O'Conor, Piano, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Elaine Martone, Producer, Recording Producer - Thomas C. Moore, Editor, StudioPersonnel - Jack Renner, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel
℗ 2007 Telarc International Corp.
Ludwig van Beethoven, Composer - London Symphony Orchestra, Orchestra, MainArtist - Jonathan Stokes, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Andreas Delfs, Conductor, MainArtist - Michael Bishop, Mixer, Mastering Engineer, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - John O'Conor, Piano, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Elaine Martone, Producer, Recording Producer - Thomas C. Moore, Editor, StudioPersonnel - Jack Renner, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel
℗ 2007 Telarc International Corp.
Album review
The name of Irish pianist John O'Conor hasn't achieved household familiarity, and Andreas Delfs is known to U.S. audiences as the conductor of the regionally heard Milwaukee Symphony. Marquee names aren't necessary for distinctive Beethoven, however, and the two concerto performances here are indeed distinctive. They might not have stood out 40 or 50 years ago, when studious Middle Europeans like Wilhelm Kempff (with whom O'Conor studied) and Walter Gieseking ruled the classical sales charts, but later Ashkhenazian muscle became the order of the day. If you are looking for a big, glittering peroration at the beginning of the Piano Concerto No. 5 in E flat major, Op. 73 ("Emperor"), this is not the performance for you; O'Conor tends instead to get inside the details of the opening flourish, giving it a somewhat fantasy-like effect, rather than pounding it out. His tempos are generally on the brisk side, and he accents unusual details by pushing them slightly. With all these caveats borne in mind, the listener will find unusually detailed, accomplished, and challenging Beethoven performances here. The early Piano Concerto No. 2 in B flat major, Op. 19, runs against type and does so successfully; O'Conor focuses on cross rhythms in the main theme of the finale, diminishing its dancelike character but bringing out rhythms that turn out to appear all through the movement. His version of the work is unconventional but imbues it with a full quota of the young Beethoven's edginess. The finale of the "Emperor" almost willfully disregards the triple meter swing of the music but keeps the listener alert with phrasing that builds carefully toward the cadences and fully follows through them. Delfs works with O'Conor as a full partner, and the London Symphony Orchestra sounds great in Telarc's spacious engineering. For those who loved the Germanic Classicist Beethoven of the middle of the last century, here's a chance to experience it in full sonic color.
© TiVo
About the album
- 1 disc(s) - 6 track(s)
- Total length: 01:09:13
- Main artists: John O'Conor Andreas Delfs London Symphony Orchestra
- Composer: Ludwig van Beethoven
- Label: Telarc
- Genre: Classical
© 2007 Telarc International Corp. ℗ 2007 Telarc International Corp.
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.