Brahms: Piano Concertos

There are a few moments in our otherwise dreary walk through this vale of tears when we lift our our eyes and wonder at the profound and ethereal beauty of something other...when we are reminded that there is far more to life than bills and diapers and dishes and laundry....that there is something other that lifts up the soul and speaks to that place in your heart that you forgot was there - that place in your heart that you buried in the mundanities of life, where you used to romp as a child, dreaming of fairies and unicorns and rainbows and magicians thundering and wizards striking and elves in courtly dances....It is a place that we sent to sleep for a while and got busy slowly dying....but there are moments when we are reminded of beauty. Hearing Helene Grimaud play Brahms is one of the moments where words fail and you are buried in the colors of magic and rainbows and storms and lightening - and your breath is taken away for just a moment and everything is right again.Hearing

Excellent. Buy it.

Sorry, but I have listened to this recording twice and keep finding it lacking; in particular, both the sound and the playing (by both the orchestra and the soloist) are mushy and fuzzy. There are patches of great beauty, and Ms. Grimaud is obviously talented, but as has been noted by another reviewer, her playing is labored and mannered. As a result, the works are played in an episodic manner - that may not be the right word, but neither concerto seems like it's all one piece of music; it's as though various strings of notes have been put together in some sort of pastiche rather than a whole. Also, while I've never commented on this (and am surprised to be doing so now), she seems to leave her foot on the pedals for way too long, so the notes all mush into each other.Nelsons's conducting is also not what I've come to expect from him. There are passages where he seems to lose focus. The second concerto is better in this regard, but it's not enough to redeem the recording.The sound quality is also not good. One of the pieces was recorded live (there's applause at the end); I don't know about the other one. However, it's not up to the normal standards of Deutsche Gramophon.All in all, I'll stick with my favorite recording of these works, by Nelson Freire.

What is not to like? The music is incredible (how can people have this in their heads?) and how Helene plays it all with ease and emotion is to be savored with every hearing of this piece.

First of all, this grading should have more than 4 stars, and this recording deserves 4.7 stars! Hélène Grimaud is an outstanding performer of Brahms connecrti. Concerto No. 1 for piano and orchestra was recorded with Andris Nelsons conducting the Symphonieorchester der Bayerischen Rundfunks, while the Piano Orchestra No. 2 was recorded with the same conductor but with Wiener Philharmoniker. Brahms wrote these two concerti in the span of twenty years, and they are different in texture and emotions. Ms. Grimed had captured the subtle differences and presented both concerti with flair and conviction. Wiener Philharmoniker are superb in this rendition and I consider them to be the best orchestra. I have had the pleasure to listening the orchestra on their home turf and in the southern California in the span of 45 years, and they are right on the top throughout all these years without competition.

She is the best and these Brahms are her favorites. Live orchestra miked a little muddy for DG but piano is in focus. Whatever she plays sounds fresh and new like no other classic performer recorded. Just pure genius. The composers would be proud.

Cannot praise these performances enough. They are in a word, fabulous. Watch them out on U-Tube for an unforgettable seat to timeless beauty. Furthermore, on a very good system, the experience is even magnified by the sheer lushness and accuracy of the recording. All quite wonderful.

Grimaud is a very competent pianist but I believe there are many more performances that are more to my taste. I prefer the Fleishman with George Szell which appears more spontaneous & passionate. I thought that Fleishman had passed on but just found out that he is alive & 85 years young! I also prefer Gilels. I'll give Helene another go - impressions can change on a subsequent listening.

Should you like a dark , sonorous and flowing interpretation of The Brahms Piano concertos ,yet flashing in the dark , this is for you .Along with the magnificent playing of Grimaud and the very superior orchestral playing conducted by Andris Nelsons ,this is something very hard to beat . For many a year .A great achievement by all concerned . The very best I have heard from Grimaud . Bravo !Birgir Gudgeirsson .

I listened to this at 2 a.m. on a night flight from Cape Town to Paris. It is so good that it kept me awake. This is possibly the most dynamic classical recording I have ever heard. 5 stars are not enough!

Really enjoyed the quality of this CD

I can only say that the recipient of this CD was well pleased.

I have several recordings of the Brahms piano concertos, but the Grimaud reading is by far my favourite. Passionate, immediate and alert, controlled rubato, a true master work.