France’s Diapason gives a 4 star review to Leif Ove’s new Beethoven concerto recording.
“From the very opening of the 1st Concerto we feel that he (Andsnes) has succeeded in creating a desire for transparency and concentration which enhances his choice for the short cadenza. The Largo with its breadth, punctuation, raw colours, and the Finale’s quicksilver, confirms the success of this approach.
“The same can be said of the 3rd Concerto which is even more impressive through the energy of his conducting which is like an electric wave, rousing the musicians. The Largo, with its underlying current that prevents it from falling into complacency, and the Finale bring the performance to a kind of heroic brinkmanship marked with the seal of unity and clarity. Needless to say, this all happens at the highest level of performance with absolute precision and sharpness.”
Source: Diapason