Beethoven Piano Concerto No. 5 & Mozart Sonatas / Gulda, Munich Philharmonic Orchestra

Starring:Beethoven, Mozart, Gulda, Munich Philharmonic
Studio: Geneon [Pioneer]
Product Type: DVD

Customer Reviews:

WELL WORTH OWNING.......2005-08-04

Really about a 4.7, but definitely closer to 5 than 4. Orchestra was very good although not a rival to Berlin. Photography was extremely crisp. My biggest gripe is that on several occasions during Beethoven's Emperor Piano Concerto the camera cut away from the pianist just as he was reaching a crescendo. Otherwise, direction and camera work were fine. I really couldn't list any flaws in the performance of Brahms' Symphony #3.

In addition to the DVD-video, there is also an hour + of DVD-audio performances of Brahms Piano Concerto and waltzes.

All together, a good value given the total amount of music and worth a spot in your collection.

Beethoven Piano Concerto No. 5 & Mozart Sonatas / Gulda, Munich Philharmonic Orchestra

Average customer rating:

A recital ...or another analogous 4'33" thing "event" ?!
A masterpiece this is not!
SHOW THIS TO THE YOUNG...AND TO ALL.
Friedrich Gulda plays Beethoven and Mozart
A good DVD to add to your collection

Beethoven Piano Concerto No. 5 & Mozart Sonatas / Gulda, Munich Philharmonic Orchestra
Starring: Beethoven , Mozart , Gulda , and Munich Philharmonic
Manufacturer: Geneon [Pioneer]
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Friedrich Gulda - Mozart Piano Concertos Nos. 20 & 26
Beethoven, Mozart & Brahms Piano Concertos
Rachmaninov Piano Concerto No. 2/ Tchaikovsky Symphony No. 5
Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto/ Piano Concerto No. 1
Mozart - Music for Piano: Friedrich Gulda

ASIN: B00004REWB
Release Date: 2000-04-11

Description

Beethoven 5. Piano Concerto Mozart Sonata K. 333 and K. 576, Fantasia in d minor. Friedrich Gulda, Piano. Frederich Gulda performs and conducts Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 5 in E flat major op. 73 with the Munich Philharmonic Orchestra. This performance was recorded in 1989 in Munich, Germany. In a performance captured in 1995 Friedrich Gulda plays two pieces composed by Mozart; Sonata in B flat major, K 333 and Sonata in D major K 576. This is the first time any of these recordings has been released on video. Includes the unique feature of optional on-screen analysis of the music being performed as well as subtitle display of the mood and tempo. Biographical information about Gulda and the Munich Philharmonic is included as are on screen liner notes, a glossary of musical terms and contemporary history of the compositions. 5.1 Dolby Digital and non-compressed stereo.

Customer Reviews:

A recital ...or another analogous 4'33" thing "event" ?!.......2007-05-09

I couldn't help noticing the reviewer "Meqabeilin" and the rendered analogy of Gulda coming off as a sort of "spastic Joe Cocker at Woodstock" which, alas, I not only must concur forthwith but it seemed to me to be more of an amalgam consisting of Harpo Marx with the horn, 'Curly' Howard and the 'machine-gun derby' routine [You know, bop, bop, bop, bop, left hand derby 'bop' to the head and concurrent criss-cross right arm thing] all followed by the vocalized TAH, TAH, TAH, TAH mutterings of a Glenn Gould on a particularly bad 'chair' day as it were. What's that? Louder! Oh, I agree! Clarabell and the seltzer bottle too! Double whew!

The attempt at 'conducting' [!?] while playing was a complete and total farce! I mean the guy is literally trotting back and forth to the piano bench at times to hit the correct notes after his rotating arm swings [think Apollo Creed in the Rocky flick when the Rock was against the ropes and Apollo, wearing the Uncle Sam hat, made with the old full arm rotation thing for the 'here it comes' knock-out punch !] to the orchestra and then when the clinkers show up after Gulda's rush back to the piano, he simply smiles! So too, I do think the 'classical' recitals mandate some semblance of a classical recital demeanor so when the pianist shows up looking more like the piano 'mover' versus the 'interpreter', well, hey, and to those who would immediately counter, 'but what about the playing!', I can't say it was pleasing.

Between the antics, the mutterings, the 'conducting' [!?], the running around the stage, the sometimes 'been on the pipe' look and those clinkers a la mode in a constant struggle between key positioning and arm swinging, nah. And again nahhhh! I honestly think the orchestra was 'embarrassed' by the performance and, quite frankly, I don't think Gulda could have cared less! Note too when the 3rd movement of the 5th piano concerto was concluded came the rather sparse applause and Gulda makes with the sort of palm of the hand wave-off as if to say, hey, take it or leave it!

What's that? That's me! The one who did 'not' embrace 4'33" or the "prepared piano" thing with the spoons, bolts, marbles, et al , on the piano 'strings' as the veritable 'wave of the future' or 'imagined voice [!?] of the Muse itself" or, as another wag put it, the 'Second Coming', so call me a traditionalist but as duly distinct from an 'ultra purist'! There 'is' a difference! Switching: It also helps to know something about Friedrich Gulda [1930-2000] and his background where along the way on the initially more traditional path he simply said 'the hell with it' [sic] and, IMO, acted accordingly! In effect, a demeanor of 'take it or leave it' with a follow up on-stage caveat of 'like it or lump it', stage antics inclusive. OK, fine, to each their own thing ... so I 'lumped' it!

Doc Tony

A masterpiece this is not!.......2007-01-02

Gulda may be a gifted pianist, but his attempt at simultaneously playing and conducting Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 5 is an utter abomination. His conducting is laughable, replete with spastic moves reminiscent of Joe Cocker at Woodstock. Sadly, his awkward conducting undermines any attempt to also provide a serious recital. Indeed, his playing winds up woefully short of a virtuoso performance as he prances back and forth on stage, in circus sideshow fashion, devoid of any real conviction while committing embarassing mistakes. Gulda ultimately succeeds in proving that it's impossible to do a respectable job of both playing and conducting a work as complex and beloved as Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 5. Thankfully, I didn't buy this DVD; I rented it from Netflix. But it's so bad, it's not even worth renting, and anyone who thinks otherwise should take the time to carefully listen to true virtuoso performances of the Emperor Concerto by such greats as Rubinstein or Serkin.

SHOW THIS TO THE YOUNG...AND TO ALL........2006-10-06

One man's quick notes:
Here's a performer just having a great day! All his lights are on, and he's a transmitter of joy and love for his craft. Completely relaxed. I even got the sense that the orchestra was delighted with his energy. I feel that this DVD would help anyone to turn on to classical - some of the most beautiful and daring music ever. Seeing Gulda here is almost like being at an Eckankar seminar. That heart-opening music. *** Highly recommended *** After the usual stiffness and dense formality of most classical concerts, Gulda truly tears the doors off and lets the sunlight in. (Not that the formal concerts can't reach the heights as well.) ***

Friedrich Gulda plays Beethoven and Mozart.......2005-06-22

A very good DVD

I'd been looking for a DVD of Beethoven's 5th Piano Concerto when I came across this disc that featured two independent recordings; Beethoven's Emperor Concerto in 1989 with the Munich Philharmonic, and then 3 Mozart piano sonatas in 1995.(also recorded in Munich).

I must admit I was unfamiliar with the name Friedrich Gulda (1930-2000) until this time. Initially, I was somewhat surprised by his causal attire when he arrived on stage; the concert appeared to have very laid-back atmosphere. However, Mr. Gulda proved to be a pianist extraordinaire, as was evident by his interpretation and skill with both the Beethoven and the Mozart. The playing is enthusiastic and passionate throughout, and despite looking decidedly older and more frail in the 1995 recordings, I liked the Mozart sonata in D major K 576 best of all the works on this disc.

The only negative is that the recording has picked up some of Mr. Gulda's humming and mutterings that occurred while he was playing. This was not particularly distracting to me but I mention it for the sake of completeness.

There is only scant information on the disc case and there is no booklet with this DVD but the disc has extra material on it giving some biography info on Mr. Gulda and a brief history of the Munich Philharmonic Orchestra. There is also an option to have some on screen musical analysis done while you're watching this recording.

All in all, a fine DVD to add to one's library of classical music.

A good DVD to add to your collection.......2005-02-19

I thoroughly enjoyed the 5th Concerto. The 2nd movement I personally thought was played unusally "fast", but it gives it another dimension otherwise not often heard. His interpretation of the music is brilliant. A vibrant performance!

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