The Complete Beethoven Piano Concertos

Reference Recordings has released The Complete Beethoven Piano Concertos played by GRAMMY^®-­winning Garrick Ohlsson, performing with the Grand Teton Music Festival Orchestra, conducted by Sir Donald Runnicles.

Recorded live during Festival performances in July 2022, the album is available on Hybrid SACD and more here.

A student of the late Claudio Arrau, Ohlsson is especially noted for his masterly performances of the works of Mozart, Beethoven and Schubert, as well as the Romantic repertoire. To date, he is the only American ever to win first prize in the International Chopin Piano Competition. Ohlsson has also been nominated for three Grammy Awards, winning one in 2008 for Best Instrumental Soloist Performance (without Orchestra) for Beethoven Sonatas, Vol. 3. This new recording represents a pinnacle in his career.

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One of Gramophone’s Best Classical Music Albums Of 2023 (So Far)…”We explored the background to these Beethoven concertos in May – the rapport between its artists is wonderful to hear.” (Gramophone)

“To perform all five Beethoven piano concertos as a cycle is to ascend one of the repertoire’s proverbial Everest-like peaks…a winning combination of factors sets apart this new contender by Garrick Ohlsson with Sir Donald Runnicles and the Grand Teton Music Festival…an inspired collaboration of strong-willed personalities.” (Gramophone)

“…Combine all that with the superb quality of the engineering from the Reference Recordings label and this cycle, which the GTMF has chosen for its first commercial release, is in a class of its own.” (Gramophone)

“…Orchestral balances are exquisite, drama abounds, the finale is fairly rollicking and Ohlsson plumbs the depths of the Andante con molto with the utmost simplicity. This is a bouquet of Beethoven concertos like no other.” (Gramophone)

“From the first notes of Piano Concerto No. 1 in C major, Op. 15, to the final joyous music-making of the “Emperor,” Ohlsson beguiles the listener with flawless technique and sparkling tone…I was never less than captivated…The orchestra is a wonderful accompanist throughout…Very highly recommended.” (Audiophilia)

“The engineers have done a sterling job in placing the solo piano ideally in the sound picture. The three discs (Hybrid SACDS with Stereo SACD, 5.0 Surround SACD and Stereo CD layers) come nicely presented in the traditional fatbox format, and are well-annotated. There’s no doubting that this will be one of my Recordings of the Year.”  (MusicWeb Intl)

“The estimable Garrick Ohlsson with Sir Donald Runnicles conducting the Grand Teton Music Festival Orchestra absolutely knock it out of the park. The set was recorded live in 2022, released by famous Reference Recordings in 2023, and critical praise has been almost unanimous…Fabulous playing by both the soloist and the orchestra has been perfectly caught by engineer Kevin Harbison and producer Victor Muenzer. These performances just might be the ones you’ve been looking for of all the Concertos.” (NativeDSD)

“I have a number of complete sets of the Beethoven piano concertos with top-notch soloists and symphony orchestras. Considering the level of performance and the audio quality of this newest recording, it belongs at the top of that impressive list. Highest recommendation.” (Theaterbyte.com)

“Runnicles, as you’d expect, excels, on the one hand precision concerto partner, on the other powerful symphonist…The hand-picked Grand Teton Music Festival Orchestra set first-class standards.” (International Piano)

“These are my type of performances—full-bodied-sounding modern instruments in up-tempo, sharply defined readings set in perfect balance between piano and orchestra. No detail—be it tempo indication, dynamic marking, accent, or expression counsel—is taken for granted. The agility of Ohlsson’s fingers is evidence of a pianist still spry and quick on the draw at the age of 74. But even more telling in these performances is the meeting of minds and rapport achieved by Ohlsson and conductor Donald Runnicles.” (Fanfare)

“This set deserves to catapult straight to the top when it comes to choices for contemporary Beethoven Piano Concerto cycles!” (Limelight Magazine) | read full review

“The mutual respect and trust that gives Runnicles and Ohlsson’s music making spontaneity comes across clearly.” (BBC 3)
listen here (at 2 hrs, 27 min)

“A noble and beautifully balanced recording…” (BBC Radio)
listen here (at 3:37)