Grieg: Piano Concerto / Debussy: Préludes Book 1

Some of the few concerts Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli didn't cancel took place in London, and were broadcast by the BBC. This 1965 Grieg Concerto briefly circulated on a Rococo LP, which sounds nowhere near as vibrant and impactive as BBC's remastering, odd balances and all. In essence you get the Apollonian stance and awe-inspiring control of Michelangeli's much-reissued 1943 Telefunken 78s, with much more fire and daring. Moreover, the wider dynamic range reinforces the Lisztian patina of Michelangeli's conception, and Rafael Frühbeck de Burgos does an amazing job keeping up with his soloist. Michelangeli's lofty, commanding way with Debussy's Book I Preludes is familiar from his 1978 DG studio recording. But I much prefer this live 1982 Royal Festival Hall taping. For one, the gorgeous engineering fully captures how the pianist's ravishing, multi-layered sound world projected in a hall. Yes, Michelangeli may tinker with Debussy's dynamic indications and strum out chords with the left hand anachronistically anticipating the right. Yet these idiosyncracies never violate the spirit of the music. A release, in sum, that no self-respecting pianophile can ignore, even if you possess other Michelangeli versions (official and otherwise) in your collection. -- ClassicsToday.com