Beethoven: Piano Concertos Nos. 1 & 3 Kristian Bezuidenhout, Freiburger Barockorchester & Pablo Heras-Casado

• Ludwig van Beethoven (1770 - 1827): Piano Concerto No. 3 in C Minor, Op. 37:
• 1 Beethoven: Piano Concerto No. 3 in C Minor, Op. 37: I. Allegro con brio 16:39
• 2 Beethoven: Piano Concerto No. 3 in C Minor, Op. 37: II. Largo 08:31
• 3 Beethoven: Piano Concerto No. 3 in C Minor, Op. 37: III. Rondo. Allegro 09:29
• Piano Concerto No. 1 in C Major, Op. 15:
• 4 Beethoven: Piano Concerto No. 1 in C Major, Op. 15: I. Allegro con brio 14:34
• 5 Beethoven: Piano Concerto No. 1 in C Major, Op. 15: II. Largo 09:16
• 6 Beethoven: Piano Concerto No. 1 in C Major, Op. 15: III. Rondo. Allegro scherzando 08:46
• Total Runtime 01:07:15

Info for Beethoven: Piano Concertos Nos. 1 & 3

After the first two installments, highly praised by the press – ‘one of the finest, most . . . thrilling performances of [the] Fourth Concerto’, wrote Gramophone – Kristian Bezuidenhout, Pablo Heras-Casado and the Freiburger Barockorchester close their Beethoven trilogy with the classical yet already eminently personal Concerto no.1, and that masterpiece of intensity and drama, Concerto no.3. Once again, period instruments and historically informed performance practice reveal the astonishing modernity that early listeners found in these works!

On the face of it, I was seriously attracted by the idea of spending so much time with Beethoven – after all, I had done a similar thing with the solo music of Mozart and have become convinced that true immersion in the language of a composer (particularly in the recording studio) is only really possible when one has no distractions. With the benefit of hindsight, however, the plan and the entire experience now seems utterly deranged, lunatic, nigh-impossible and physically exhausting at times to the point of despair. Yet, somehow, and with equal power, an experience of such magic, and deep spiritual enrichment.” (Kristian Bezuidenhout)

Kristian Bezuidenhout first gained international recognition at the age of 21 after winning the first prize, and audience prize, in the Bruges Fortepiano Competition. His rich and award-winning discography on Harmonia Mundi includes the complete keyboard music of Mozart (Diapason d’Or de L’année, Preis der Deutschen Schallplattenkritik, & Caecilia Prize); Mozart Violin Sonatas with Petra Müllejans; Mendelssohn and Mozart Piano Concertos; and songs by Beethoven, Mozart, and Schumann with tenor Mark Padmore.

Kristian Bezuidenhout, fortepiano
Freiburger Barockorchester
Pablo Heras-Casado, conductor

Kristian Bezuidenhout
was born in South Africa in 1979. He began his studies in Australia, completed them at the Eastman School of Music and now lives in London. After initial studies as a modern pianist with Rebecca Penneys, he explored early keyboards, studying harpsichord with Arthur Haas, fortepiano with Malcolm Bilson and continuo playing and performance practice with Paul O’Dette.

Bezuidenhout first gained international recognition at the age of 21 after winning the prestigious first prize as well as the audience prize in the Bruges Fortepiano Competition.


Bezuidenhout is a frequent guest artist with the world’s leading ensembles including The Freiburger Barockorchester, Orchestre des Champs Elysées, Orchestra of the 18th Century, English Concert, Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, Concerto Köln, Chamber Orchestra of Europe, Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Chicago Symphony, Sinfonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks, and Collegium Vocale Gent, in many instances assuming the role of guest director. He has performed with celebrated artists including John Eliot Gardiner, Philippe Herreweghe, Frans Brüggen, Trevor Pinnock, Ton Koopman, Christopher Hogwood, Pieter Wispelwey, Daniel Hope, Jean-Guihen Queyras, Isabelle Faust, Viktoria Mullova, Carolyn Sampson and Mark Padmore.


Bezuidenhout now divides his time between concerto, recital and chamber music engagements, appearing in the early music festivals of Barcelona, Boston, Bruges, Innsbruck, St. Petersburg, Venice and Utrecht; the festivals of Salzburg, Edinburgh, Schleswig Holstein, Tangelwood and Luzern and Mostly Mozart Lincoln Center, and at many of the world’s most important concert halls including the Berlin and Köln Philharmonie, Suntory Hall, Theatre des Champs Elysées, Symphony Hall, Konzerthaus Vienna, Wigmore Hall and Carnegie Hall.

Since 2009, Bezuidenhout has embarked on a long-term recording relationship with Harmonia Mundi. Recent recordings include Volumes 1, 2 & 3 of the complete keyboard music of Mozart (prizes include Diapason D'or, a Caecilia Prize, and Preis der Deutschen Schallplattenkritik); Mendelssohn piano concertos with the Freiburg Baroque Orchestra and Schumann Dichterliebe with Mark Padmore (both won Edison Awards). His recording of Beethoven violin sonatas with Viktoria Mullova (ONYX label) won an Echo Award for the best chamber music album of 2011. A disc of Mozart Piano Concertos (K. 453 & 482) with the Freiburg Baroque Orchestra was released in November, 2012.

Booklet for Beethoven: Piano Concertos Nos. 1 & 3