Described by critics as "ideal and unsurpassable" when first issued in 1961, these historic recordings remain truly definitive. They have the authority of a soloist and conductor who shared the composer's Hungarian heritage and the finesse of two lifelong friends who honed their interpretations through dozens of concerts before committing them to tape. Anda and Fricsay's galvanizing live performances of these works in the 1950s led audiences to demand repeated movements on the spot. These crystal-clear and full-bodied stereo recordings capture that magic and are partly responsible for Bartok's secure place in the concert repertory today.
- Emil Gilels, Berlin Philharmonic & Eugen Jochum
- Zoltán Kocsis, Gyorgy Lehel & Budapest Philharmonic Orchestra
- Lorin Maazel & Vienna Philharmonic
- Philharmonia Orchestra, Ettore Gracias & Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli
- Klaus Tennstedt, Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra & NDR Symphony Orchestra