This 1952 recording of Beethoven’s Emperor Concerto by Edwin Fischer and Wilhelm Furtwängler is one of the glories of recorded Beethoven performances. Two of the outstanding musicians of their generation work on the grandest scale, taking the notion of Beethoven’s "heroic" style with absolute seriousness. The depth of Fischer’s sound, one of the hallmarks of his playing, makes the famous opening cadenzas utterly arresting. The rest of the first movement has an inexorable forward momentum to it, yet pianist and conductor know how to vary tempos and dynamics to let the music breathe. The Adagio has a hushed intimacy that simply floats along in a different world from that of any other recording I know. The energy and grace that Fischer and Furtwängler bring to the Rondo finale give the lie to the image of turgid German romanticism that clings to both performers. I’ve always thought the Rondo to be the weak link in this great work, yet the poise with which it’s played here almost convinces me that it’s top-flight Beethoven.

The sonatas that fill out the CD are not quite on the same transcendental level. That magically warm sound is the principal attraction, and there’s some transparent playing in the Appassionata that’s a far cry from the hellbent virtuosity one expects in this work. But there are also numerous finger slips, and Fischer seems less sure of the structure, especially in the early Pathétique. These performances are never less than involving, though, and they provide decent filler for what should be considered absolutely essential Beethoven listening.