Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli

The Art of Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli

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AllMusic Review by James Leonard

This is the best -- the noblest, the grandest, the most tragic -- Ballade in G minor ever recorded. This is the best -- the most virtuostic, the most colorful, the most imaginative -- set of Book I Preludes ever recorded. This is the best -- the most Romantic, the most heartfelt, the funniest -- Carnaval ever recorded. This is the best -- the most elegant, the most witty, the most athletic -- recording of Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 1 ever recorded. This is the best -- the most brooding, the most violent, the most consoling -- set of Brahms Ballades ever recorded. This is the best -- the most loving, the most awe-inspiring, the most transcendent -- "Emperor" Concerto ever recorded. This is the best -- the subtlest, the most sorrowful, the most sublime -- set of Chopin mazurkas ever recorded. And on and on and on. While there are some performances here that are not the best ever recorded, this box of recordings by Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli from 1957 through 1990 is arguably the greatest single set of piano recordings ever released. And while there have been a few better recordings than Michelangeli's of the four Mozart piano concertos, Michelangeli's are at such an extraordinarily high level, so beautifully toned and so ethereally interpreted, that they are still among the best ever recorded. And while there have been more passionate recordings of Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 3, Michelangeli's is so brilliantly played that passion would only be an untoward intrusion in Michelangeli's ideal world. But as for the rest, these are simply the best piano performances of the works ever recorded. And the remastered sound is the best any of them have ever had. This is absolutely essential for every man, woman, and child.

Track Listing - Disc 1

Sample		Title/Composer	Performer	Time
	1	Applause	Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli	0:22
Piano Concerto No. 13 in C major, K. 415 (K. 387b)
	2	1. Allegro	Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli	11:40
	3	2. Andante	Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli	8:18
	4	3. Rondeau. Allegro	Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli	9:34
Piano Concerto No. 15 in B flat major, K. 450
	5	1. Allegro	Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli	11:42
	6	2. Andante	Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli	6:15
	7	3. Allegro	Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli	9:55

Track Listing - Disc 2

Sample		Title/Composer	Performer	Time
	1	Applause	Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli	0:40
Piano Concerto No. 20 in D minor, K. 466
	2	1. Allegro	Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli	15:11
	3	2. Romance	Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli	9:35
	4	3. Allegro assai	Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli	8:44
	5	Applause	Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli	0:44
Piano Concerto No. 25 in C major, K. 503
	6	1. Allegro maestoso	Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli	15:45
	7	2. Andante	Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli	7:25
	8	3. Allegretto	Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli	9:40
	9	Applause	Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli	0:48

Track Listing - Disc 3

Sample		Title/Composer	Performer	Time
Piano Concerto No. 1 in C major, Op. 15
	1	1. Allegro con brio	Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli	18:38
	2	2. Largo	Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli	10:42
	3	3. Rondo. Allegro	Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli	9:09
Piano Concerto No. 3 in C minor, Op. 37
	4	1. Allegro con brio	Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli	18:12
	5	2. Largo	Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli	11:23
	6	3. Rondo. Allegro	Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli	10:48

Track Listing - Disc 4

Sample		Title/Composer	Performer	Time	Stream
Piano Concerto No. 5 in E flat major ("Emperor"), Op. 73
	1	1. Allegro	Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli	21:35
	2	2. Adagio un poco mosso - attacca:	Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli	8:36
	3	3. Rondo. Allegro	Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli	12:15
Piano Sonata No. 4 in E flat major ("Grand Sonata"), Op. 7
	4	1. Allegro molto e con brio	Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli	9:49	Amazon
	5	2. Largo, con gran espressione	Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli	8:39	Amazon
	6	3. Allegro - Minore - Allegro	Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli	5:28
	7	4. Rondo. Poco Allegretto e grazioso	Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli	7:40	Amazon

Track Listing - Disc 5

Sample		Title/Composer	Performer	Time	Stream
Piano Sonata No. 4 in A minor, D. 537 (Op. posth. 164)
	1	1. Allegro, ma non troppo	Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli	10:05	Amazon
	2	2. Allegretto, quasi andantino	Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli	7:31	Amazon
	3	3. Allegro vivace	Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli	5:05	Amazon
	4	Mazurka for piano No. 43 in G minor, Op. 67/2, CT. 93	Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli	2:02
	5	Mazurka for piano No. 34 in C major, Op. 56/2, CT. 84	Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli	1:48
	6	Mazurka for piano No. 45 in A minor, Op. 67/4. CT. 95	Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli	3:10
	7	Mazurka for piano No. 47 in A minor, Op. 68/2, CT. 97	Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli	3:09
	8	Mazurka for piano No. 46 in C major, Op. 68/1, CT. 96	Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli	1:33
	9	Mazurka for piano No. 22 in G sharp minor, Op. 33/1, CT. 72	Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli	2:05
	10	Mazurka for piano No. 20 in D flat major, Op. 30/3, CT. 70	Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli	3:18
	11	Mazurka for piano No. 19 in B minor, Op. 30/2, CT. 69	Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli	1:38
	12	Mazurka for piano No. 25 in B minor, Op. 33/4, CT. 75	Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli	6:20
	13	Mazurka for piano No. 49 in F minor, Op. 68/4, CT. 99	Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli	3:45
	14	Prelude for piano No. 25 in C sharp minor, Op. 45, CT. 190	Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli	4:54
	15	Ballade for piano No. 1 in G minor, Op. 23, CT. 2	Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli	9:16
	16	Scherzo for piano No. 2 in B flat minor, Op. 31, CT. 198	Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli	11:02

Track Listing - Disc 6

Sample		Title/Composer	Performer	Time	Stream
Carnaval for piano, Op. 9
	1	1. Préambule. Quasi maestoso - Più moto - Animato - Vivo - Presto	Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli	2:30
	2	2. Pierrot. Moderato	Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli	2:15
	3	3. Arlequin. Vivo	Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli	1:09
	4	4. Valse noble. Un poco maestoso	Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli	1:53
	5	5. Eusebius. Adagio	Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli	1:19
	6	6. Florestan. Passionato	Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli	0:57
	7	7. Coquette. Vivo	Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli	1:37
	8	8. Réplique. L'istesso tempo - (Sphinxes)	Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli	1:09
	9	9. Papillons. Prestissimo	Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli	0:38
	10	10. A.S.C.H. - S.C.H.A. (Lettres dansantes) - Presto	Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli	0:58	Amazon
	11	11. Chiarina. Passionato	Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli	1:35
	12	12. Chopin. Agitato	Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli	1:13
	13	13. Estrella. Con affetto	Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli	0:28
	14	14. Reconnaissance. Animato	Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli	1:40
	15	15. Pantalon et Colombine. Presto	Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli	0:57
	16	16. Valse allemande. Molto vivace	Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli	1:03
	17	17. Paganini. Intermezzo. Presto	Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli	1:29
	18	18. Aveu. Passionato	Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli	1:14
	19	19. Promenade. Comodo	Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli	2:40
	20	20. Pause. Vivo	Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli	0:16
	21	21. Marche des "Davidsbündler" contre les Philistins	Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli	4:04	Amazon
Faschingsschwank aus Wien ("Phantasiebilder"), for piano, Op. 26
	22	I. Allegro. Sehr lebhaft	Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli	10:10
	23	II. Romanze. Ziemlich langsam	Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli	3:09
	24	III. Scherzino	Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli	2:20
	25	IV. Intermezzo. Mit größter Energie	Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli	2:18
	26	V. Finale. Höchst lebhaft	Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli	5:01
Ballades (4) for piano, Op. 10
	27	1. Andante - Allegro - Andante (after the Scottish Ballad "Edward" from Herder's "Stimmen der Völke	Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli	4:31
	28	2. Andante - Allegro non troppo - Molto staccato e leggiero - Andante	Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli	7:11
	29	3. Intermezzo. Allegro	Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli	4:15
	30	4. Andante con moto	Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli	9:28

Track Listing - Disc 7

Sample		Title/Composer	Performer	Time	Stream
Préludes (12) for piano, Book I, L. 117
	1	I. Danseuses de Delphes. Lent et grave	Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli	3:18
	2	II. Voiles. Modéré	Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli	4:30
	3	III. Le vent dans la plaine. Animé	Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli	2:13
	4	IV. Les sons et les parfums tournent dans l'air du soir. Modéré	Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli	3:39	Amazon
	5	V. Les collines d'Anacapri. Très modéré	Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli	3:19
	6	VI. Des pas sur la neige. Triste et lent	Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli	4:58
	7	VII. Ce qu'a vu le vent d'Ouest. Animé et tumultueux	Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli	3:41
	8	VIII. La fille aux cheveux de lin. Très calme et doucement expressif	Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli	2:54
	9	IX. La sérénade interrompue. Modérément animé	Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli	2:43
	10	X. La cathédrale engloutie. Profondément calme	Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli	6:52
	11	XI. La danse de Puck. Capricieux et léger	Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli	3:12
	12	XII. Minstrels. Modéré	Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli	2:42
Children's Corner, suite for piano (or orchestra), L. 113
	13	I. Doctor Gradus ad Parnassum. Modérément animé	Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli	2:15
	14	II. Jimbo's Lullaby. Assez modéré	Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli	3:28
	15	III. Serenade for the Doll. Allegretto ma non troppo	Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli	2:16
	16	IV. The Snow is Dancing. Modérément animé	Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli	2:38
	17	V. The Little Shepherd. Très modéré	Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli	2:28
	18	VI. Golliwogg's Cake-walk. Allegro giusto	Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli	2:56

Track Listing - Disc 8

Sample		Title/Composer	Performer	Time	Stream
Préludes (12) for piano, Book II, L. 123
	1	I. Brouillards. Modéré extrêmement égal et léger	Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli	2:56
	2	II. Feuilles mortes. Lent et mélancolique	Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli	3:19
	3	III. La Puerta del Vino. Mouvement de Habanera avec de brusques oppositions d'extrême violence et d	Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli	4:07
	4	IV. "Les Fées sont d'exquises danseuses". Rapide et léger	Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli	3:07
	5	V. Bruyères. Calme - Doucement expressif	Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli	2:54
	6	VI. "General Lavine" - eccentric. Dans le style et le Mouvement d'un Cake-Walk	Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli	2:38
	7	VII. La Terrasse des audiences du clair de lune. Lent	Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli	3:59	Amazon
	8	VIII. Ondine. Scherzando	Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli	3:27
	9	IX. Hommage à S. Pickwick Esq. P.P.M.P.C. Grave	Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli	2:27
	10	X. Canope. Très calme et doucement triste	Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli	2:36
	11	XI. Les Tierces alternées. Modérément animé	Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli	2:55
	12	XII. Feux d'artifice. Modérément animé	Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli	4:47
Images (3), for piano, Set I, L. 110
	13	I. Reflets dans l'eau. Andantino molto	Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli	4:54
	14	II. Hommage à Rameau. Lent et grave	Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli	6:35
	15	III. Mouvement. Animé	Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli	3:43
Images (3), for piano, Set II, L. 111
	16	I. Cloches à travers les feuilles. Lent	Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli	4:23
	17	II. Et la lune descend sur le temple qui fut. Lent	Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli	5:15	Amazon
	18	III. Poissons d'or. Animé	Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli	4:01

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