Wilhelm Kempff, Berliner Philharmoniker, Ferdinand Leitner - Beethoven: 5 Piano Concertos (1998) CD-Rip

Five Piano Concertos and the Piano Sonata No. 32, opus 111, recorded in stereo in 1962 and 1964, respectively, by Wilhelm Kempff [1895-1991] and the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra under Ferdinand Leitner [1912-96]. The sonata, the composer’s last, is certainly more than a mere filler, from the opening hesitancy of the ‘Allegro con brio ed appassionato’ to the extended closing section of the second movement.
A decade earlier, the pianist made mono recordings of the concertos, with the same orchestra under Paul van Kempen [1893-1955]. This remastered version is still marginally my first choice for the level of communication between conductor, orchestra and soloist, and its overall impressive sound.
Kempff’s inclusion of his own cadenzas may limit the attraction of his recordings for some, but they exemplify the traditional role of the soloist in such composition. Less muscular than many later cycles, that of Gilels and the State Symphony Orchestra of the USSR conducted by Kurt Masur being perhaps the most obvious, it seems to me that Kempff adds considerable emphasis through understatement. I found the first three concertos to be more refined and marginally less structured than the latter two, which removes any sense of building the cycle organically.
Not for the first time, I am impressed by Kempff’s ability to create interpretations that sound as if he is exploring the music for the first time. This is an appropriate memorial to a pianist who was at the heart of DGG’s postwar revival under the familiar crown of tulips trademark. Highly recommended.