Johan Willem Wilms, Piano Concerto No. 5 in E flat major, Op. 55

[Ilja]

An interesting performance of Wilms' E flat major concerto by Diana Gultsova with the Odessa Phil under Hobart Earle was uploaded yesterday to YouTube.

[Alan Howe]

An absolute rip-off of Beethoven's Emperor Concerto, of course - made all the more obvious in this traditional-style performance with concert grand and plenty of vibrato in the string-playing. A marvellous find - thanks, Ilja!

[Ilja]

Yes, it's a bit shameless, isn't it? Same key, almost identical movement tempos. Also, I seem to remember that he premiered Beethoven's concerto in The Hague in late 1814 (but will check).

Still lovely, though.

[Alan Howe]

It'd make a great commercial release...

[eschiss1]

Anyone have Brautigam's recording of the work on BIS-2524 (and who isn't a priori repelled by historically-informed performance), and want to compare that and this one?

(Beyond the obvious comparison of timings, that is -
Brautigam/Willens: I. Adagio - Allegro. 17:44. II. Adagio. 6:15. III. Rondo. 9:02.
Apparently the BIS recording uses an edition edited by Brautigam for both concertos (4&5). May be true of the first volume too.)

[Ilja]

The Brautigam is relatively moderate by HIP standards, not like the horrors Arthur Schoonderwoerd and the Christofori Band perpetrated on poor Fodor and Wilms earlier on Alpha. Brautigam is a fine pianist of course, and his tempi are roughly similar to Gultsova's. However, were I given the choice I'd go with the latter for a number of reasons.

[semloh]

who isn't a priori repelled by historically-informed performance

Me.

[promusician]

An interesting performance of Wilms' E flat major concerto by Diana Gultsova with the Odessa Phil under Hobart Earle was uploaded yesterday to YouTube.

I requested the score from University Kassel, very glad to see a new recording made due to availability of score. Hopefully more fresh recordings of the other concertos can be made in the future, of course, in modern Steinway or similar grands