Bartok piano concertos

[leonard smalls]

I've just been to see Peter Donohue playing Bartok's 3rd piano concerto in Swansea.
Proper fireworks - it made Brahms' 1st Symphony that was also on the bill seem positively bland by comparison...
Anyway, any suggestions as to the best versions of Bartok's concertos?

 

[PeteH]

Kovacevich with Davis is tremendous and very cheap nowadays to boot, though I must admit I haven't heard very many versions and I don't own any others.

 

[alanbeeb]

I think Peter Donohoe made a record of all 3 with Simon rattle in the early '90s, was quite well regarded. I've got Maurizio Pollini in 1 & 2 with Abbado and Berlin Phil on DG, but I find these works quite hard going.... No. 3 is much more rewarding IMO and Martha Argerich with Charles Dutoit and the OSM is wonderful. Plus you get her superb Prokofiev 1st and 3rd (best piano concerto ever) too.

 

[pe-zulu]

Anda/Fricsay on DG or
Sandor/Gielen (and Reinhardt) on Vox.
Both a little bit dated in recorded sound, but musically excellent,
and autentic if that concept exsists. Sandor was a pupil of Bartok,
gave the third concerto its world premiere, Anda and Fricsay
hungarians too.

 

[PeteH]

Must say the 1st is my favourite - really earthy and exciting. It's a shame it's a bit feisty for the dance music audience, as it could teach them a thing or two about rhythm