Ludwig van Beethoven - Piano Concertos Nos. 4 & 5 (Wilhelm Kempff)

Information

Composer: Ludwig van Beethoven

• Piano Concerto No. 4 in G major, Op. 58
• Piano Concerto No. 5 in E flat major, Op. 73 "Emperor"

Wilhelm Kempff, piano

Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra

Ferdinand Leitner, conductor

Date: 1961 / 1995

Label: Deutsche Grammophon

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Ludwig van Beethoven (baptized 17 December 1770 – 26 March 1827) was a German composer and pianist. A crucial figure in the transition between the Classical and Romantic eras in Western art music, he remains one of the most famous and influential of all composers. Beethoven is acknowledged as a giant of classical music, and his influence on subsequent generations was profound. His best-known compositions include 9 symphonies, 5 piano concertos, 1 violin concerto, 32 piano sonatas and 16 string quartets. Many of his most admired works come from the last decade of his life, when he was almost completely deaf.

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Wilhelm Kempff (25 November 1895 – 23 May 1991) was a German pianist, teacher and composer. He achieved early acclaim following a 1917 recital that launched a decades-long partnership with the Berlin Philharmonic. Alongside his extensive touring career, Kempff was a dedicated educator, holding directorship and instructional roles in Stuttgart and Potsdam. His global influence expanded significantly through a prolific recording catalog with Deutsche Grammophon, featuring Beethoven's complete piano concertos and sonatas, as well as chamber and solo works by Schubert, Schumann, Chopin and Brahms.

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