Repertoire: The Best and Less-Best Tchaikovsky First Piano Concertos

20:31 "The late Gergiev" I just lost it 😂

Tchaikovsky First Piano Concerto is an anthem of east slavics. Composer created this peace like variations on ukrainian themes inspired by local culture in Kamyanka. He put 50% russian and 50% ukrainain vibes, especially this proportion was kept in the beginning. So, as Bernstein said, "Thaikovsky was a genius of melody", thats indisputable point is a main when someone play First Piano Concerto. Pianists can play it over and over technically on competitions, but true beauty of this composition revealed in romantic (sometimes sentimental) melodies, in folk motives. Listeners forget a big piece of virtuoso playing in the first part, but they fall in bliss listening tender 2nd movement and tricky 3nd. I agree with David about Pletnev/Fedoseev recording. Early Pletnev was an enchanter of pianism, his playing was smart with a perfect technic. As for Matsuev, I dont agree about his last recording with Gergiev, it is pretty good too. Yeah, you are right about late Gergiev, its a shame what he does nowadays, but recording in 2014 with Denis is a good quality work. Gergiev and his orchestra have a huge experience of playing Tchaikovsky music, they know where the right place for each note. When I listening to that recording, I hear all nuances and accents which I need to. I am ukrainian and I grow up with that folk motives, moreover, I was singing vesnyaynki in school (ukrainian dance that you hear in the beginning of 3nd movement). So, I respect Gergiev and Denis for their attention to native roots of this music. My choice of the Best Tchaikovsky First Piano Concerto is a recording was made by Mravinsky and Richter (1959, Melodiya). Elegant and strict playing, fabulous string and wood section (Mravinsky was a Lord of string section), colorful and vibrant pianism from Sviatoslav Teofilovich make this world brighter and happier when humanity hears that first tremendous chords!

Excellent talk, Dave! I appreciate your mentioning my Scherbakov review, which I had completely forgotten about! One sleeper that I'd add to your list is the John Browning/Seiji Ozawa/London Symphony recording on RCA. It has everything: symphonic substance, intelligent virtuosity and really fine sonics. This version rarely seems to get talked about, yet it's always been on my top five list, alongside the usual reference suspects, of course.

Yes! I have been waiting for this. Thank you Dave.

Van Cliburn's performance is still a beautiful one. Hear a Shaded Dog first pressing Stereo.. Beautiful. I disagree with Dave. It is a classic and it continues to be so.

This video brings back a lot of good memories. My dad passed away this last November and Tchaikovsky was his favorite composer. I grew up listening to the Rubenstein/Leinsdorf recording of this concerto. i remember going with my dad to hear Earl Wild play it with the Boston Pops, which was amazing! When he passed away I inherited his Pletnev/Fedoseyev set of the Tchaikovsky concerti. I also can remember getting the Argerich/Dutoit version as an LP in a record store back in the early 80s. All these artists bring something different to the table and show what a multi-faceted masterpiece this concerto is.

Glad you mentioned Yevgeny Sudbin. He's one of my favourite pianists. I really got into Medtner courtesy of the #1 coupling. Fans will know he's recorded 2 and 3 Medtner and 1 CD of solo works coupled with some Rachmaninov preludes plus many other very highly regarded releases .

Boy this Argerich-Abbado box is amazing. Thx Dave.

I knew you would come to this sooner or later. My listening history with Tchaikovsky 1 began in high school. My friend belonged to the RCA Record Club (it had a rather pretentious name that I don’t remember) and I the Columbia one. So he and another friend of course had Cliburn’s famous recording, while I opted for Istomin/Ormandy which I thought was as good! Then I bought Graffman/Szell and was blown away. It still may be my favorite version though I confess I haven’t heard it for years. As many other collectors did, when the CD era came I got Argerich/Dutoit which I still have largely because of its disc mate, Prokofiev 3 with Abbado conducting. I still find that unbeatable. My last Tchaikovsky 1 acquisition was the Argerich/Kondrashin that is the one I go to, mistakes be damned! Guess I’ll have to add Argerich/Abbado now. Thanks always for your enlightenment!

My favorites are the Gilels Maazel and the Richter Mravinsky ones.

Really enjoyed this one Dave, and 100% agree with your assessment of Argerich at the end. I have a huge soft spot for the Kondrashin recording but you are quite right, the Abbado one is stupendous! I also remember seeing Pletnev and Fedoseyev doing all of the Tchaikovsky works for piano and orchestra In London at the Royal Festival Hall as part of the promotion for their disc, wonderful concerts. Great to see Earl Wild mentioned, such a wonderful pianist and a brilliant performance. I have that disc and there is a terrific performance of the Dohnanyi Variations on a Nursery Song coupling. I was surprised that Stephen Hough wasn't mentioned. However, up against all the rest he probably doesn't quite cut it for this one, although I think it is a very fine performance.

I've been waiting for this one! Another great video, and great recommendations. Thank you Dave! Will you do a video on the Second Piano Concerto too?

I read an article in High Fidelity magazine, about 50 years ago, about a studio recording that Horowitz made with Szell and the NY Phil. of the Tchaikovsky for RCA about the same time as the live performance. The Horowitz/Szell collaboration in this concerto was to commemorate the pianist's 25th anniversary of his New York debut. It seems that plans were made to record the concerto. It was supposedly done on the QT, as, while Horowitz was an RCA artist at the time, Szell and the NY Phil. were Columbia artists. They made the recording for RCA, however. BUT....the recording was not issued and, according to the article, seemed to have disappeared. It has not shown up in any Horowitz boxes and nothing seems to have been written about it since. It would be interesting to hear and to know that my memory of that article is not just a figment of my imagination.

For me, the live Kissin with Karajan is the best. The tempi are very slow but to my ears it is the most musical of any I have heard. The orchestra sounds spectacular. Karajan had a way of holding the reins on younger virtuosi, as is also evidenced by the Grieg concerto with Zimerman, but the result is fantastic. I think the aforementioned Argerich version is also great and if ever there were a piece that benefited from alternative renditions, this would be it.

Every now and then while driving I will hear some superb piano playing on the radio and it nearly always turns out to be Stephen Hough. I had that experience with the Tchaikovsky First Piano Concerto. It was a fast performance..very articulate and exciting. I haven't heard it again but have been meaning to download from Hyperion.

I can't pick just one. I simply CANNOT. When I want to listen to this piece, I usually just pick one of the great ones at random. The one that I often think of as the best is the Horowitz/Szell version, but you're right. Once you've head it, you come to expect all the craziness that makes it special. I only listen to it once every few years but what a performance!

So many treats to explore, thank you! I was hoping you discussed the Janis/Menges one on Mercury. I find it a marvel of spirited playfulness and sensibility. Jed Distler called it "balletic" in his review and I think that's just the perfect word. I like their no-nonsense lively approach. Janis seems to be caught composing the work and having fun. One crucial thing they get right is the balance between piano and orchestra: here is one of the few recordings that don't make the orchestral melody be overwhelmed by the power of the first piano chords. There really is give and take. As for the slow movement, I've never heard a more moving and songful beginning, it almost brings me to tears with its simple and honest musicality. And Janis answers with a gorgeous golden tone, cushioned by the sweet strings. Cheers!

Ah, this saves me money! A truly fabulous recording. I’m a bit of an Argerich fan nut, too!

Hello Dave. Can't disagree re Argerich, or your other suggestions! I haven't heard it but Hough did all the Tchaikovsky concertos for Hyperion - any good? I think I prefer the Horowitz/ Toscanini wartime concert to the Szell one (which I listened to this week as I have that Carnegie Hall box). As re-mastered it sounds just fine. As an aside Chris O'Reilly, who is managing director or something at Presto Classical was just talking on Radio 3 here and he was saying that (for them, but they are important in classical world) its still about 80% physical product rather than downloads etc. So the CD is far from dead...

Thank You! That's the video I had in my mind and there it is! That's because of my recent not so pleasent experience of vinyl new edition of Lang Lang+Barenboim purchase - the vinyl has been not well produced and includes few cracking noises in some places - not only in the inner less dynamic area of the disc. Now I know why they give you for free the bonus digital download of the record... (I even weighted the stylus with special weighting device for checking...) Thanks again, as always many many precious and detailed info on the music and very elaborate and well argumented critique why this one is better or different than the other and so on.... All the best to You Mr Hurwitz, I am keeping on the listening and also playing the concertos.... Maybe some day Tchaikovsky 1st....