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Barber: Violin Concerto; Cello Concerto; Piano Concerto

Leonard Slatkin - CD

Barber: Violin Concerto; Cello Concerto; Piano Concerto John Browning CD
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  • Artist: John Browning
  • Year: 2005
  • Number of Discs: 1
  • UPC: 828766583229
  • Item Number: BMG658322
  • Release date: 03/22/2005
  • 1. Violin Concerto, Op. 14, Allegro
  • 2. Violin Concerto, Op. 14, Andante
  • 3. Violin Concerto, Op. 14, Presto in moto perpetuo
  • 4. Cello Concerto in A minor, Op. 22, Allegro moderato
  • 5. Cello Concerto in A minor, Op. 22, Andante sostenuto
  • 6. Cello Concerto in A minor, Op. 22, Molto allegro e appassionato
  • 7. Piano Concerto, Op. 38, Allegro appassionato
  • 8. Piano Concerto, Op. 38, Canzone: Moderato
  • 9. Piano Concerto, Op. 38, Allegro molto
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Barber: Violin Concerto; Cello Concerto; Piano Concerto by John Browning on CD


Barber: Concertos in RCA Red Seal's "Classics Library" series is a combination of selections drawn from two full-price discs taken from RCA's 1990s back catalog of St. Louis Symphony Orchestra recordings. Leonard Slatkin is an ace commander of the orchestra when it comes to the specialized business of supporting soloists. Although he has since moved on, Slatkin's relationship with the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra was his happiest, and certainly the most productive in terms of recordings. The disc opens with Kyoko Takezawa's delicate traversal of Barber's Violin Concerto, Op. 14. As good as it is, it is hard to imagine how this recording could outdistance the incredible popularity of Gil Shaham's Deutsche Grammophon recording of the same work. Takezawa's finely balanced, seamless combination of Romantic warmth with no-nonsense Classicality is preferred to Shaham's more emotionally overwrought reading. However, from an engineering standpoint it is obvious that the soloist could stand to be a little louder in relation to the orchestra, a situation that remains much the same in Steven Isserlis' radiant reading of Barber's Cello Concerto, Op. 22. The Barber Piano Concerto, Op. 38, performance here won the Grammy award for best concerto performance in 1991, and it is easy to see why. This was pianist John Browning's second go-round in this work on record, the first being with George Szell and the Cleveland Orchestra in 1964, an explosive and angry performance that has never appeared on CD. As with many "second chance" recordings of great soloists in works that are still new at the first juncture, Browning has grown into the piece. Though he retains the force and frustration that make this work Barber's most atypical concerto, Browning mines its lyric vein even more effectively than in his first recording. Although remastered in the 24-bit realm, this new disc does not seem to have the same punch and presence that the old 16-bit version did. Notwithstanding this minor caveat, at mid-price Barber: Concertos is an incredible bargain, and if one would like to have these works grouped together on a single disc, it is an ideal option. ~ Uncle Dave Lewis , Rovi
  • Artist: John Browning
  • Year: 2005
  • Number of Discs: 1
  • UPC: 828766583229
  • Item Number: BMG658322
  • Release date: 03/22/2005
  • Label: Rca Red Seal
  • Genre: Classical
  • Style: Concerto, Modern
  • Album Time: 79:13

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  • Barber: Violin Concerto; Cello Concerto; Piano Concerto John Browning CD
Barber: Violin Concerto; Cello Concerto; Piano Concerto John Browning CD