Van Cliburn’s recording of Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 5 in E-flat major, Op. 73, the “Emperor” Concerto, with Fritz Reiner conducting the Chicago Symphony Orchestra is one of the great classic interpretations of the piece.
This 1961 RCA Victor recording is celebrated for its combination of Cliburn’s expansive, noble phrasing and Reiner’s razor-sharp precision. Cliburn’s playing is both lyrical and commanding, bringing out the grandeur of the concerto while maintaining an elegant, singing tone. Reiner and the CSO provide a taut, disciplined accompaniment, making this a beautifully balanced and deeply expressive performance.
It stands alongside legendary interpretations by artists like Arthur Rubinstein, Wilhelm Kempff, and Rudolf Serkin, but Cliburn’s unique warmth and grandeur give it a special place in the concerto’s recorded legacy.
Artist(s): Piano - Van Cliburn
Conductor - Fritz Reiner
Orchestra - Chicago Symphony Orchestra
Recording Info: Recording Engineer - Lewis Layton
Producer - Richard Mohr
Recorded May 4 and 12, 1961 at the Orchestra Hall, Chicago.
Sourced from a 4-track tape
Analog: Transferred using a modified Nagra 4SJ tape deck feeding a Merrill Tape Preamp
Digital: Merging Hapi Analog to Digital Converter clocked by an Antelope Audio 10MX Atomic Clock
Power Conditioning: Shunyata Research Everest 8000 for all components
All components grounded to Shunyata ALTAIRA Hubs
1 Allego 20:03
2 Adagio Un Poco Mosso 7:57
3 Rondo: Allegro 9:59
Please Note: This release was edited in DXD PCM from a DSD256 Master
then the DXD edited master was used to generate the final DSD files using
Merging Technologies Album Publishing.
DXD (352.8KHz 24/32 bit PCM) is one of the best and least destructive formats for post-processing DSD originated digital recordings
Copyright © & ℗ High Definition Tape Transfers 2025, including all compilation, transfer, remastering, and restoration aspects
