Karel Ancerl Gold Edition Vol.15 – Brahms: Concerto for Piano in D minor, Tragic Overture, Op. 81

Here is the third instalment of six volumes in the Ančerl Gold series: a collection that is at once exceptionally strong in purely artistic terms, and in the context of the Ančerl series as a whole, unusually multifaceted. The pre-Romantic style is represented here by the music of Mozart (in several masterly solo renditions, including that of David Oistrakh, among others), and Voříšek, a prematurely deceased young genius of Czech music whose Symphony in D major is definitely compatible with Schubert’s symphonic output. Sacred music is exemplified by Dvořák’s masterly, profoundly emotional Requiem; and the world of drama is evoked by Prokofiev’s ballet music for Romeo and Juliet. Twentieth-century idioms can be savoured by their aficionados in Ančerl’s accounts of IgorStravinsky’s kaleidoscope of styles; while lovers of the Romantic concertant style are sure to be delighted by the intoxicating melodics of Brahms’ first piano concerto, as well as by the trioof somewhat later violin concertos, more titillating on the harmonic plane, by Ravel, Lalo, and Hartmann.

This album has received following awards: Choc du Monde de la Musique – Le Monde de la Musique (2003)