Reissues

Brahms Academic Piano Festival Concerto Overture No. 1; Tragic Overture, Eloquence Clifford Curzon 482 made 5830 several (1952-53) acclaimed 71:04 studio mins recordings of Brahms’s first piano concerto; this version from 1952 was made in the mono era, ditto the supporting works from Concertgebouworkest. ★★★★ • • Grieg Prokofiev Ravel Piano Concertos Supraphon SU 4245-2 (1967-84) 66:42 mins

These historical recordings feature Czech pianist Ivan Moravec in three concerts at Smetana Hall. The Grieg (1984) is lacklustre, the Ravel (1974) and Prokofiev No. 1 (1967) more expressive. ★★★ Mozart Piano Concerto K453 Shostakovich Piano Concerto No. 1 Profil CD PH 17086 (2016) 52:53 mins

Recorded live in Munich’s Prince Regent Theatre, pianist Evgeni Bozhanov’s Shostakovich is more successful than his Mozart, which at times can sound just a little leaden-footed. ★★ Schumann Works for violin and orchestra SWR Music SWR 19422CD (2010) 79:15 mins Violinist Lena Neudauer gives superb readings of the concertos – including the recently ‘discovered’ Op. 129 originally for cello. The miniatures (two of them in premiere recordings) are charming. ★★★★