# Composers: Sergei Prokofiev, Maurice Ravel, Frédéric Chopin, Franz Liszt, Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
# Orchestras: Berliner Philharmoniker, Mahler Chamber Orchestra, Orchestra Mozart, London Symphony Orchestra
# Conductor: Claudio Abbado
# Vinyl (2015)
# Number of Discs: 6
# Format: FLAC
# DR Analysis: DR 15, DR 14, DR 15, DR 14, DR 14, DR 16
# Label: Deutsche Grammophon | 0289 479 4548
# Size: 24-bit/192kHz (12.0GB), 24-bit/96kHz (5.96GB) and 16-bit/44.1kHz (1.44GB)
# Recovery: 5%
# Scan: yes
# Servers: File Factory

Absolutely STUNNING sound quality on this box set!

Especially LP6!!

Reviews:

While Abbado provides excellent support with his various orchestras, the collector buys foremost the passionate wizardry of Martha Argerich and her thorough synthesis of a demonic technique and volatile subjectivity into every piece she encounters. Argerich has consistently combined virile aggression and poetic tenderness in a delicately balanced alchemy, often with electrifying results. The Argerich performance of the Tchaikovsky Concerto from December 1994 makes an excellent case in point, passionate and heroically scaled. Abbado’s own contribution proves both elastic and potent, with excellent sonic detail from his brass, flute, oboe, and low winds.

The piano’s double octaves prior to the first cadenza testify to a firebrand keyboardist of the first order. The fusion of stunning finger-control and spontaneous vehemence takes us through a blistering first movement, no less explosively confrontational in the latter two movements but intimate and tempestuously scintillating, respectively. [Mozart]: the lyrico-dramatic mass of the D Minor Concerto and the virtually Miltonic breadth of the C Major Concerto each benefit from crystalline filigree from Argerich and a strongly architectural balance from Abbado, who had certainly achieved a notable sense of musical character in his own terms.
– Gary Lemco, Audiophile Audition

One of the finest musical partnerships over the last forty years or so. This treasure trove of music making starts with Prokofiev’s Piano Concerto No. 3. This is a performance of power and authority combined with wit and understanding. There is phenomenal playing here with intuitive accompaniment from Abbado and the Berlin players, a fine incisiveness with moments of supreme poetry. Abbado brings some raucous jazz elements to the Ravel Piano Concerto in G major. Argerich provides a freely improvisatory quality that is quite beguiling. Dramatic contrasts abound as well as some exquisitely pointed up details and poetic moments.

Abbado draws from the orchestra some intoxicating orchestral sounds. There is a wonderfully restrained “adagio assai”, surely one of the finest performances of this movement, exquisitely done by all. [Chopin / Piano Concerto no. 1]: Abbado and the LSO bring some stirring playing in the opening of the “allegro maestoso” with some beautifully turned woodwind passages. There is a lovely sensibility from Argerich, tremendous fluency, beautifully judged tempi and phrasing and a fine rubato. There is virtuosity galore in Liszt Piano Concerto No.1. The live Lucerne recordings are excellent. These are memorable performances from a memorable partnership. If you haven’t already got them, snap them up.
– Bruce Reader, Classical Reviewer

Track Listing:

Side One
Prokofiev: Piano Concerto No.3 In C, Op.26
01 – I. Andante – Allegro
02 – II. Tema con variazione
03 – III. Allegro ma non troppo

Side Two
Ravel: Piano Concerto In G, M. 83
04 – I. Allegramente
05 – II. Adagio assai
06 – III. Presto

Side Three
Chopin: Piano Concerto No.1 In E Minor, Op.11
01 – I. Allegro maestoso
02 – II. Romance (Larghetto)
03 – III. Rondo (Vivace)

Side Four
Liszt: Piano Concerto No.1 In E Flat, S.124
04 – I. Allegro maestoso
05 – II. Quasi adagio – Allegretto vivace – Allegro animato
06 – III. Allegro marziale animato

Side Five
Tchaikovsky: Piano Concerto No.1 In B Flat Minor, Op.23 (cont.)
01 – Allegro non troppo e molto maestoso – Allegro con spirito

Side Six
Tchaikovsky: Piano Concerto No.1 In B Flat Minor, Op.23 (conc.)
02 – Andantino semplice – Prestissimo – Tempo I
03 – Allegro con fuoco

Side Seven
Beethoven: Piano Concerto No.3 In C Minor, Op.37
01 – I. Allegro con brio
02 – II. Largo
03 – III. Rondo (Allegro)

Side Eight
Beethoven: Piano Concerto No.2 in B Flat Major, Op.19
04 – I. Allegro con brio
05 – II. Adagio
06 – III. Rondo (Molto allegro)

Side Nine
Mozart: Piano Concerto No.25 In C, K.503
01 – I. Allegro maestoso – Cadenza: Friedrich Gulda
02 – II. Andante
03 – III. Allegretto

Side Ten
Mozart: Piano Concerto No.20 In D Minor, K.466
04 – I. Allegro
05 – II. Romance
06 – III. Rondo (Allegro assai)

Side Eleven
Ravel: Piano Concerto In G, M.83
01 – I. Allegramente
02 – II. Adagio assai
03 – III. Presto

Side Twelve
Ravel: Gaspard de la nuit, M.55
04 – I. Ondine
05 – II. Le gibet
06 – III. Scarbo

Mastered at Optimal from the original analogue source
Lacquers cut by Sean Magee at Abbey Road Studios
Limited, numbered six LP set – only 2000 sets

Additional info can be found here.

Ripping Info:

All vinyl is cleaned on a VPI 16.5
Milty Pro Zerostat 3

Technics SL1200-MK5 (modified)
– Rega RB300 arm with RB700 wiring
– Michell Tecnoweight
– SoundSupports armboard
– Trans-Fi Audio ResoMat
Audio Technica AT33PTG/II
AVID Pellar preamp
RME Hammerfall 9632 ADC
PC

Processing: Sound Forge 10, ClickRepair, iZotope RX3

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