In celebration of of Beethoven’s 250th anniversary year in 2020, Sony Classical is pleased to re-release Leif Ove Andsnes’ critically acclaimed recordings of Beethoven’s piano concertos. The Beethoven Journey is a four-year collaborative project between celebrated pianist Leif Ove Andsnes and the Mahler Chamber Orchestra. Together they have recorded all of Beethoven’s Piano Concertos, as well as the Choral Fantasy, with Andsnes not only playing but also directing the orchestra. The series began with the live recording of the Piano Concertos 1 & 3 at the Prague Spring Festival in the historic Rudolfinum building. The second CD, Piano Concertos 2 & 4, was recorded in London in 2013, and the final album was recorded again live at the Prague Spring Festival in 2014. Beethoven (1770—1827) was a German composer and pianist who is widely regarded as one of the greatest composers of all time. He is one of the most recognisable and influential composers of the Romantic period and his music remains popular around the world today.

Concertos Nos 1 & 3:

Gramophone Magazine November 2012 Disc of the Month
BBC Music Magazine December 2012 Orchestral Choice

It's an all-round winner of a disc, with superlative playing from both soloist and orchestra, and a recorded sound to match. Andsnes's view of the music is fairly traditional...[his] pedalling is a shade cautious, but he plays the piece so beautifully that there are no grounds for complaint...Overall, this looks set to be a highly enjoyable journey. BBC *****

there's a palpable sense of discovery, of living the music...You know you're in remarkable musical company before the piano has sounded a note...Of course, this isn't just down to the players: it's Andsnes's conception right from the start...What's also very striking is that these performances are not simply about elan and energy: they have a sense of gravitas, too, of rightness, that you find in the greatest Beethoven interpreters. Gramphone

Concertos Nos 2 & 4:

BBC Music Magazine Awards 2015 Disc of the Year
Gramophone Awards 2015 Finalist - Concerto
BBC Music Magazine May 2014 Orchestral Choice

an effortlessly musical performance, helped by the immaculate playing of the Mahler Chamber Orchestra. And, as in the first disc of the series, Andsnes's attention to orchestral detail while conducting from the keyboard is praiseworthy. BBC *****

Andsnes has two great assets: a highly reactive chamber orchestra of the first rank and a acumen as a Mozartian that stands him in good stead...such is the clarity of detail that I find myself noticing details I've never heard before...Another extraordinary achievement from all concerned, sound engineers included. Gramkphone

Concertos Nos 5 & Choral Fantasy:

Gramophone Magazine Awards Issue 2014 Editor's Choice

Andsnes's view of the Emperor Concerto's slow movement may strike some listeners as less contemplative and poetic than usual, and it may be that his interpretation of the piece will deepend over time, but it's beautifully played...Particularly notable in Andsnes's performance of the first movement is the mysterious approach to the recapitulation, where he and the orchestra vividly convey the feeling of the music holding its breath. BBC *****

Andsnes manages to be lithe and spontaneous-sounding, and doesn't overplaying hints of melodrama...In a way Andsnes reminds me of Schnabel in his sureness of touch, albeit in a very different style...The unanimity in the closing bars between Andsnes and his orchestra says it all. Having used up my stash of superlatives, all I can say is: go buy. Gramophone