Beethoven - Piano Concerto No. 4: Shanghai String Quartet

Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 4, rearranged as a chamber work.

Composer: Beethoven
Repertoire: Piano Concerto No.4
Artists:  Mûza Rubackyté (piano), Girdutis Jakaitis (viola), Shanghai String Quartet
Rating: 3/5
Genre: Chamber
Label: WCJ 2564 68500-6

A hitherto unknown chamber version of Beethoven’s Fourth Piano Concerto, made by the composer and a leading Viennese arranger of the time, was recorded live in Vilnius, Lithuania, last year. It’s a fascinating discovery, all the more so because of the many deviations from the familiar original solo part, and the six players give fine accounts of themselves. Sadly, though, the recorded balance is flawed in favour of the strings and the disc lasts a meagre 31’38.