Boris Berezovsky, Swedish Chamber Orchestra Örebro, Thomas Dausgaard - Beethoven - Piano Concerto No.5 'Emperor' & Choral Fantasia (2015)

Though close to each other in date, the two works on this disc, which are the last in which Beethoven wrote for piano and orchestra together, are in other respects quite dissimilar. The Emperor is a standard piano concerto or so it seems to us, because it was uniquely influential in defining the form for the next 100 years. To its first audiences it must have seemed highly individual, and even idiosyncratic. The Choral Fantasy, on the other hand, appears to us an unorthodox, even unique conception, much freer in form, as befits the title fantasy which Beethoven chose for it. Yet both are entirely characteristic of the composer in their deployment of a structure that served the purposes of the content of the work itself to its greatest advantage. Concluding the Complete Orchestral Works of Beethoven, this vol. 12 finds Thomas Dausgaard, Boris Berezovsky and the Swedish Chamber Orchestra on top form. The series has received outstanding reviews throughout: - If youre in the mood, its like driving a Beethoven Porsche: strap yourself in, start the engine, and let her rip. [Laurence Vittes / Audiophile Audition] - the recording is gorgeous: beautifully balanced, wide in dynamic range and utterly natural in timbre, with an arresting presence that illustrates how effective a small (38-piece) orchestra can be in this repetory. [International Record Review, Mortimer H. Frank] - a recorded performance of compelling truthfulness. A recording which will stand the test of time.