Wilhelm Backhaus - Brahms:Piano Concerto No.2 - Japan Vinyl LP Record

Credits:

Wilhelm Backhaus

Description:

Exclusive to Esoteric Authorized Dealers ※Quantities are limited. ※Reservations made immediately before release may experience significant delays in securing your item. Limited production items may not be available. ※Reservations will close once the number of reservations reaches the expected shipment quantity, even before the release date. ※If the distributor ships in multiple batches, orders will be shipped in the order they were received. Therefore, depending on when you place your order, delivery may be significantly delayed from the release date. Please be aware of this in advance. ※The release date, jacket design, and track listing are subject to change due to production circumstances. ※Web orders will ship after the product arrives in stock. ※We kindly ask for your understanding if the manufacturer sells out. 【Track Listing】 Johannes Brahms: Piano Concerto No. 2 in B-flat major, Op. 83 Side A 1. First Movement: Allegro non troppo 2. Second Movement: Allegro appassionato Side B 1. Third Movement: Andante - Piu adagio 2. Fourth Movement: Allegretto grazioso - Un poco piu presto 【Performers】 Wilhelm Backhaus (Piano) Emanuel Brabetz (Cello) Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra Conductor: Karl Böhm [Original Recording] [Recorded] April 1967, Vienna,Zofienzaal [Producer] Ray Minshall [Recording Engineer] Mike Miles [LP First Release] DECCA SXL-6322 (1967) [Japanese LP First Release] LONDON SLC-1638 (1967) [Analog Record] [Remastered] June 2025 Esoteric Mastering Center "Esoteric Mastering" System [Producer] Motoaki Omachi (Esoteric Mastering Center) [Associate Producer] Minoru Yoshida (Esoteric Mastering Center) [Remastering Engineer] Shinya Higashino (Esoteric Mastering Center) [Cutting Engineer] Katsutoshi Kitamura (Mixers Lab Co., Ltd.) [Notes] Kozo Asari [Planning & Sales] TEAC Corporation [Planning & Cooperation] Tokyo Denka Co., Ltd. ■Backhaus + Böhm + Vienna Philharmonic: The eternal crystallization of 20th-century German musical tradition. The exceptional recording technology unique to Decca, known by its "ffss" (full frequency stereo sound) logo, delivers a clear, dynamic, wide-range, and three-dimensional sound. This, combined with the highly acclaimed LP sound of the analog era, is now realized through Esoteric's meticulous analog reproduction. For this LP, we aimed to preserve the eye-opening clarity achieved through remastering while also recreating the unique charm inherent to analog. ■An immortal Brahms masterpiece is refreshed and revived here on LP. Though half a century has passed since this recording, it presents a performance that can be said to show this work as it should be, unfolding before your eyes as a truly unique interpretation. Wilhelm Backhaus (1884–1969) was a master pianist representing 20th-century Germany, a musician who embodied the German spirit.In his youth, he was a virtuoso who flaunted dazzling technique, earning him the title "Lion King of the Keyboard." Yet as the years passed, he shed outward beauty, transforming in his later years into a performer whose hallmark was a ruggedness that could be called the ultimate masculine quality. His performances, combining unparalleled grandeur of scale with sublime humanity, embodied the very essence of German music. In his repertoire of Bach, Mozart, Haydn, Beethoven, and Brahms, he delivered interpretations that mastered unparalleled depths of artistry. Backhaus's recording of Brahms's Piano Concerto No. 2 with the Vienna Philharmonic conducted by the great Karl Böhm (1894-1981) for Decca in 1967 is truly an evergreen masterpiece that has never disappeared from the catalog since its release. ■His third and definitive Brahms performance Backhaus studied under the great pianist Darbel in his youth and was taught the traditions of German music (especially Beethoven interpretation). He was also active in recording from early on, beginning in 1908 during the era of mechanical recording, and made a considerable number of recordings for EMI during the era of electrical recording.The recordings Bachhaus made with Decca upon the advent of LP records in 1948 cemented his worldwide fame. From his recital in Ossiach, Austria, on June 28, 1969, until his death at age 85 on July 5, he recorded the complete Beethoven piano sonatas and concertos twice, along with major repertoire from Bach to Brahms, primarily in Geneva and Vienna. After World War II, he moved to Decca, continuing to record his late-career mastery through monaural and stereo formats, captured in Decca's signature clear and three-dimensional sound. Brahms' Piano Concerto No. 2 was one of Backhaus's most celebrated concertos. He recorded it with Böhm and the Staatskapelle Dresden in 1939 during the SP era, and with Schuricht and the Vienna Philharmonic in 1952 during the monaural era. His 1967 stereo recording with Böhm and the Vienna Philharmonic marked his third recording of this concerto. More than half a century after its recording, this performance remains cherished by many as a supreme masterpiece. It is also the final recording featuring the collaboration of two giants who carried on the tradition of Brahms's masterpiece since its premiere, truly deserving of the title of a historic recording. ■Collaboration with Böhm, Master of the Ideal Orchestra Backhaus was already 83 at the time of this recording, while conductor Böhm was ten years his junior. Böhm debuted at the Graz State Opera in 1917, served as Music Director of the Dresden Staatskapelle (State Opera) from 1934, and held the position of Music Director at the Vienna State Opera from 1943-45 and 1954-56. After that, Böhm was active primarily in Vienna, as well as at the Salzburg Festival and the Bayreuth Festival, and with major opera houses and orchestras worldwide, including the Metropolitan Opera. He was a beloved maestro who frequently visited Japan with the Vienna Philharmonic until the year before his death in 1981. The collaboration between these two was truly the ultimate combination. The performance unfolds as the ideal for this piece in every aspect: sound, tempo, and sense of breathing. ■The Zofienhalle in Vienna, Decca's favored recording venue—here lies the secret of the Decca sound in the analog era... Production was handled by Ray Mintschal, who oversaw recordings of Britten and Kertész at Decca, working alongside engineer Mike Miles. From 1956 until the 1980s, the Sofienhalle was the home ground for Decca's stereo sessions in Vienna. Built in the first half of the 19th century as a bathhouse, it was later used as a ballroom, and Johann Bogner-Strauß frequently performed there. This hall was ideal for Decca's recording policy of capturing and reproducing even the smallest details with clarity, and it produced a series of legendary recordings that became synonymous with the Decca sound, including Solti's legendary Ring cycle.This Brahms recording is one such example. Centered around the beautiful, richly nuanced solo piano (Bösendorfer), it vividly and three-dimensionally recreates the silky yet substantial string section, the aromatic brilliance of the brass, and the distinctive timbres of the woodwinds—such as the Viennese oboe and clarinet—in the background. Even now, nearly half a century after its recording, the appeal of its clear sound remains undimmed. This marks the first domestic analog record release in approximately 32 years since 1993. Using the original master, a new analog record-specific mastering was performed via "Esoteric Mastering." Meticulously calibrated, top-tier ESOTERIC equipment—the Master Sound Discrete DAC and Master Sound Discrete Clock, along with MEXCEL cables—was used without reservation to create a master thoroughly focused on achieving the highest sound quality. Analog cutting was performed at Mixers Lab using the legendary Neumann VMS80 cutting lathe, a hallmark of analog's golden age. Manufactured in West Germany, only two of these machines remain operational in Japan today.With the cooperation of Mixers Lab, we brought the "Esoteric Mastering" equipment into the cutting room and connected its output directly to the Neumann SP79C cutting console. Without using the console's equalizer, we sent the pure "Esoteric Mastering" sound directly into the cutting process. The cutting was performed by Mr. Katsutoshi Kitamura, cutting engineer at Mixers Lab. He poured his masterful skill into the master disc. While it's rare nowadays to cut lacquer discs solely for listening purposes, focusing instead on cutting master discs for record pressing, Esoteric created multiple lacquer discs by altering the transmission method to the console in pursuit of sound quality. The multiple lacquer discs created were brought back to the Esoteric Mastering Center. Listening tests and sound quality verification were conducted using ESOTERIC's analog turntable, the Grandioso T1, to determine the optimal transmission method. By meticulously focusing on analog sound throughout the creation process, we succeeded in transferring the information contained in the original master onto analog vinyl with a rich, expansive sound. ■"A treasure of humanity shining in the annals of concerto recordings" 'This performance, which seems to embody German music itself, must be cited first and foremost when discussing this work. The master, now over 80, delivers a commanding piano performance with a solidly constructed sense of form, backed by the supreme accompaniment of Böhm and the Vienna Philharmonic. Yet alongside this rigor lies something that speaks directly from the music itself. One is overwhelmed by the majesty that flows from true maturity." (Katsuhide Hasegawa, 'Record Arts Special Edition: Classical Record Book VOL.3 Concerto Edition', 1985) "The resulting performance possesses rich majesty, with every element mastered down to the finest detail. It is well-projected, with thoughtful attention to traditional elements, leaving nothing to be desired. It possesses a presence that would not be out of place being called the 'gold standard' recording of this great concerto. Speaking in terms of the overall picture, the performances of these two masters, who were active mainly in the mid-20th century, have not lost their value even in the modern era, as we enter a new century.(Yoshii Akihiko, '1000 Immortal Masterpieces of Classical Music', 2007) 'Between the Vienna Philharmonic, physically intimately familiar with this piece; Böhm, thoroughly versed in its structural essence; and Backhaus, who embodied both—there is not a single gap. Moreover, they breathe together with unfettered flexibility, achieving a golden trinity. It embodies the rich flavor of a fifty-year-old brandy. Such a performance, rich in natural, mellow maturity, has become exceedingly rare to hear these days." (Michifuyu Kitao, "Record Geijutsu Special Edition: Masterpieces of Music - Concerto Edition," 1998) This is a treasure of humanity, shining in the history of concerto recordings, where the pianist, conductor, and orchestra are all top-tier, each of superlative caliber. Here, the performers and the composer cease to exist; only the most sublime, spiritual music itself comes rushing forth, accompanied by overwhelming emotion. (Kohyo Uno, "Record Arts Special Edition: Classical Record Book by Performer VOL.2 Instrumentalists") "A magnificent performance that vividly reveals the mature artistry of Bachhaus in his later years. Rich lyricism touches the listener's heart deeply, without a trace of affectation or showmanship."Is this the old master's elegy to Brahms? (Kei Izutani, Record Arts Special Edition: 500 Famous Pieces and Famous Recordings - These Are the Best Records!!) "When it comes to grand, majestic performances, this is surely representative. Both Backhaus and Böhm deliver performances entirely free of pretension. Yet, being a meeting of two masters, there is an unmistakable aura of stature that permeates this recording, and that is its charm." (Hiroyuki Iwai, "300 Masterpieces: The Best Records of the 20th Century!") (Esoteric Co., Ltd.)