Review: 12 CDs of French Piano Concertos on Brilliant Classics

[@robertdandre94101]

hi mr hurwitz....i am certain you know.. in the beginnig of the first movement of lalo piano concerto , we hear the theme of the movie ''lawrence of arabia'' ( 1963)....may be maurice jarre know this concerto......

[@johannesbluemink4581]

Our general drugstore 'Kruidvat' used to sell lots of Brilliant Classics boxes, but I wonder if this is available anywhere. Although I have other DVD's with various PC's, I will definitely look for this box. Great review!

[@Cesar_SM]

Super hyper interesting compilation of French gems. Brilliant Classics did a unique job in gathering together all this inexhaustible candies (in a good way) on this box. I know most of them. Some like the Françaix, Nadia Boulanger, Cécile Chaminade, and Germaine Tailleferre, escape me.

[@Don-md6wn]

David, Brilliant Classics released a bargain priced 7 disc box earlier this year titled "French Violin Sonatas" that I thought might be of interest. (One of the individual CDs with Klara Wurtz and Kristof Barati playing the sonatas of Debussy, Ravel and Franck was released in 2020 by Brilliant with the same title.) The box has a different pianist/violinist combo on each disc. I didn't look into where they were sourced from. The box covers the major composers from Saint-Saens and Faure to Poulenc and Milhaud, along with works of several other composers who aren't familiar to me. I ordered the box through Amazon and they only show one copy left, but Presto has physical copies available.

[@DavesClassicalGuide]

I know. Thanks.

[@tomross5347]

I have learned to turn on "closed captions" for all your videos, because whatever person or bot renders these subtitles seems to have a sense of humor, and strong views about conductors. Furtwangler becomes "Forefinger", Karajan becomes "Carry On", and Blomstedt becomes "Launched At" (or sometimes "Bland Dad"). Beethoven's final symphony becomes "the Knife", Bayreuth becomes "By the roid", and Bis Records becomes "Abyss". And where else would we find any reference to the neglected Brazilian composer, "Villa Lovebush"?

[@DavesClassicalGuide]

Yes, it's very funny!

[@Zezahn]

And let’s not forget the terrific “sex tits” that grace the chamber music talks.

[@seanhickey986]

Thanks very much for covering this. It's been in my player for the past half-year and there are a load of treasures here. I agree on the Roussel being an odd work but it reveals more upon repeated listening. The Francaix is a fine work. Available on Arkivmusic and HB Direct, and pretty much anywhere else.

[@tomross5347]

I lost a lifetime's collection of classical recordings in a California wildfire that destroyed my home. Since then, I have been trying to rebuild my collection in a hurry, sometimes with old favorites, but also with a hope of doing better this time. Your recommendations, particularly for box sets, have helped me find top-quality replacements at affordable prices. Thank you for steering me toward this French piano concerto set, and also toward some other excellent sets I might never have even looked for without your suggestions. I am especially enjoying the Villa-Lobos symphonies, the Jochum Beethoven/Brahms/Bruckner box, the Sandor Vegh Mozart serenade/concerto recordings, and other collections by the likes of Kubelik, Munch, Blomstedt, and Bernstein. (Also: composers I hadn't known before, such as Martinu.) You have helped make my collection-rebuilding project feel adventurous rather than sad!

[@DavesClassicalGuide]

I'm so happy you find these videos helpful (and so sorry for your loss, and not just the CDs). That must have been horrifying. You are a living testament to the "Keep On Listening" paradigm and you will be an inspiration to many others, I'm sure.

[@gusriley9785]

Amen to that sentiment! ;)

[@davidaiken1061]

A delightful and informative review. I am familiar with some the old Vox recordings included in this set, and have always enjoyed them. The Tacchino/de Froment Saint-Saëns cycle has been my reference recording of those works for years. Lively, charming, well played. I have owned a few others but have always returned to the Tacchino. I was intrigued by your description of the Milhaud concertos, which I have never heard. The box may be worth acquiring for them and many others that are unfamiliar. Thanks!

[@johnwright7749]

Enjoyed your talk immensely. I have always liked D’Indy’s Symphony on a Mountain Air and the recording with Henriot-Schweitzer/Munch on an RCA Papillon Collection disc also containing my favorite Franck Symphony with Monteux and the Chicago Sym, though I also have fond memories of the Casadesus/Ormandy that introduced me to the piece on LP. I don’t know Franck’s 2nd Piano Concerto and will have to check it out. BTW, Uhlig’s recording of the Boulanger also comes on an SWR CD along with Tailleferre’s Ballad and the Francaix and Ravel Left hand Concertos-all fine performances.

[@stevenmsinger]

I just started listening to this set after your informative video, David. I started with the Alkan concertos played by Giovanni Bellucci. What gorgeous works they are! The single movement from the third concerto, in particular, should be a concert staple! Every time I hear Alkan I marvel at how this music isn't more popular. He's every bit as good as Liszt. Maybe better. And his melodies can rival Chopin. Such a treasure! Can't wait to hear the rest!

[@Mezzotenor]

Thanks for plugging Florian Uhlig! His two discs of French concertos on Hänssler are treasures, including what I agree is the best Poulenc (one-piano) concerto out there.

[@seanhickey986]

Entirely agree. A wonderful pianist and a timeless Poulenc.

[@williamwhittle216]

I have a Vox 2-CD set (CDX 5110) that has many of these Concertos. You inspire me to revisit some of these works. Thanks!

[@kenwuesq]

DG is listening to you. They're releasing the Abbado/LSO box set in March and the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra box in June!

[@DavesClassicalGuide]

Yes, I know. Isn't that great?

[@kenwuesq]

@@DavesClassicalGuide I'm looking forward to them. Thanks again for making classical music fun with your entertaining and informative reviews. Your videos and my subscription to Classics Today have been highlights of the past year.

[@ftumschk]

Excellent news, on both counts!

[@flowsouth8496]

Now if only Universal would do the I Musici digital recordings. I don't think any of them have been re-released.

[@Don-md6wn]

I've probably got way too many of the Orpheus recordings to be in the market for that box. I wonder if DG will license the excellent Mozart piano concerto recordings they made with Richard Goode on Nonesuch and include them in the box.

[@neilcameronable]

Thank you for a wonderful review.Its really weted my curiosity for French Pf Cons i dont know.Excellent stuff.

[@SuperBondfan007]

I completely agree with you on Symphony on a French Mountain Air. It is so much fun, and that end is awesome. And just to put it out there, because why not, I have the version with Dutoit, Montreal and Thibaudet paired with the Franck D minor Symphony, which is also a great work. Also, both Ravel PCs are great. I actually "discovered" the left hand one after hearing it on the radio one night. Same with the D'Indy, in fact.

[@songsmith31a]

I have the 40CD set of "Romantic Piano Concertos" from Brilliant - bring to my attention composers and works previously unknown to me, performed and recorded by a range of European soloists and orchestras that make a very worthwhile job of presenting the range of content for our enjoyment. Real value. So, it this set bears any similarity, then it will be excellent value.

[@jdistler2]

Thanks for your excellent commentary about a really useful set. One little correction: you mentioned "Daniel Varsi" who recorded with his teacher Magda Tagliaferro for CBS. He actually was Daniel Varsano. He recorded the Bach Goldberg and Beethoven Diabelli Variations for CBS (never on CD, I believe, and neither was his Fauré disc with Tagliaferro), and a Satie recital for the label. He also recorded a few discs for Pro-Arte. All are out-of-print, except possibly for the Satie. Sadly he died of AIDS in 1988 , just short of his 34th birthday.

[@DavesClassicalGuide]

Thank Jed. I knew it began with a V!

[@ericl9875]

Nice to see they included Tailleferre's Ballade. Too bad they did not do the three Henri Sauguet Piano Concertos - we need recordings of those three works.

[@AlexMadorsky]

Lots of inexplicably underrated music here, from Saint-Saens’s Africa to stuff by lesser know composers. Not sure why French music for orchestra and piano commands so little respect compared to a lot of stuffy Austro-German repertoire. One fun concerto I don’t think is included is Jolivet’s piano concerto. Anybody who enjoys this repertoire should also think about picking up CPO’s complete disc of Milhaud’s works for piano and orchestra. EDIT: oops! I didn’t make it to the end of the video, great to know the CPO disc is included!

[@barryguerrero7652]

That's it, I'm buying this! . . . How many of those conductors had been race care drivers?