Martin Helmchen, Andrew Manze & DSO Berlin - Beethoven: Piano Concertos 2 & 5 "Emperor" - International Piano

Helmchen’s sense of colour is abundantly present in his performance of the Emperor, an account noteworthy for its responsiveness to Beethoven’s structural adventurousness. The musicians revel in Beethoven’s transcending of expectations; Helmchen’s technique is more than equal to Beethoven’s trickiest demands. The performers capture the essence of the central movement without recourse to extremes of tempo, and the finale is particularly wide-ranging. These are excellent performances – the interpretative gold is undeniable.