Pianist Andras Schiff calls it a 'finger breaking piece.' Stephen Kovacevich said he worked on it for so long, he nearly paralyzed his hands. On today's show, Yefim Bronfman takes us beyond the strenuous side of Bartok's Piano Concerto No. 2 in a thrilling performance with the Houston Symphony.

Episode Playlist

Hour 1

Norwegian Chamber Orchestra; Terje Tonnesen, conductor: Two Melodies: The First Meeting
Edvard Grieg
Grieg: Complete Music For String Orchestra
Bis 147

Edvard Grieg: Andante con moto for violin, cello and piano in C minor, EG 116
Arnaud Sussman, violin; Clive Greensmith, cello; Andrew Armstrong, piano
Seattle Chamber Music Society, Nordstrom Recital Hall at Benaroya Hall, Seattle, WA

Piano Puzzler: This week's contestant is Judy Delaney from Rochester, NY

Nanette von Schaden: Concerto for Piano and Orchestra in B flat Major
Christine Schornsheim, fortepiano; L'Orfeo Baroque Orchestra; Michi Gaigg, conductor
Augsburg Mozart Festival 2008, Little Golden Hall, Augsburg, Germany

Hour 2

Peter Tchaikovsky: The Seasons Movement 10 October: Autumn Song
Yefim Bronfman, piano
Tchaikovsky: The Seasons. Balakirev: Islamey
Sony 60689

Bela Bartok: Piano Concerto No. 2 in G major, Sz. 95: Movements 1 & 3
Yefim Bronfman, piano; Houston Symphony; Andres Orozco-Estrada, conductor
Jones Hall, Houston, TX

Dmitri Shostakovich: Five Pieces for Two Violins & Piano
Anastasia Agapova and Sissi Zhang, violins; Choo Choo Hu, piano
ASP Pre-Concert Chamber Music Series, Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, Symphony Hall, Atlanta, GA

Jean Marie Leclair: Sonata en Sol-majeur Op. 3, No. 12
Trio Settecento: Rachel Barton Pine, baroque violin; John Mark Rozendaal, viola da gamba; David Schrader, harpsichord
Spivey Hall, Clayton State University, Morrow, GA