Claire Huangci
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Beethoven Rarities

2018RondeauKL1521
Brandenburgisches Staatsorchester Frankfurt · Conductor: Howard Griffiths

Works by Ludwig van Beethoven

Three rarely recorded works from three different creative phases of Ludwig van Beethoven are featured on this CD: the Piano Concerto in D major, Op. 61a (Beethoven's own piano transcription of his Violin Concerto Op. 61), followed by the music for a Ballet of Knights (Musik zu einem Ritterballett, WoO 1) and Wellington's Victory, the 'Battle Symphony' (Op. 91). Claire Huangci is joined by the Brandenburgisches Staatsorchester Frankfurt under Howard Griffiths. The young pianist strikes a wonderful balance of tempi and phrasing, and together with the orchestra delivers an incredibly fresh and energetic performance of these three extraordinary Beethoven works.

Press

“First-class interpretations of Beethoven rarities. Claire Huangci's reading of the piano concerto transcribed by the composer from his violin concerto is elaborate and subtle, and the finesse with which the pianist embellishes her part is taken up by Howard Griffiths and the Brandenburgisches Staatsorchester Frankfurt.”

“Claire Huangci and the Brandenburgisches Staatsorchester Frankfurt under Howard Griffiths arrive at a thoroughly original reading of the score. Her playing unites a feel for scrupulous engagement with a broadly spectred touch and forceful incisiveness; exemplary transparent and tension-saturated exegeses of the Ritterballett and Wellingtons Sieg round off the striking production.”

— Martin Hoffmeister, MDR KULTUR, 2018

“Sometimes it is worth setting aside ingrained listening habits to surrender to unexpected sonic pleasures. Claire Huangci's soft, almost silvery touch in the high register and her instinct for letting the instrument sound melancholic, dreamy or exuberantly playful turn the concerto into a fireworks display of virtuoso passion.”

— Crescendo, 2018

“The piano version of the Violin Concerto has its appeal: Claire Huangci, with her musicianly expressive power and the nuanced richness of her pianistic skill, makes us find this version more than merely interesting.”

— Reinmar Wagner, Musik & Theater, 2018

Tracklist

  1. 1
    Beethoven: Piano Concerto in D major (arr. of Violin Concerto), Op. 61a — I. Allegro, ma non troppo
    24:01
  2. 2
    Beethoven: Piano Concerto in D major (arr. of Violin Concerto), Op. 61a — II. Larghetto
    8:57
  3. 3
    Beethoven: Piano Concerto in D major (arr. of Violin Concerto), Op. 61a — III. Rondo
    9:26
  4. 4
    Beethoven: Musik zu einem Ritterballett, WoO 1 — No. 1. Marsch
    1:58
  5. 5
    Beethoven: Musik zu einem Ritterballett, WoO 1 — No. 2. Deutscher Gesang
    0:58
  6. 6
    Beethoven: Musik zu einem Ritterballett, WoO 1 — No. 3. Jagdlied
    1:17
  7. 7
    Beethoven: Musik zu einem Ritterballett, WoO 1 — No. 4. Deutscher Gesang (Wiederholung)
    0:32
  8. 8
    Beethoven: Musik zu einem Ritterballett, WoO 1 — No. 5. Romanze
    0:37
  9. 9
    Beethoven: Musik zu einem Ritterballett, WoO 1 — No. 6. Deutscher Gesang (Wiederholung)
    0:31
  10. 10
    Beethoven: Musik zu einem Ritterballett, WoO 1 — No. 7. Kriegslied
    0:29
  11. 11
    Beethoven: Musik zu einem Ritterballett, WoO 1 — No. 8. Deutscher Gesang (Wiederholung)
    0:33
  12. 12
    Beethoven: Musik zu einem Ritterballett, WoO 1 — No. 9. Trinklied
    1:14
  13. 13
    Beethoven: Musik zu einem Ritterballett, WoO 1 — No. 10. Deutscher Gesang (Wiederholung)
    0:30
  14. 14
    Beethoven: Musik zu einem Ritterballett, WoO 1 — No. 11. Deutscher Tanz
    0:37
  15. 15
    Beethoven: Musik zu einem Ritterballett, WoO 1 — No. 12. Coda
    1:55
  16. 16
    Beethoven: Wellingtons Sieg oder die Schlacht bei Vittoria, Op. 91 — Schlacht
    8:20
  17. 17
    Beethoven: Wellingtons Sieg oder die Schlacht bei Vittoria, Op. 91 — Siegessymphonie
    6:59