Stephen Kovacevich, BBC Symphony Orchestra, Sir Colin Davis - Beethoven: Piano Concertos Nos. 2 & 4 (2002) [SACD]

In the first place, Beethoven conquered the music metropolis of Vienna as a pianist. As his pupil Czerny reports: "His improvisation was exceedingly brilliant and amazing". Although as a free-lance pianist and composer Beethoven‘s circumstances were highly modest, he was able to realise his visions of innovative music without being dependent on clients or employers. And thus he created the majority of his masterpieces for piano in his chosen country of adoption: his piano sonatas, his Diabelli Variations, and also his five great piano concertos.
Contrary to what the opus numbers lead us to believe, Beethoven already began work on the composition of his Piano Concerto No. 2 in B flat, Op. 19 in 1787/88, before his Piano Concerto No. 1 in C, Op. 15, i.e. during his time in Bonn. Only after years of rewriting, and no less than four different versions, did he publish the work in its final form, as we know it today. Beethoven‘s passion for rewriting went so far that he totally replaced the Rondo in B flat, WoO 6 dating from 1793, which functioned originally as the finale of the first version.
The work, which teeters on the brink between the traditions of the past and the innovations of the future, is mainly geared towards its traditional forebears, primarily the concertos by Mozart; however, in some aspects it already goes its own way. The traditional elements consist mainly of the relatively meagre instrumentation (lacking in clarinets, trumpets and timpani), the by and large lyrical character of the music, the themes which are somewhat lacking in innovation, the conventional structure and, last but not least, the isolated parallel treatment of soloist and orchestra. The stylistic novelties include the power of expression, the deeply moving middle movement, the double developments of thematic material and also the syncopated rhythm. The first movement (Allegro con brio) follows the traditional form of the double exposition. On the other hand, the harmonic return in a "distant" key, which Beethoven introduces between the first and the second theme, is new and original. The pianistic passage and figure work of the pensively hymnal middle movement (Adagio) is most captivating and has – this, too, in a totally non-traditional manner – a strongly dialogue-type structure. The Finale, a cheerful and endearing Rondo, forms a humorous farewell.
However, Beethoven‘s Piano Concerto No. 4 in G, Op. 58, dating from 1804-06, is of a totally different musical calibre. Although Beethoven had already carved out new paths in the genre with his only minor concerto (No. 3 in C minor), without a doubt, his Piano Concerto No. 4 in G must be considered the pinnacle of his piano concertos. All the more as his virtuoso and emotional Piano Concerto No. 5 in E flat adheres more to the symphonic principle. In the G major Concerto, both virtuoso piano-playing and the desire for innovative composition are reflected with absolute clarity. The expansion of the orchestra undertaken here is anything but superficial; rather, it signifies an increase in the intensity of expression. The show of virtuosity, which so far had been openly exposed, is included here within the possibilities of the motive and thematic processes! The symphonic and concertante principle are fused together: both sides – soloist and orchestra – are no longer opposing each other, but have become partners, who represent the social principles of the individual and the collective.
The first movement of the G major Concerto already sets the lyrical undertone of the entire work. The opening by the piano (!) is inward looking and balanced, the contrast between solo and tutti has been abolished. The Andante, however, takes another tack: here, in what is normally the refuge of the lyrical, suspense and tension – which so far had been lacking – are picked out as a central theme: a cantabile melody in the piano encounters brittle and meagre answers in the strings. The tension which has now built up is resolved only in the Finale, which immediately follows a fortissimo trill: this is a Rondo, which fades away in a partly restrained, partly cheerful manner.