Challenge Classics presents a box containing Beethoven's five Piano Concertos performed by Hannes Minnaar and The Netherlands Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Jan Willem de Vriend.
Two single volumes from the set have already been issued: while the one including Concertos nos. 4 & 5 was acclaimed by Gramophone as: "beginning a Beethoven cycle with the Fourth and Fifth Concertos is a bold move but one that pays offin all sorts of ways", the same magazine welcomed the disc with Concertos nos. 1 & 2 for "its pleasing mix of finesse and drive". Importantly, the set includes the so far unissued Concerto no. 3.
Despite the very large number of recordings already made of this musicalcorpus, Minnaar and de Vriend have proved that they have something new and totally their own to say about this collection of masterpieces. And it is indeed the peculiar blend of sheer energy andesprit de finessethat can be identified as the distinctive brand or these recordings.
