Beethoven: Piano Concerto No. 3, Op. 37 / Remastered (reference recording: Arthur Rubinstein)

Full album available // Beethoven: The 5 Piano Concertos by Arthur Rubinstein
Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827) Piano Concerto No. 3 in C minor, Op. 37
00:00 I. Allegro con brio (2024 Remastered, New York 1956)
17:16 II. Largo (2024 Remastered, New York 1956)
26:56 III. Rondo. Allegro (2024 Remastered, New York 1956)

Piano: Arthur Runbinstein
Symphony of the Air
Conductor: Josef Krips
Recorded in 1956, at New York

Concerto No. 3 in C minor, Opus 37 // Composed during the summer of 1800, this concerto was first performed in 1803, with Beethoven himself as the soloist. In this work, Beethoven finally broke away from the tradition where the pianist dazzled the audience with brilliant technique while the orchestra played a modest role as accompanist. He created a new style—the symphonic concerto—where the soloist and the orchestra face each other with dramatic intensity.

Beethoven gives a nod to Mozart’s music (specifically, the D minor concerto), but this time, he uses it as a springboard to further his own ideas. Of Beethoven’s five concertos, this is the only one written in a minor key. C minor was one of the composer’s favorite keys, embodying darkness and turmoil, as also heard in the Pathétique Sonata (1799), Coriolan (1807), and the Fifth Symphony (1808).

The break is complete: the form of the first movement is conventional, but the second movement contrasts sharply by using the luminous key of E major. Unlike his earlier works, Beethoven no longer aims to please but instead focuses on dramatizing the musical discourse. The Romantics, particularly Liszt, were captivated and drew inspiration from this work for their own musical explorations.

The first movement, Allegro con brio, begins with a clear and decisive theme. In the development section, the combination and alternation of themes—hallmarks of symphonic style—begin to unfold. The second movement, Largo, is set in E major, an unusual key for Beethoven. The third movement, Rondo, Allegro, is characterized by Beethoven’s typical alternation between major and minor keys, along with changes in meter.

This concerto was also incomplete during its first performance on April 5, 1803. Beethoven’s friend, Ritter von Seyfried, who turned the pages for him, later recounted that memorable evening: “I saw almost nothing but blank pages. I could barely make out a few hieroglyphs here and there, which had no meaning for me, but which he had scribbled down as reference points. He played nearly the entire solo part from memory, as was often the case, having not had time to fully write it out on paper.”

Other Album available // Rachmaninoff by Rubinstein: Piano Concerto No.2, Rhapsody on a theme of Paganini

[classicalmusicreference]

Full album available // Beethoven: The 5 Piano Concertos by Arthur Rubinstein
Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827) Piano Concerto No. 3 in C minor, Op. 37
00:00 I. Allegro con brio (2024 Remastered, New York 1956)
17:16 II. Largo (2024 Remastered, New York 1956)
26:56 III. Rondo. Allegro (2024 Remastered, New York 1956)

Piano: Arthur Runbinstein
Symphony of the Air
Conductor: Josef Krips
Recorded in 1956, at New York

Concerto No. 3 in C minor, Opus 37 // Composed during the summer of 1800, this concerto was first performed in 1803, with Beethoven himself as the soloist. In this work, Beethoven finally broke away from the tradition where the pianist dazzled the audience with brilliant technique while the orchestra played a modest role as accompanist. He created a new style—the symphonic concerto—where the soloist and the orchestra face each other with dramatic intensity.

Beethoven gives a nod to Mozart’s music (specifically, the D minor concerto), but this time, he uses it as a springboard to further his own ideas. Of Beethoven’s five concertos, this is the only one written in a minor key. C minor was one of the composer’s favorite keys, embodying darkness and turmoil, as also heard in the Pathétique Sonata (1799), Coriolan (1807), and the Fifth Symphony (1808).

The break is complete: the form of the first movement is conventional, but the second movement contrasts sharply by using the luminous key of E major. Unlike his earlier works, Beethoven no longer aims to please but instead focuses on dramatizing the musical discourse. The Romantics, particularly Liszt, were captivated and drew inspiration from this work for their own musical explorations.

The first movement, Allegro con brio, begins with a clear and decisive theme. In the development section, the combination and alternation of themes—hallmarks of symphonic style—begin to unfold. The second movement, Largo, is set in E major, an unusual key for Beethoven. The third movement, Rondo, Allegro, is characterized by Beethoven’s typical alternation between major and minor keys, along with changes in meter.

This concerto was also incomplete during its first performance on April 5, 1803. Beethoven’s friend, Ritter von Seyfried, who turned the pages for him, later recounted that memorable evening: “I saw almost nothing but blank pages. I could barely make out a few hieroglyphs here and there, which had no meaning for me, but which he had scribbled down as reference points. He played nearly the entire solo part from memory, as was often the case, having not had time to fully write it out on paper.”

Other Album available // Rachmaninoff by Rubinstein: Piano Concerto No.2, Rhapsody on a theme of Paganini

[classicalmusicreference]

Concerto No. 3 in C minor, Opus 37 // Composed during the summer of 1800, this concerto was first performed in 1803, with Beethoven himself as the soloist. In this work, Beethoven finally broke away from the tradition where the pianist dazzled the audience with brilliant technique while the orchestra played a modest role as accompanist. He created a new style—the symphonic concerto—where the soloist and the orchestra face each other with dramatic intensity. Beethoven gives a nod to Mozart’s music (specifically, the D minor concerto), but this time, he uses it as a springboard to further his own ideas. Of Beethoven’s five concertos, this is the only one written in a minor key. C minor was one of the composer’s favorite keys, embodying darkness and turmoil, as also heard in the Pathétique Sonata (1799), Coriolan (1807), and the Fifth Symphony (1808).

The break is complete: the form of the first movement is conventional, but the second movement contrasts sharply by using the luminous key of E major. Unlike his earlier works, Beethoven no longer aims to please but instead focuses on dramatizing the musical discourse. The Romantics, particularly Liszt, were captivated and drew inspiration from this work for their own musical explorations. The first movement, Allegro con brio, begins with a clear and decisive theme. In the development section, the combination and alternation of themes—hallmarks of symphonic style—begin to unfold. The second movement, Largo, is set in E major, an unusual key for Beethoven. The third movement, Rondo, Allegro, is characterized by Beethoven’s typical alternation between major and minor keys, along with changes in meter.

This concerto was also incomplete during its first performance on April 5, 1803. Beethoven’s friend, Ritter von Seyfried, who turned the pages for him, later recounted that memorable evening: “I saw almost nothing but blank pages. I could barely make out a few hieroglyphs here and there, which had no meaning for me, but which he had scribbled down as reference points. He played nearly the entire solo part from memory, as was often the case, having not had time to fully write it out on paper.”

Other Album available // Rachmaninoff by Rubinstein: Piano Concerto No.2, Rhapsody on a theme of Paganini

[thomassnider]

Rubinstein is definitely one of the great pianists of all time and absolutely kills on this piece.

[davemiller]

I like it. Careful and musical and lyrical

[notaire]

Wunderschöne und detaillierte Interpretation dieses perfekt komponierten Konzerts mit klar artikuliertem doch elegantem Klang des unvergleichlichen Soloklaviers sowie gut vereinigten und perfekt entsprechenden Tönen der anderen Instrumente. Der zweite Satz klingt besonders schön und echt lyrisch. Der intelligente und ebenso unvergleichliche Dirigent leitet das unbekannte doch ausgezeichnete Orchester im gut analysierten Tempo und mit künstlerisch kontrollierter Dynamik. Die verbesserte Tonqualität ist auch erstaunlich hoch als eine Originalaufnahme von achtundsechzig Jahren vor. Alles ist wunderbar!

[extrasalt]

Well-done all around. Exceptional cantabile in the slow movement. Rubinstein was one the rare pianists to use acacciature in playing Beethoven.

[hiichian]

Rubinstein, Arrau, Horowitz the giant pillars of piano repertoire...Polish Jew, Chilean and Russian romantic Orthodox of the Judeo Christian moorings cultural related Wesleyan academy of classical music integration with Theological philosophy of the Divine intervention in historical analysis between musicology and humanity..