After recording the complete solo fortepiano works of
Haydn, it was inevitable that
Ronald Brautigam would record the complete fortepiano concertos of
Haydn. Of course, it helps that while
Haydn's complete solo fortepiano works take up 11 discs, his complete fortepiano concertos take up only a single disc, so
Brautigam could record it before moving on to record the inevitable complete fortepiano music of
Beethoven. On its own,
Brautigam's recording of
Haydn's concertos is wonderful: light, bright, ebullient, full of humanity, and suffused with poetry.
Brautigam's tone is clear but ringing, his touch is graceful but powerful, his interpretations characterful but self-effacing. As accompanied by the able and elegant
Concerto Copenhagen under the genial and urbane
Lars Ulrik Mortensen,
Brautigam's single disc of
Haydn's concertos may be a bagatelle compared with his mammoth cycles of
Haydn and
Beethoven's solo works, but it is an apt place to start listening to this dedicated and highly enjoyable artist. BIS' crisp, clear, clean, and warm sound remains the standard for audio excellence.