ZHANG/PHILADELPHIA/STUTZMANN - Ludwig van Beethoven: The 5 Piano Concertos

As one of the finest pianists of his era and an improviser of genius, Ludwig van Beethoven�s preferred vehicle for musical exploration was the piano. With his five piano concertos composed between 1788 and 1809, he not only achieved a brilliant conclusion to the Classical piano concerto, but also established a new model for the Romantic era: a sort of symphony with obbligato piano which was to remain a reference point well into the twentieth century.