Barry Douglas leads an impressive pair of Beethoven piano concerto performances from the keyboard, displaying formidable technique and an ingratiating expressive style. No. 1 is alive with both youthful energy and classical poise, and the “Emperor” has all the bravura you could ask for as Douglas charges into the big opening runs with considerable flair while maintaing a seductive, warm tone that emphasizes the beauty of Beethoven’s keyboard writing. Douglas maintains this approach throughout the first movement’s many dramatic episodes and in the finale’s more rambunctious moments.
Interestingly, it’s the slow movement that comes off best in this performance, largely due to Douglas’ carefully nuanced conducting, to which the musicians of the Camerata Ireland respond with their own virtuoso playing. It’s immediately clear that this ensemble is smaller than the modern-instrument orchestras we are accustomed to hearing in this repertoire, so don’t expect the orchestral heft of Szell/Cleveland or Davis/Dresden. In fact, as here, both of those conductors’ contributions are a major factor in the powerful impact of their respective recordings. By comparison, Douglas sounds more on the gentle side, perhaps emphasizing the music’s Mozartean heritage. If that’s how you’d like to hear these works, you’ll derive much pleasure from these performances, especially as they’re recorded in excellent sound.
