Beethoven: The Piano Concertos [Box set]

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
Each of these performances has its own profile. The orchestra plays incisively in the First Concerto, but Ashkenazy's plush lyricism doesn't make a good match either with the orchestra or with the music, and he makes one weird ritard in the first movement. The Second Concerto is uneventful, rather bland and pleasant. The Third Concerto seems to be the best performance of the lot, with dramatic playing by soloist and orchestra, but it's sabotaged by blurry recorded sound, the only serious problem with sound quality in the entire set. The Fourth Concerto is enlivened, at least intellectually, by Solti's approach, constantly revealing interesting unfamiliar details in the orchestral score. Ashkenazy's detachment makes this a frosty but fascinating experience. The "Emperor" is a good routine performance, nothing special. The Bagatelles aren't much of a bonus, since they're rather dully played. (Why not the "Choral" Fantasy?) There's nothing actively bad about this set, and it's reasonably priced. But Beethoven deserves better, and gets it from many performers, including the fascinating Uchida-Sanderling collaborations. --Leslie Gerber

Tracks:

I: Adagio Molto - Allegro Con Brio
II: Andante Cantabile Con Moto
III: Menuetto & Trio: Allegro Molto E Vivace
IV: Adagio - Allegro Molto E Vivace
I: Allegro Ma Non Troppo
II: Andante Molto Mosso
III: Allegro - In Tempo D'allegro - Tempo I
IV: Allegro
V: Allegretto

Tracks:

I: Allegro Con Brio
II: Marcia Funebre: Adagio Assai
III: Scherzo & Trio: Allegro Vivace
IV: Finale: Allegro Molto - Poco Andante - Presto
Gross Fuge

Tracks:

I: Adagio Molto - Allegro Con Brio
II: Larghetto
III: Scherzo & Trio: Allegro
IV: Allegro Molto
I: Allegro Con Brio
II: Andante Con Moto - Piu Mosso - Tempo I
III: Allegro -
IV: Allegro - Presto

Tracks:

I: Adagio - Allegro Vivace
II: Adagio
III: Menuetto: Allegro Vivace - Trio: Un Poco Meno Allegro
IV: Allegro Ma Non Troppo
I: Poco Sostenuto - Vivace
II: Allegretto
III: Presto - Assai Meno Presto
IV: Allegro Con Brio

Tracks:

I: Allegro Vivace Con Brio
II: Allegretto Scherzando
III: Tempo Di Menuetto
IV: Allegro Vivace
Overture
Overture
Overture
Overture

Tracks:

I: Allegro Non Troppo, Un Poco Maestoso - Christa Ludwig
II: Molto Vivace - Presto - Christa Ludwig
III: Adagio Molto E Cantabile - Andante Moderato - Christa Ludwig
IV: Presto - Recitativo - Allegro Assai - Alla Marcia - Christa Ludwig
Overture - Christa Ludwig

Tracks:

I: Allegro Con Brio
II: Largo
III: Rondo: Allegro Scherzando
I: Allegro Con Brio
II: Adagio
III: Rondo: Molto Allegro

Tracks:

I: Allegro Con Brio
II: Largo
III: Rondo: Allegro
I: Allegro Moderato
II: Andante Con Moto
III: Rondo: Vivace

Tracks:

Fantasia For Piano, Chorus And Orchestra
I: Allegro
II: Adagio Un Poco Mosso -
III: Rondo: Allegro

Amazon.com essential recording

Otto Klemperer's Beethoven is one of the towering achievements in the history of recordings. By today's standards, these performances are hopelessly old-fashioned: dark, heavy, and frequently very slow. But they are also the grandest, most unsentimental, most purposeful versions in the catalog. In addition, the relatively slow tempos (only in the fast movements--the slow ones are pretty swift) and forward wind balance permit more detail to be heard than in most original-instrument performances. At budget price and with the entire piano concerto cycle thrown in for good measure, this is greatness incarnate. --David Hurwitz

Customer Reviews:

Great Performance.......2007-07-07

There are many different ways to perform Beethoven and each one is valid.
If you like it fast - go to Toscanini or Norrington. If you prefer slow, powerful and majestic, this is your set. Towards the end of his distinguished career, the great Otto Klemperer set down his final views of the performance of these symphonnies. The set is a coherent whole and will give great pleasure for ever. The challenging mix of the young Barenboim and the aged Klemperer worked surprisingly well and thus the concertos may also be recommended. There are odd additional items which add to the pleasure. Finally do not forget to purchase his memorable set of 'Fidelio' to complete your traversal of a great conductor giving great performances of a composer that he loved. Finally the price is ridiculously low and provides quality and quantity at a great price. Thus you should be able to buy the opera set from the savings made!

Great Analog Beethoven Cycle.......2007-05-07

This Klemperer cycle is just one of a dozen or so GREAT analog Beethoven symphony cycles that were recorded during Analog's golden age starting about 1958. These cycles are easily a match for digital and they should still be around for another 1,000 years, if the Lord tarries. These sets include: Karajan (twice, early 60s and late 70s) Bohm, Krips, Jochum, Bruno Walter, Leinsdorf, Rene Leibowitz, Szell, Ormandy, Bernstein, Steinberg, and Solti. This morning I listened to the Klemperer recordings of Beethoven's symphonies 5, 6, & 7. Very enjoyable, I got my Beethoven RDA fix.

Of all these Analog sets, I most enjoy the Leibowitz Spring 1961 cycle with the Royal Philharmonic. I have this cycle on an audiophile early 90s European import Edition Phoenix label special pressing "on extra virgin vinyl." These are by far the best analog symphonic lps I have ever heard from a recording standpoint. BY FAR! And they will rock your house.

You can almost justify Karajan's 4 recorded Beethoven cycles and one video based upon improvements in recording technology. Thru Rhapsody, I have listened to his mid 50s cycle and the orchestra sounds great, but the recording quality is sub par compared to Analog's golden age. So the rational for 4 cycles would be, (1) recent great improvements in recording technology (early 60s), (2) it has been 15 years and he has grown as an artist (late 70s), (3) we now have digital! Let's do one of the first Beethoven digital cycles (80s).

Klemperer is a no-brainer. I do not have to think twice about plopping one of his lps onto my turntable or hitting the play button at Rhapsody. When the music starts, the listening pleasure begins. Don't miss his Bruckner symphony recordings!

An essential collection.......2007-04-25

How best to describe Otto Klemperer's perspective on Beethoven's symphonies: grand, heroic, intense, insightful, stubborn, obstinate, detailed, dramatic, monumental, granitic, deeply emotional, never sentimental. This boxed set of the complete symphonies and concerti embodies all of these elements as stands as one of the great achievements of recorded music.

These performances were recorded with the Philharmonia Orchestra at its peak, in the sumptuous acoustics of Kingsway Hall in London and in fine and detailed sound, and mostly in the mid-1950's during one of the brief charmed periods of Klemperer's life. EMI's impresario Walter Legge had made him permanent conductor of the Philharmonia, and when Klemperer embarked on this project in his 70's, he was in relatively good mental and physical health (Klemperer could show symptoms of manic depression and survived many health crises - brain tumor, broken bones, paralysis - which would have stopped most people).

By this time Klemperer had slowed the tempi of the fast movements of the Beethoven symphonies (listen to his early 1950's recordings of the 5th and 6th on Vox to hear by how much). This tendency is more pronounced in these studio recordings than in the live performances which were recorded during that era. The slowness is mostly saved by Klemperer's use of "sprung" rhythms, which keep the slow tempi from feeling laggardly.

Klemperer's earliest recordings in this series - symphonies 3, 5 and 7 - predate stereo and were recorded in excellent monaural sound. He rerecorded all three of these symphonies in stereo, but those recordings were made after he burned himself by falling asleep while smoking in bed. All three performances feature slower tempi than the earlier ones (whether this was the conductor's preference or the result of physical incapacity is open to conjecture). In particular, the rerecorded 7th suffered from lax phrasing, inattentiveness and perverse tempi. That is NOT the version contained in this set: fortunately, EMI had simultaneously recorded the earlier version of the 7th in "experimental" stereo, and it is that earlier version which is released here (and in remarkably good stereo). The versions of the 3rd and 5th are the rerecorded stereo ones.

You will find no finer studio versions of the 2nd, 4th, 6th, 7th or 8th. All are insightful, beautifully detailed and powerful. The 2nd clearly looks forward to the 3rd and not back toward Hayden, the 4th is boisterous and vital, the 6th bucolic and sumptuous (not a quality normally associated with Klemperer), the 7th gains in drama what it loses in swiftness and lightness, and in the 8th in particular we see the conductor's empathy to Beethoven's sense of humor. Klemperer had a deep affinity for the "Eroica", and the rerecorded version here, while slower than the 1955 recording, was dubbed by "High Fidelity"'s Harris Goldsmith (no Klemperer fan, he) as "the best Eroica going slow" and is a monumental masterpiece (the second movement is shattering). The 1st, while leisurely, is a lovingly crafted.

That leaves the 5th and 9th. There is no doubt in my mind that the earlier, mono 5th is superior to the remake in this set. We lose that sense of an inevitable onslaught, especially in the outer movements. And the 9th, while similar in conception to the live versions recorded around the same time (on Testament with the Philharmonia and on Music&Arts with the Concertgebouw), suffers from diffuse sound and occasional lack of focus. I emphasize that these recordings of both symphonies are still head and shoulders above most of the competition; we're talking about different levels of greatness here.

Are there superior Klemperer recordings of these symphonies? Yes; but all are live, and despite the relatively good reprocessed sound, they don't reveal the same level of detail that these studio recordings do. Klemperer was a very different conductor in front of an audience, and there is more vitality and drama in the live versions of the 3rd (Testament, with the Danish Symphony), 6th 7th and 8th (Music&Arts with the Concertgebouw) and the 9th (see above). Music&Arts' set of the complete symphonies, recorded live in Vienna in 1960, is long out of print and had cramped sound with poor detail - a supplement to this set, not a replacement.

As to the piano concerti: they are better than one might expect. Barenboim, although steeped in the Germanic performance tradition, is more naturally aligned with the Furtwangler and Edwin Fischer than with Klemperer. However, the two of them actually work together extremely well and this is a fine, insightful set.

Any complete cycle of Beethoven, symphonies or concerti, will have drawbacks. There will be unevenness in the performances, as there are here. But there are advantages to hearing one musician's perspective on the works, especially when (as here) the performer has depth of understanding, integrity of vision, and a structural understanding of the pieces.

The digital remastering is excellent and the sound barely shows its age. This may not be your only complete set of Beethoven's symphonies, but it should be one of them. And at a price this low, it's a bargain too.

The best value in classical music on CD at the moment..........2007-01-02

What is the best value in classical discs available today ? Who knows, but I defy anyone to beat the EMI compilation of Klemperer' recordings of the complete Beethoven Symphonies, Piano Concertos (with Barenboim), several overtures the Choral Fantasia etc etc. 9 discs for only $44 ( well that was the price I paid). You have got to be kidding... I only had two concerns with buying this. First on the age of the recordings, all more than 40 years old. No worry at all. This is a masterpiece of reconstruction. The sound quality indistinguishable from any modern recording. Secondly , the performances themselves. I had been warned that Klemperer notoriously chose rather slow tempi. Again I needn't have worried. I immediately went to the slow movements of the 2nd piano concerto and the fourth symphony, where many slow tempists have in the past come unstuck. The piano concerto was an absolute revelation. The combination of the youthful Barenboim and the Philharmonia's masterful playing time and gain had me on the edge of my seat. " Yes,go on, well...." Slow it may have been. Boring, never. The same applies in spades to the slow movement of the fourth. Right from the eerie opening, which is yes, very slow indeed, I knew this movement would be a revelation and I can honestly say I have never hear it better played. Follow this with a scherzo bounding in energy and thumping finale and you will never get a better performance of this, one of Beethoven's "lesser" symphonies. And I haven't even got round to the "biggies" yet! The box set looks unattractive and the portrait of Klemperer makes him appear a first class nerd. Pay absolutely no attention to this....

Wonderful Performances.......2006-04-07

I have admittedly not made it through the entire set as of yet, but feel sufficiently blown away by the First Symphony and the Eroica - particularly the second movement of the latter - to weigh in here. With respect to the tempo issue, I must - at least so far - argue in favor of Klemperer's decision to slow things down a bit. I think the effect is, as someone else has observed, a clearer and more visceral experience of Beethoven's composition. It brings out the feeling. The sound comes up a little short on the low end, but it isn't a major distraction. My only problem lies in EMI's inexplicable lack of any discussion of the performances. The notes are bland, dry descriptions of the pieces themselves, with some basic history thrown in. Given the fact that there are probably hundreds of different CDs of Beethoven's symphonies out there, all with similar explanatory notes, it is infuriating that nothing is said about these particular performances. This is in contrast with the EMI Bach set (with Yehudi Menuhin) in which there is a wonderful essay that discusses Menuhin's work in historical context.

Average customer rating:

Counting Stars with Lang Lang.
False emotion
dexterity unquestioned
Without soul!
Artistically Improving

Beethoven: Piano Concertos Nos. 1 & 4

Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000OYC3FM
Release Date: 2007-05-08

Tracks:

1. Allegro Con Brio
2. Largo
3. Rondo. Allegro
1. Allegro Moderato
2. Andante Con Moto
3. Rondo. Vivace

Amazon.com

What a beautiful recording! Perhaps the most exciting thing about Lang Lang's playing is that when he plays softly and lyrically, he doesn't sound as if he's holding back; when he opts to stomp and yell, it sounds equally natural. The First Concerto is played with lightness and bounce in the outer movements and is as tuneful as imaginable in the stunning second movement's Largo. The Fourth Concerto is a whole other matter - mature Beethoven - and Lang rises easily to the occasion, playing with potency and handsome tone. The first movement makes us sit and admire his skill, and he is poetic and sensitive in the second movement. It would have been easy for him to run away with the final movement in a blaze of virtuosity, but he sticks to its classical outlines. These are superb performances, and the sonics are gloriously rich. --Robert Levine

Album Description

Lang Lang delivers his first-ever Beethoven recording, a stunning reading of the extensive Concerto no. 4 and the jubilant Concerto no. 1. Even though he has performed this repertoire extensively in concert, Lang Lang waited for the perfect moment and the perfect team to record his first pair of concertos from these milestones of piano repertoire When Lang Lang embarked on his international career, Christoph Eschenbach became one of his first and most enthusiastic proponents - and a mentor and close friend ever since, Eschenbach was the ideal collaborator for Lang Lang's first Beethoven recording. Nimbly supported by Eschenbach's superb Orchestre de Paris, with its tradition of having been the first orchestra ever in France to perform music by Beethoven, Lang Lang's performance gives further proof as to why he is one of today's most acclaimed pianists

Customer Reviews:

Counting Stars with Lang Lang........2007-07-18

The sheer fact that some of those signing in here could decide to down rate this disc by such level reveals how nonsensical the so-called classical music market has become.
I don't care how Lang Lang `behaves' at the pianoforte. These are quite irrelevant to his music, as any seasoned listener would tell. Lang Lang and Eschenbach both embark on what could be called a novel to almost revolutionary course in this recording. Instead of resorting to `copy and paste' of some Gilels, some Kempff, some Pletnev and many others, Lang/Eschenbach work on originality. The result yields plenty of fireworks and impassioned music, showering listeners with unexpected joy note after note.
Lang Lang has managed to present `his' version of Beethoven's two challenging concertos for the pianoforte (compare the LP version of the same two pieces by Eschenbach/Karajan decades ago) in his lusciously youthful style, yet leaving much more in his listeners (not for those who adamantly refuse to `listen', though) to long for his future re-releases of these same pieces, where definitely more new things could and would be said then.
As for the collaboration, however revolutionary in interpretation, however unconventional in expression, both Lang and Eschenbach are never in doubt as to where and when to hold on to the reigns, and when and where to let go, even though at times at the least expected places. The teamwork is almost perfect. The cadenza of the first movement of No. 4 is shatteringly novel, while the third movement is one whole piece of explosive firework blowing the listeners away. The No.4 alone justifies the cost for this disc.
I absolutely look forward to the Lang/Eschenbach collaboration of Beethoven's Choral Fantasy, and more others.

False emotion.......2007-07-10

Lang Lang is the worst pianist imaginable. If you want someone who can play the notes, go for it. But there's simply nothing more here. Even worse, he pretends that there is more. Every phrase is unbelievably contrived. It is like someone who apes all the moves of a great actor with none of the substance behind it. Absolutely abominable, atrocious, and offensive playing. Cannot believe that people are taken in by this charlatan.

dexterity unquestioned.......2007-07-07

He can do anything with a piano. All he needes now is to grow into these masterpieces.

Without soul!.......2007-06-10

Does he play Beethoven at all? If you like Beethoven piano concerto, please listen to Backhaus, Schnabel, Fischer or Perahia!

Artistically Improving.......2007-05-23

Lang Lang's technical abilities have overrun his artistic interpretations since the start of his recording career. While that remains a fairly accurate description, this recording shows definite progress. It seems somewhat unfair to denigrate the talents of so dextrous a musician as this young man but there you have it: when you are put on the world stage you are assessed by different standards.

And yet, Lang Lang shows signs of development that are encouraging. His performance of the First Concerto is both lively and exquisitely melodic, except for the occassionally ham-fisted showmanship he is often (and deservedly) derided for. However, the Fourth Concerto seems beyond his artistic grasp. While technically brilliant, it is a soulless and showy performance that displays none of the depth a more mature artist would be capabale of. Beethoven was not a composer known for showmanship but artistry and restraint. These are not qualities Lang Lang is exactly reknown for.

Still, Lang Lang's occassional lyricism can override his more exaggerated tendencies, which makes he and Beethoven quite compatible. This is what makes this CD as effective as it is. Perhaps this young man has received too much acclaim too soon. He needs time to mature as an artist but has so far chosen to present himself to the public at every possible turn. This recording indicates that there is something more to him than has consistently met the ear. Frustrating and encouraging at the same time, Lang Lang's latest CD shows a definite progression in his interpretive skills. It's exciting to think what may be coming in his future.

Finally, the typically exquisite DG sound and fidelity must be acknowledged. Every note and romantic passage is beautifully displayed in a pristine recording of gourgeous beauty. A wothwhile addition to any modern classical collection.

Piano Concertos by Beethoven & Schumann [Hybrid SACD]

Average customer rating:

Piano Concertos by Beethoven & Schumann [Hybrid SACD]

Manufacturer: RCA
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000QEIM8M
Release Date: 2007-06-26

Tracks:

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Piano Concerto No. 5 in E-Flat, Op. 73 "Emperor"; Rondo: Allegro (2007
Piano Concerto in A Minor, Op. 54; Allegro affettuoso (5.1 Surround
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Piano Concerto No. 5 in E-Flat, Op. 73 "Emperor"; Rondo: Allegro (5.1
"Emperor"; Adagio un poco mosso (Redbook Stereo) 6. Piano Concerto No.

Average customer rating:

beethoven piano concerti
wished it was not a set
Wonderful set!
What is Ashkenazy up to?
Beautiful, but not perfect

Beethoven: The Piano Concertos

Manufacturer: Decca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B0000041K9
Release Date: 1997-06-24

Tracks:

Piano Concerto No. 1 In C Major, Op. 15: I. Allegro con brio
Piano Concerto No. 1 In C Major, Op. 15: II. Largo
Piano Concerto No. 1 In C Major, Op. 15: III. Rondo: Allegro
Six Bagatelles, Op. 126: I. Andante Con Moto, Cantabile E Compiacevole
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Six Bagatelles, Op. 126: IV. Presto
Six Bagatelles, Op. 126: V. Quasi Allegretto
Six Bagatelles, Op. 126: VI. Presto-Andante Amabile E Con Moto
Fur Elise

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Piano Concerto No. 3 In C Minor, Op. 37: I. Allegro con brio
Piano Concerto No. 3 In C Minor, Op. 37: II. Largo
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Piano Concerto No. 4 In G Major, Op. 58: II. Andante con moto
Piano Concerto No. 4 In G Major, Op. 58: III. Rondo: Vivace

Tracks:

Piano Concerto No. 5 In E Flat Major, Op. 73: I. Allegro
Piano Concerto No. 5 In E Flat Major, Op. 73: II. Adagio un poco mosso
Piano Concerto No. 5 In E Flat Major, Op. 73: III. Rondo: Allegro
Piano Concerto No. 2 In B Flat Major, Op. 19: I. Allegro con brio
II. Adagio: 2. Adagio
Piano Concerto No. 2 In B Flat Major, Op. 19: III. Rondo: Molto allegro

Amazon.com

Each of these performances has its own profile. The orchestra plays incisively in the First Concerto, but Ashkenazy's plush lyricism doesn't make a good match either with the orchestra or with the music, and he makes one weird ritard in the first movement. The Second Concerto is uneventful, rather bland and pleasant. The Third Concerto seems to be the best performance of the lot, with dramatic playing by soloist and orchestra, but it's sabotaged by blurry recorded sound, the only serious problem with sound quality in the entire set. The Fourth Concerto is enlivened, at least intellectually, by Solti's approach, constantly revealing interesting unfamiliar details in the orchestral score. Ashkenazy's detachment makes this a frosty but fascinating experience. The "Emperor" is a good routine performance, nothing special. The Bagatelles aren't much of a bonus, since they're rather dully played. (Why not the "Choral" Fantasy?) There's nothing actively bad about this set, and it's reasonably priced. But Beethoven deserves better, and gets it from many performers, including the fascinating Uchida-Sanderling collaborations. --Leslie Gerber

Customer Reviews:

beethoven piano concerti.......2007-05-07

the article was in good condition and i had a smooth and prompt delivary

wished it was not a set.......2006-10-27

All I can comment right now, is the performance of the Beethoven piano concerto 1 with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra was poor. The playing was stiff, the orchestra was below what they should be. I thought I even heard some off key notes from the band! Disappointed. Maybe I am just so used to how Martha Argerich plays it... However the rest of the discs are fantastic, what a contrast!!!!!!

Wonderful set!.......2005-05-03

Ashkenazy is more sweet in his playing than profound, Solti and the CSO are on fire, and the Decca sound is excellent! Good job!

What is Ashkenazy up to?.......2004-05-16

After purchasing Ashkenazy's complete set of the Mozart concertos, I decided to get this one of the Beethoven concertos. Although some of the reviewers had voiced complaints about this set, I felt that it couldn't be that bad. Indeed, it's not that bad, but its not that good either.

To me, it seems as if Ashkenazy has no sense of style. His approaches to these concertos are more lyrical and romantic rather than classical. Take the first, for example. Ashkenazy treats the piano line as if he were playing Chopin. Solti, on the other hand, seems to feel that louder is better. Thus we have a very bizarre dialogue between piano and orchestra in the C major concerto. The second isn't much better. Although Ashkenazy gives a much better reading, Solti again feels that the CSO must play as forcefully as possible. The concerto is rather bland in the first place and Ashkenazy's approach is nothing special. The third concerto is wonderfully played by both Ashkenazy and the CSO. Ashkenazy treatment of the piano line is more classical while Solti's boisterous approach actually works in this powerful work. However, poor recording conditions (the evident hiss in the background) ruin the largo. The G major concerto is the most interesting in the set. Solti's treatment of the orchestra accompaniment is quite inspired - this is Solti at his most tender. However, Ashkenazy's icy interpretation is detached, it seems as if he and Solti are on two entirely different pages. Although the recording is remarkable in its beauty, Ashkenazy's lack of warmth leaves a chilling cloud over the performance. The fifth is nothing special. Solti is back to being loud and Ashkenazy gives a good, routine performance.

All in all, even at a budget price, this set is not highly recommended.

Beautiful, but not perfect.......2004-02-16

This is a good set of the piano concertos. However, the main problem is in the Fifth (Emperor): the second movement is extremely slow and faltering. This is one of the most beautiful pieces ever composed and the second movement MUST be perfect, as the version of Perahia: astonishing sensible, rhythmic.

Customer Reviews:

excellent beethoven cycle.......2005-04-16

Emanuel Ax really understands the poetic heart of this music. He highlights the dark melancholy of beethoven's music without ever becoming sacharine or sentimental. However, those looking for a barn burnig version of these concertos would do well to look elseware: Ax's performance is understated, with a focus on nuance, precision, color and dynamic shading. He never resorts to vulgar clanging in the forte passages. While not lacking in passion, his performance simly lets the music speak for itself.
One minor quible: the Choral Fantasy sounds like it was recorded in a TB ward, and the overall sound of this piece is notably inferior to the rest of the cycle. This is understandable, because the Fantasy was recorded live and at a different venue than the other recordings.
For an excellent Choral Fantasy, check out Helene Grimaud's "Credo" on DG.
Buy this set for the concertos.

Nice Surprise!.......2004-04-11

I bought this box set of Beethovens piano concertos on a whim about one month ago and what a nice surprise that turned out to be. The CD containing concertos 3 and 4 has been (by far) the most frequently played disc in our household ever since. Ax, with his sublime technique, really shines in these two and Previn is in perfect sync with him. I also have to commend the producers: The sound, balance etc. is excellent and puts a lot of more recent recordings to shame.

Average customer rating:

Beautiful Music!!
Sublime playing and excellent recording
Terrible waste of my $18.00
Beautiful Beethoven
My all time favorite...

Harp Concertos

Manufacturer: Decca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B0000041WI
Release Date: 1990-11-10

Tracks:

Harp Concertos, Op. 4 No. 6: Andante - Allegro
Harp Concertos, Op. 4 No. 6: Larghetto
Harp Concertos, Op. 4 No. 6: Allegro moderato
Harp Concertos In 3 Tempi: Allegro biliante -
Harp Concertos In 3 Tempi: Andante lento
Harp Concertos In 3 Tempi: Allegro agitato
Harp Concerto: Allegro molto
Harp Concerto: Larghetto -- Dittersdorf
Harp Concerto: Rondeau: Allegretto -- Dittersdorf
Theme, Variations And Rondo pastorale
Variations for Harp
Six Variations on a Swiss Song

Customer Reviews:

Beautiful Music!!.......2007-06-27

This CD is just beautiful. If you enjoy classical music and/or are looking for music to relax you after a busy day. This CD can help. I especially enjoy listening to this CD when you need to clean,cook it makes the task more enjoyable. (If you can call cleaning enjoyable)
It is great to listen to it when you are reading, having people over for dinner...anytime really.
I hope you like it as much as I have. Happy listening!

Sublime playing and excellent recording.......2007-05-17

I bought this for the Handel and was immediately taken with the clarity of tone and an overall crystalline ambiance to the sound. There isn't a slip up anywhere on this recording. The performance is clean and the balance is extraordinary especially considering the soft sound of the harp opposed by an orchestra. This was no problem for the engineers and I don't know of any other recording of Harp concerti that is as successful as this one.

First on the disc is the Handel and this concerto is pretty famous. It also exists as an organ concerto and both versions are valid. The organ sound is quite different than the harp so the 2 versions can almost sound like different works. Handel's writing is engaging, supple and energetic. He has never written an awkward phrase that I'm aware of. His music always has strong direction forward and is brilliantly logical. This is no exception and the rhythmic energy in the music seems rooted in a lively dance-like bounce. I was literally doing a boogaloo in my chair while grinning widely as the music played. Ha! This is great stuff!

The 2nd work on the disc is a Boieldieu concerto and it has characteristics more typical of the Romantic period. Probably the high point of this piece is the slow central movement. This is very beautiful music that has plenty of drama to offset the gentle tinkling of Robles' Harp. His use of diminished chords and moderate dissonance gives a more modern impression than the Handel or the Dittersdorf. (which follows it on the disc) The Rondo Finale uses a line that is at first dissonant and then resolves partly into a slightly unsettling minor chord. This is alternated over and over with contrasting material and perhaps the theme is a bit tiresome after all the returns. This is what a Rondo does though so you will know this theme thoroughly by the time the concerto ends.

Next on the CD is a Carl Ditters von Dittersdorf concerto that is an excellent work. This sweetly melodic concerto shows why he was an extremely popular composer who was lauded during his lifetime. I think this is one of his best efforts. It is easy to get into and the music has logic and beauty and will carry the listener easily along with it. Robles is at home in all three, exhibiting complete control of her complex instrument. The last 3 tracks are single movement bon bons of lesser importance, but that doesn't mean they aren't pleasurable to hear.

The only shortcoming I found was the liner notes. They are short and the information is misleading at times. I would expect a major label like London to check facts presented in the notes. The Theme, Variations and Rondo Pastorale is said to be attributed to Mozart. Instead of elaberating on that, the writer discusses another work not even on this disc and then gives an incorrect Kochel number for it. It took me a few minutes on the internet and a little sleuthing at home to discover the work "attributed to Mozart" is really by Eberl and the Rondo section is based on the Finale of Mozart's String Trio in Eb, K 563.
Of course the liner notes are not why someone buys a CD. If you like harp music in particular and enjoy well written concerti, you absolutely can not go wrong here. This is first class music all the way. Performance, sound, balance and content are all superior. At mid price, its a steal.

Terrible waste of my $18.00.......2007-04-01

This Cd was deceiving to me. I am so sorry that I bought it brand new!
I expected harp music and it was the classics so don't be fooled by the Harp on the cover because you hear very little Harp being played in the music. I would say 14% Harp all the rest fluffy classical music.

Beautiful Beethoven.......2007-03-28

Simply fantastic. Any classical music lover would love this CD. Beautiful pieces, beautifully and expressively performed. Harp with orchestra. I play this several times a week.
I have always loved harp music, am a harpist, and this is essential listening. Beyond that, the overall presentation is very well thought out, so that the whole effect is more than the individual (very fine) pieces.
I am amassing a little library of CDs with harp music, and taken as a whole, this is my favorite so far.

My all time favorite..........2002-03-15

I have loved Handel's harp concerto Op.4, No.6. There has been many recordings but this rendition has been my favorite. Thanks to listening chance through Amazon, I could stop my long journey of search for this version. The rendition of Iona Brown and Marisa Robles is a little bit faster than that of others, which worked very well. Of course, other harp pieces in this CD are great and beautiful as well.

Tracks:

I. Allegro Con Brio
II. Largo
III. Rondo: Allegro
I. Allegro Moderato
II. Andante Con Moto
III. Rondo: Vivace

Album Description

Born in Tashkent, Uzbekistan in 1958, Yefim Bronfman emigrated to Israel at the age of 13 and later to the U.S., where he pursued his training at the Juilliard School and the Marlboro and Curtis Institutes under Rudolf Serkin, Rudolf Firkusny and Leon Fleisher. Bronfman celebrated his international début in 1975, accompanied by the Montreal Symphony Orchestra under Zubin Mehta. He soon acquired an excellent reputation as a pianist on the stages of the world's major concert halls. Highlights of recent years include concerts with the Berlin Philharmonic, the Chicago Symphony and the Cleveland Orchestra, the Staatskapelle Dresden, the Gewandhaus Orchestra Leipzig, the Concertgebouw Orchestra Amsterdam and the Vienna Philharmonic. Yefim Bronfman also gives regular piano recitals in the leading concert halls of the United States, Europe and the Far East. As a chamber musician, he has collaborated with the Emerson, Cleveland, Guarneri and Juilliard Quartets. Other! long-term musical partners include Emanuel Ax, Yo-Yo Ma, Joshua Bell, Lynn Harrell, Shlomo Mintz and Pinchas Zukerman. Yefim Bronfman became an American citizen in 1989. Born in 1936, American conductor David Zinman has risen to the pinnacle of his career in the last decade. After bringing the Baltimore Symphony to major status, he became musical director of the Aspen Music Festival and then took the helm of Zurich's beloved Tonhalle Orchestra. Zinman's discography of some 100 recordings have won five Grammys and two Grands Prix du Disque. Founded in 1868, the Zurich Tonhalle Orchestra is Switzerland's oldest symphony orchestra. Today it gives over 90 concerts each season featuring more than 50 different programs with the world's leading conductors and solo artists. David Zinman sees Piano Concerto No. 3 - the only one in a minor key - as a kind of "Eroica" for piano and orchestra. Just as Beethoven opened the door to an entirely new symphonic world with his third symphony, the Eroica, he also broke new ground with his third piano concerto. For Yefim Bronfman, the Fourth is the concerto "with the broadest emotional spectrum, and at the same time possibly the most dramati."

Customer Reviews:

Inspired Beethoven Concertos.......2007-07-16

David Zinman conducting the Tonhalle Orchestra Zurich and pianist Yefim Bronman have collaborated in a series of outstanding performances of the Beethoven piano concertos, especially the third and fourth concertos included on this CD. Zinman has become noted for his period readings of Beethoven while Bronfman has made a reputation as a romantic, highly-charged pianist. But a unity of spirit and music-making pervades this CD. Zinman brings a light, transparent sound to his orchestra which tends towards the stacatto in places and emphasizes the woodwinds. Bronfman plays with sensitivity, lyricism, and finesse. He also brings dazzle to the many virtuosic passages.

With the passage of the years, Beethoven's Third Concerto in C minor opus 37 has become my favorite of the five. It is Beethoven's only minor-key concerto and its performance raises a host of interpretive issues. Some performers and scholars see the third as dating from around 1800 which would put it in the company of the first and second concertos as early Beethoven. Others see the music more expansively and, not surprisingly, date the work from the years 1802-1803 when Beethoven, aware of his impending deafness, radically changed his compositional course. Other interpretive questions about the third include the extent to which Beethoven used Mozart's great C minor concerto, K. 491, as a model for his own.

Zinman and Bronfman bring a lightness to this work which reminds me of early Beethoven while bringing out as well the great advance Beethoven attained in the third from its early predecessors. Zinman's performance of the lengthy orchestral introduction to the work lacks the ponderousness of some other readings and mitigates the difficulties some critics have seen in the symphonic character of the work. And from the moment Bronfman enters with the piano's series of rising scales, the performance is his. The third is the Beethoven concerto in which, from the moment of its entry, the piano is at center stage, and Bronfman makes the most of it. Bronfman plays smoothly with the long passages of filigree and arpeggios enlacing the themes of the movement while bringing out with force the flamboyant large downward runs which are a feature of this movement. The cadenza is full of virtuosity.

The second movement of this work establishes Beethoven's own character at the outset, as it is placed in a remote key of E major, giving an etherial quality to the music. The piano is again fully at center stage with long reflective passages and beautifully lacy passages accompanied by winds and by the cellos. Carl Czerny, Beethoven's pupil, said that this theme "must sound like a holy, distant and celestial Harmony." In Zinman's and Bronfman's hands,it does.

The third movement is a dance-like idiosyncratic rondo which begins in the minor key but moves into C major for a triumphant prestissimo conclusion. There are fugal passages in the episodes and several echoes of the second movement. Bronfman's playing is vigorous.

Beethoven's fourth concerto in G major opus 58 is the favorite Beethoven concerto of many listeners. This work shows that Beethoven's middle style was much more complex and varied that the "heroic" Beethoven of the third and fifth symphonies, the "Emperor" concerto, and the "Waldstein" sonata. Bronfman establishes the tone of the work at the outset with his lucid performance of the piano's opening solo. As someone who struggles with the piano, his performance reminded me of the beauty of quiet, smooth, and lyrical playing. There are some unforgettable passages near the end of the opening movement where Bronfman accompanies the orchestral recollection of the main theme with exquisitely light chords. The second movement involves a duet between soloist and orchestra. Zinman's orchestra plays brusquely and with a marked stacatto touch which is an ideal foil for Bronfman's pleading solos. The finale is brisk and flowing with lovely interchanges between Bronfman's piano and a solo cello.

At its budget price, this CD is difficult to resist. This CD offers a classic performance of two great Beethoven concertos.

Robin Friedman

Excellent - The Historically Influenced Performance I've been seeking.......2007-01-27

Zinman showed the understanding he brings to Beethoven, including being influenced by the musicological research of period-instruments leaders, with his symphony cycle.

Now, we're starting to get the same excellence on the piano concerto cycle. Quick, precise tempos combine with voluminous phrasing to give us wonderful music.

Bronfman has renown already and seems to work well with Zinman; and, he's not known as an overly romanticising pianist. (That said, I wonder how Stephen Hough would have paired with Zinman.)

Anyway, this is what I've been looking for. Buy it.

Only regret? The whole cycle isn't out yet as a boxed set! C'mon, we're waiting!

A Fine Collaboration: Zinman and Bronfman.......2006-02-05

David Zinman has clearly made the Zurich Tonhalle Orchestra his own since he became music director. The orchestra has become a finely tuned, golden hued, thoroughly vital ensemble and the fact that this pairing has resulted in perhaps the most popularly selling set of the complete Beethoven symphonies speaks volumes. Of course, the added bonus is the fine recording techniques of Arte Nova Classics AND the very affordable price of their releases!

Yefim Bronfman continues to mature into one of our finest pianists before the audience today. Though his proclivity for the 20th century masters (Bartok, Prokofiev, etc) has been well established, his probing and facile accounts of the Beethoven concerti are as profoundly romantic as they come. On this particular CD he essays both the Beethoven 3rd and 4th piano concerti with a firm grasp of the fine architecture of each piece, a phenomenal technique, and a sensitivity to the interplay with the orchestra. David Zinman's thinking is in the same vein and the response he draws from the Zurich Tonhalle Orchestra is vital and balanced and matches Bronfman's phrasing perfectly.

For a truly fine recording of these concert hall favorites this superb (and very inexpensive!) belongs in everyone's library. Highly recommended. Grady Harp, February 06

Zinman, Tonhalle Zurich, & Bronfman=Athletic, Brilliant Beethoven.......2005-11-02

Okay, so let's get right to the bottom line: Get this CD right away. No matter who else already sits on your fav shelf for this music, you will find it quite easy to add this new recording of the Beethoven 3rd & 4th piano concertos. Cheap price, too. But nothing cheap, nothing cheap at all about either the recorded sound, or the quality of these performances.

If you have heard - and liked - the approach that Zinman & Tonhalle took to their prize-winning set of the complete Beethoven Symphonies (which deservedly earned the German record critics prize, and is also at budget prices on Arte Nova) - you can settle into your home system, or mp3 player, or car stereo for lots more of that same, Beethovenish vitality.

To recap.

Zinman & Tonhalle have been influenced by all the paths opened up in the period instrument performances of baroque and classical music over the past five or six decades; without really having to play on gut strings and period instruments. So what's left? Well, somehow Zinman & Tonhalle manage their Beethoven with clarity, wit, punchy phrasing, and the wide open humanism that are the hallmarks of Beethoven's musical personality. There is not one ounce of romanticized fat in any of these Zinman-Tonhalle versions of the symphonies, and that is all to the good, since Beethoven is not at all confined to what the nineteenth century made out of him and made out of his music. In addition to the clarity, the tonal transparency that period peformance suggests, Zinman-Tonhalle also give us the rough-hewn punning, the startlingly clear and high musical intellect, and the energy that fairly bursts from Beethoven's unprecedented approach to both harmony and rhythm. Listening to Beethoven played this way, you easily credit his supposed reputation as the finest improviser of his era.

Into this notable Beethoven mix comes pianist Yefim Bronfman. He certainly has his chops. More to the point, Bronfman and Zinman-Tonhalle are worthy and alert partners throughout. Conductor & pianist see eye to eye, without losing their own insights and musical commitments. Put Tonhalle, Zinman & Bronfman together in Beethoven, and you get alchemy that is way more than the simple sum of the parts. The 3rd concerto may have been an improvement on the first and second piano concertos, even in the composer's mind; but the 4th reaches even higher and deeper. As a reference point, Bronfman's playing is closer to, say, Wilhelm Kempff or Wilhelm Backhaus or the young Leon Fleischer in this repertoire, than to more highly italicized styles of alleged romantic piano playing. This Beethoven cannot ever be confused with Chopin or Schumann or Rachmaninoff. That is just as it should be.

If the Tonhalle strings do themselves proud in accompanying, that is not to undervalue or disrespect the amazing contributions of the woodwinds and the brass. Simply everybody showed up for the sessions, and nobody was playing by rote.

All of this Beethovenian energy and sheer joy in living would be nothing if the recording engineers had not done their job, too. The sound is rather close and clear, somewhat in the old Szell-Cleveland manner; without any multi-miked glare and without any fuzz. From top frequency to bottom, the orchestra departments are all present, and nobody is sacrificed to make anybody else's point. The piano is placed just right, as a solo instrument with the rest of the orchestra, and not playing in another room somewhere on its own spot mike with the pianist wearing headphones.

One hopes dearly that this is the beginning of a complete Beethoven piano concerto cycle from Bronfman, Zinman, Tonhalle. One even dreams of Arte Nova being brave enough to redo their old Beethoven sonata cycle with Yefim Bronfman to replace Alfredo Perl. There is not a bit of glassy tone here, no matter how crisply Bronfman plays; and that would serve the piano sonatas very well (if anybody at Arte Nova is listening).

Five stars, then. Now stop reading & click your way to happy, amazed ownership. Yeah. These guys are just that good.

Outstanding!.......2005-11-02

Pianist Bronfman and conductor Zinman team up and deliver an outstanding recording of the Beethoven 3rd and 4th piano concertos. From the very opening measures of piano concerto #3 one realizes that this CD is going to be something special. Not only is the pianist great, but so is the orchestral accompaniment. Of the five piano concertos that Beethoven wrote, only his third was written in a minor key and it is awesome! It ranks along side his 3rd (Eroica) and 5th symphonies as one of his most passionate and outstanding compositions. I love all five of Beethoven's piano concertos, but the third is my favorite. The coupling of concerto #4 is also very fine. Here Beethoven is at his most lyrical, with a beautiful second movement. It is very obvious that both the pianist and orchestra are in sync in every way and relishing every moment. At a bargain price this is one CD that should not be missed!

Average customer rating:

Early Beethoven Concertos Beautifully Played

Beethoven: Piano Concertos Nos. 1 & 2

Manufacturer: Arte Nova Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music
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Beethoven: Missa Solemnis

ASIN: B000N60H9K
Release Date: 2007-03-13

Tracks:

I. Allegro Con Brio
II. Largo
III. Rondo: Allegro Scherzando
I. Allegro Con Brio
II. Adagio
III. Rondo: Molto Allegro

Album Description

"I don't think I've ever heard Bronfman play better." - Gramophone

Born in Tashkent, Uzbekistan in 1958, Yefim Bronfman immigrated to Israel at the age of thirteen and later to the US, where he pursued his training at the Juilliard School and the Marlboro and Curtis Institutes under Rudolf Serkin, Rudolf Firkusny, and Leon Fleisher. Bronfman celebrated his international debut in 1975, accompanied by the Montreal Symphony Orchestra under Zubin Mehta. He soon acquired an excellent reputation as a pianist on the stages of the world's major concert halls. Highlights of recent years include concerts with the Berlin Philharmonic, the Chicago Symphony, and the Cleveland Orchestra, the Staatskapelle Dresden, the Gewandhaus Orchestra Leipzig, the Concertgebouw Orchestra Amsterdam, and the Vienna Philharmonic. Yefim Bronfman also gives regular piano recitals in the leading concert halls of the US, Europe, and Asia. As a chamber musician, he has collaborated with the Emerson, Cleveland, Guarneri, and Juilliard Quartets. Other long-term musical partners include Emanuel Ax, Yo-Yo Ma, Joshua Bell, Lynn Harrell, Shlomo Mintz, and Pinchas Zukerman. Bronfman became an American citizen in 1989. Born in 1936, American conductor David Zinman has risen to the pinnacle of his career in the last decade. His discography of over one hundred recordings has won five Grammys and two Grands Prix du Disque. Founded in 1868, the Zurich Tonhalle Orchestra is Switzerland's oldest symphony orchestra.

Customer Reviews:

Early Beethoven Concertos Beautifully Played.......2007-07-03

David Zinman conducting the Tonhalle Orchestra Zurich and pianist Yefim Bronfman have recently collaborated on a recording of Beethoven's five piano concertos and the triple concerto on the budget-priced Arte Nova label. In this recording of the first and second concertos, Zinman, his orchestra, and Bronfman are an ideal match. Zinman has become known for his period performances of Beethoven using modern instruments. His set of Beethoven symphonies has been highly acclaimed. His recording of Beethoven's Missa Solemnis has received mixed reviews, but I enjoyed it greatly. The performance of these concertos is crisp, articulate, boisterous, and ambitious. It brings out the drive, humor,originality and roughness-around-the-edges of early Beethoven. Yefim Bronfman is a powerhouse pianist. But he plays these early concertos idiomatically, lightly, smoothly, and with great flair.

Of Beethoven's five concertos, the fourth and the fifth are mature middle-period works. The third concerto, in C minor, is something of a hybrid between Beethoven's early and middle styles while concertos 1 and 2 are works of the young Beethoven. Beethoven did not compose a late-period concerto, but these five works offer an excellent way of tracking Beethoven's development from his early years in Vienna to his period of maturity. More importantly, they contain unforgettable music.

Beethoven composed the first two concertos for his own performance as a rising young composer in Vienna in his early to mid 20's. The earliest of his concertos is concerto no. 2 in B-flat major, opus 19. This work probably was written in some form before Beethoven moved to Vienna from Bonn at the age of 22. He revised and reworked it many times for his own use before publishing it at last in 1801. Beethoven described the work to his publisher as "A concerto for pianoforte, which, it is true, I do not make out to be one of my best. At the same time it would not disgrace you to engrave this concerto." The second remains the least-familiar of Beethoven's concertos.

Particularly in its opening movement, the work has a bumptious, patchwork quality, probably due to Beethoven's many revisions of the score as well as to his youth. But the work has lovely movements, particularly in its lyrical second theme and in the delicate runs and movement of the piano part. The highlight of the work is the Adagio, a flowing and serious slow movement which builds dramatic tension in long solo passages for the piano towards the end. The finale of the second concerto is a boisterous rondo with a short, catchy and humorously syncopated theme. If Beethoven was correct in regarding the concerto as "not one of my best" he was also right that the work did not put him or his publisher to shame. The work, which owes a great deal to Mozart and Haydn, well rewards hearing.

The piano concerto no. 1 in C major, opus 15 was composed in 1795 also primarily as a performance vehicle for Beethoven. This work is much more cohesive than the B-flat major concerto and was also published in 1801, several months after its companion. The opus 15 is a festive, high-spirited work, replete with tympani and trumpet as befitting an orchestral piece in C major. The opening movement features a range of themes, but it focuses on a march-like military phrase introduced at the outset by the orchestra and on a solo martial theme given to the piano. The piano part is full of filigree, long runs, trills and singing themes. Beethoven wrote a famously difficult cadenza for this early work. The largo, opens with a lyrical, reflective theme in the piano which is clung to and developed over the course of an extended movement, culminating in another floridly elaborate piano solo towards the end. The final rondo, which Beethoven is said to have composed in two days, is lively and rhythmical with some strongly accentuated dance themes as it proceeds. In this concerto, Beethoven comes into his own voice as a young composer while still building of the work of his great predecessors.

Zinman and Bronfman offer a thoroughly enjoyable and idiomatic performance of early Beethoven. This is a lovely disc and at its low price offers an excellent way to get to know and love this music.

Robin Friedman

Average customer rating:

Academic and expressive
Not first tier, but pretty decent nonetheless
A Warmer, More Expressive Brendel
Brendel & Levine - great performance
A first rate performance much preferable to his later work

Beethoven: The Five Piano Concertos

Manufacturer: Philips
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music
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ASIN: B0000041MN
Release Date: 1997-07-15

Tracks:

Piano Concerto No. 1 In C, Op. 15: I. Allegro con brio
Piano Concerto No. 1 In C, Op. 15: II. Largo
Piano Concerto No. 1 In C, Op. 15: III. Rondo: Allegro scherzando
Piano Concerto No. 2 In B-Flat, Op. 19: I. Allegro con brio
Piano Concerto No. 2 In B-Flat, Op. 19: II. Adagio
Piano Concerto No. 2 In B-Flat, Op. 19: III. Rondo: Molto allegro

Tracks:

Piano Concerto No. 3 In C Minor, Op. 37: I. Allegro con brio
Piano Concerto No. 3 In C Minor, Op. 37: II. Largo
Piano Concerto No. 3 In C Minor, Op. 37: III. Rondo: Allegro
Piano Concerto No. 4 In G, Op. 58: I. Allegro moderato
Piano Concerto No. 4 In G, Op. 58: II. Andante con moto
Piano Concerto No. 4 In G, Op. 58: III. Rondo: Vivace

Tracks:

Piano Concert No. 5 In E-Flat, Op. 73 'The Emperor': I. Allegro
Piano Concert No. 5 In E-Flat, Op. 73 'The Emperor': II. Adagio un poco mosso
Piano Concert No. 5 In E-Flat, Op. 73 'The Emperor': III. Rondo: Allegro

Amazon.com

Recorded live in 1983, Alfred Brendel's third go-round with these works drastically improves on his previous Beethoven concerto cycles. He finds a calmer, more direct route to the Emperor Concerto, although the Fourth's first movement is still pock-marked with finicky phrase adjustments that pull focus from the music's poetic arcs. Levine provides sympathetic and alert support, yet is much more than a mere deferential accompanist. --Jed Distler

Customer Reviews:

Academic and expressive.......2005-05-31

Alfred Brendel is probably the most knowledgeable Beethoven interpreter that we have seen in the past half century along with Richard Goode. It also helps that he is a phenomenal pianist and chamber musician. When listening to these performances I got a sense of a warmer more intimate ideal for the works, not everywhere, it was as soloistic as these need to be, but the connection between melody and accompaniment was very well balanced right on par with Fleisher and Szell. Levine gives the music everything it needs and the Chicago Symphony plays wonderfully. The live recording gives these works a wonderful atmosphere and the audience is reverently silent. If you want to seek out individual performances of these concertos by all means do it but for a box set of them all I would recommend this as well as his more recent with Rattle, as well as Fleisher and Arrau. All of them are wonderful however this is by far the best live recording of these works. Highly recommended

Not first tier, but pretty decent nonetheless.......2003-10-24

Echoing another reviewer, I don't believe Brendel's third go-round with the Beethoven concerto cycle is on a par with Arrau or Ashkenazy, but it is by far Brendel's best effort, demonstrating lyricism that, unfortunately, one cannot always depend on. It is a worthy addition to the serious music lover's collection, although I would not want to make it my only resource for the Beethoven concerti.

A Warmer, More Expressive Brendel.......2001-04-04

Alfred Brendel doesn't come across as a meticulous craftsman, but instead, as a lyrical, joyful interpreter of Beethoven in this version of Beethoven's piano concerto cycle which he recorded with James Levine and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra at the CSO's Ravinia Festival in the early 1980's. While this won't replace my recordings of Arrau, Perahia, Kovacevich or Ashkenazy performing these concerti, Brendel's third traversal is one of the best performed - and recorded - versions currently available. His warm, expressive playing reaches its peak in the last two concerti. Both Levine and the CSO are admirable, sympathetic accompanists. If you are looking for your first set of Beethoven piano concertos or your latest, then you certainly won't go wrong with these fine performances.

Brendel & Levine - great performance.......2000-07-27

Quite simply, Brendel & Levine create one of the most emotionally rewarding performances of the Beethoven piano concertos - especially the 4th concerto.

A first rate performance much preferable to his later work.......1999-03-31

In this release, Brendel again ventures - or should I say, ventured (back in 1983)? - forth on well-trodden ground, but his performance is defeinitely the best he has produced so far and much better than his recent live performances (BPO, VPO). It has a clarity and freshness that stands in sharp contrast to his later, more rigid and inflexilbe style. Levine and the CSO provide a perfect orchestral foil for his playing. The range and quality of sound are impeccable as well. (Wolfgang, from Vienna, Austria)

Beethoven: The Complete Piano Sonatas & Concertos

Average customer rating:

The one collection I cannot imagine being without
MASTERY
Magisterial... mystical
Beethoven + Arrau = Divinity
Beethoven himself would be proud.

Beethoven: The Complete Piano Sonatas & Concertos
Claudio Arrau , Janos Starker , Ludwig van Beethoven , Bernard Haitink , Eliahu Inbal , Concertgebouw Orchestra Amsterdam , New Philharmonia Orchestra , and Henryk Szeryng
Manufacturer: Philips
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Classical | Box Sets | Stores | Music
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ASIN: B00000C2F7
Release Date: 1999-11-09

Tracks:

Piano Sonata No. 1 In F Minor, Op. 2 No. 1: 1 Allegro
Piano Sonata No. 1 In F Minor, Op. 2 No. 1: 2. Adagio
Piano Sonata No. 1 In F Minor, Op. 2 No. 1: 3. Menuetto. Allegretto
Piano Sonata No. 1 In F Minor, Op. 2 No. 1: 4. Prestissimo
Piano Sonata No. 2 In A, Op. 2 No. 2: 1. Allegro vivace
Piano Sonata No. 2 In A, Op. 2 No. 2: 2. Largo appassionato
Piano Sonata No. 2 In A, Op. 2 No. 2: 3. Scherzo. Allegretto
Piano Sonata No. 2 In A, Op. 2 No. 2: 4. Rondo. Grazioso
Piano Sonata No. 5 In C Minor, Op. 10 No. 1: 1. Allegro molto e con brio
Piano Sonata No. 5 In C Minor, Op. 10 No. 1: 2. Adagio molto
Piano Sonata No. 5 In C Minor, Op. 10 No. 1: 3. Finale. Prestissimo
Piano Sonata No. 19 In G Minor, Op. 49 No. 1: 1. Andante
Piano Sonata No. 19 In G Minor, Op. 49 No. 1: 2. Rondo. Allegro

Tracks:

Piano Sonata No.3 In C, Op.2 No.3: 1. Allegro con brio
Piano Sonata No.3 In C, Op.2 No.3: 2. Adagio
Piano Sonata No.3 In C, Op.2 No.3: 3. Scherzo. Allegro
Piano Sonata No.3 In C, Op.2 No.3: 4. Allegro assai
Piano Sonata No.4 In E Flat, Op.7: 1. Allegro molto e con brio
Piano Sonata No.4 In E Flat, Op.7: 2. Largo, con gran espressione
Piano Sonata No.4 In E Flat, Op.7: 3. Allegro
Piano Sonata No.4 In E Flat, Op.7: 4. Rondo. Poco allegretto e grazioso
6 Piano Veriations In F On An Original Theme, Op.34

Tracks:

Piano Sonata No.6 In F, Op.10 No.2: 1. Allegro
Piano Sonata No.6 In F, Op.10 No.2: 2. Allegretto
Piano Sonata No.6 In F, Op.10 No.2: 3. Presto
Piano Sonata No.7 In D, Op.10 No.3: 1. Presto
Piano Sonata No.7 In D, Op.10 No.3: 2. Largo e mesto
Piano Sonata No.7 In D, Op.10 No.3: 3. Menuetto. Allegro
Piano Sonata No.7 In D, Op.10 No.3: 4. Rondo. Allegro
Piano Sonata No.8 in C minor, Op.13 'Pathetique': 1. Grave - Allegro di molto e con brio
Piano Sonata No.8 in C minor, Op.13 'Pathetique': 2. Adagio cantabile
Piano Sonata No.8 in C minor, Op.13 'Pathetique': 3. Rondo. Allegro
Piano Sonata No.9 In E, Op.14 No.2: 1. Allegro
Piano Sonata No.9 In E, Op.14 No.2: 2. Allegretto
Piano Sonata No.9 In E, Op.14 No.2: 3. Rondo. Allegro comodo

Tracks:

Piano Sonata No.10 In G, Op.14 No.2: 1. Allegro
Piano Sonata No.10 In G, Op.14 No.2: 2. Andante
Piano Sonata No.10 In G, Op.14 No.2: 3. Scherzo. Allegro assai
Piano Sonata No.11 In B Falt, Op.22: 1. Allegro con brio
Piano Sonata No.11 In B Falt, Op.22: 2. Adagio con molta espressione
Piano Sonata No.11 In B Falt, Op.22: 3. Minuetto
Piano Sonata No.11 In B Falt, Op.22: 4. Rondo. Allegretto
Piano Sonata No.12 In A Flat, Op.26: 1. Andante con Variazioni
Piano Sonata No.12 In A Flat, Op.26: 2. Scherzo. Allegro molto
Piano Sonata No.12 In A Flat, Op.26: 3. Marcia Funebre sulla morte d'un Eroe
Piano Sonata No.12 In A Flat, Op.26: 4. Allegro
Piano Sonata No.25 In G, Op.79: 1. Presto alla tedesca
Piano Sonata No.25 In G, Op.79: 2. Andante
Piano Sonata No.25 In G, Op.79: 3. Vivace

Tracks:

Piano Sonata No.13 In E Flat, Op.27 No.1: 1. Andante - Allegro - Tempo I
Piano Sonata No.13 In E Flat, Op.27 No.1: 2. Allegro molto e vivace
Piano Sonata No.13 In E Flat, Op.27 No.1: 3. Adagio con espressione
Piano Sonata No.13 In E Flat, Op.27 No.1: 4. Allegro vivace - Tempo I - Presto
Piano Sonata No.14 In C Sharp Minor, Op.27 No.2 'Moonlight': 1. Adagio sostenuto
Piano Sonata No.14 In C Sharp Minor, Op.27 No.2 'Moonlight': 2. Allegrettro
Piano Sonata No.14 In C Sharp Minor, Op.27 No.2 'Moonlight': 3. Presto agitato
Piano Sonata No.15 In D, Op.28 'Pastorale': 1. Allegro
Piano Sonata No.15 In D, Op.28 'Pastorale': 2. Andante
Piano Sonata No.15 In D, Op.28 'Pastorale': 3. Scherzo. Allegro vivace
Piano Sonata No.15 In D, Op.28 'Pastorale': 4. Rondo. Allegro ma non troppo
Piano Sonata No. 22 In F, Op.54: 1. In Tempo d'un Menuetto
Piano Sonata No. 22 In F, Op.54: 2. Allegretto

Tracks:

Piano Sonata No.16 In G, Op.31 No.1: 1. Allegro vivace
Piano Sonata No.16 In G, Op.31 No.1: 2. Adagio grazioso
Piano Sonata No.16 In G, Op.31 No.1: 3. Rondo. Allegretto
Piano Sonata No.17 In D Minor, Op.31 No.2 'Tempest': 1. Largo - Allegro
Piano Sonata No.17 In D Minor, Op.31 No.2 'Tempest': 2. Adagio
Piano Sonata No.17 In D Minor, Op.31 No.2 'Tempest': 3. Allegretto
Piano Sonata No.18 In E Flat, Op.31 No.3: 1. Allegro
Piano Sonata No.18 In E Flat, Op.31 No.3: 2. Scherzo. Alllegretto vivace
Piano Sonata No.18 In E Flat, Op.31 No.3: 3. Menuetto. Moderato e grazioso
Piano Sonata No.18 In E Flat, Op.31 No.3: 4. Presto con fuoco

Tracks:

Piano Sonata No.21 In C, Op.53 'Waldstein': 1. Allegro con brio
Piano Sonata No.21 In C, Op.53 'Waldstein': 2. Introduzione. Adagio molto - Rondo. Allegretto moderato - Prestissimo
15 Piano Variations And Fugue In E Flat, Op.35 'Eroica' Variations: Inroduzione col Basso del Tema. Allegretto vivace
15 Piano Variations And Fugue In E Flat, Op.35 'Eroica' Variations: Variazioni I-XV
15 Piano Variations And Fugue In E Flat, Op.35 'Eroica' Variations: Finale. Alla Fuga. Allegro con brio - Andante con moto
32 Piano Variations In C Minor On An Original Theme, WoO 80
Rondo In G, Op.51 No.2

Tracks:

Piano Sonata No.23 In F Minor, Op.57 'Appassionata': 1. Allegro assai
Piano Sonata No.23 In F Minor, Op.57 'Appassionata': 2. Andante con moto
Piano Sonata No.23 In F Minor, Op.57 'Appassionata': 3. Allegro ma non troppo
Piano Sonata No.24 In F Sharp, Op.78 'For Therese': 1. Adagio cantabile - Allegro ma non troppo
Piano Sonata No.24 In F Sharp, Op.78 'For Therese': 2. Allegro vivace
Piano Sonata No.26 In E Flat, Op.81a 'Les adieux': 1. Das Lebewohl. Adagio - Allegro
Piano Sonata No.26 In E Flat, Op.81a 'Les adieux': 2. Abwesenheit. Andante espressivo
Piano Sonata No.26 In E Flat, Op.81a 'Les adieux': 3. Das Wiedersehn. Vivacissimamente
Piano Sonata No.27 In E Minor, Op.90: 1. Mit Lebhaftigkeit und durchaus mit Empfindung und Ausdruck
Piano Sonata No.27 In E Minor, Op.90: 2. Nicht zu geschwind und sehr singbar vorgetragen
Piano Sonata No.20 In G, Op.49 No.2: 1. Allegro, ma non troppo
Piano Sonata No.20 In G, Op.49 No.2: 2. Tempo di Menuetto

Tracks:

Piano Sonata No.28 In A, Op.101: 1. Etwas lebhaft und mit der innigsten Empfindung. Allegretto, ma non troppo
Piano Sonata No.28 In A, Op.101: 2. Lebhaft. Marschmassig. Vivace alla Marcia
Piano Sonata No.28 In A, Op.101: 3. Langsam, und sehnsuchtsvoll. Adagio, ma non troppo, con affetto
Piano Sonata No.28 In A, Op.101: 4. Geschwind, doch nicht zu sehr und mit Entschlossenheit. Allegro
Piano Sonata No.29 In B Flat, Op.106 'Hammerklavier': 1. Allegro
Piano Sonata No.29 In B Flat, Op.106 'Hammerklavier': 2 Scherzo. Assai vivace - Presto - Prestissimo - Tempo I
Piano Sonata No.29 In B Flat, Op.106 'Hammerklavier': 3. Adagio sostenuto. Appassionato e con molto sentimento
Piano Sonata No.29 In B Flat, Op.106 'Hammerklavier': 4. Largo - Allegro risoluto

Tracks:

Piano Sonata No.30 In E, Op.109: 1. Vivave, ma non troppo - Adagio espressivo - Tempo I -2. Prestissimo
Piano Sonata No.30 In E, Op.109: 3. Gesangvoll, mit innigster Empfindung. Andante molto cantabile ed espressivo
Piano Sonata No.31 In A Flat, Op.110: 1. Moderato cantabile molto espressivo
Piano Sonata No.31 In A Flat, Op.110: 2. Allegro molto
Piano Sonata No.31 In A Flat, Op.110: 3. Adagio ma non troppo
Piano Sonata No.31 In A Flat, Op.110: 4. Fuga. Allegro ma non troppo
Piano Sonata No.32 In C Minor, Op111: 1. Maestoso - Allegro con brio ed appassionato
Piano Sonata No.32 In C Minor, Op111: 2. Arietta. Adagio molto semplice e cantabile

Tracks:

33 Piano Variations In C On A Waltz By Anton Diabelli, Op.120: Tema : Vivace - Variation I. Alla marcia maestoso
33 Piano Variations In C On A Waltz By Anton Diabelli, Op.120: Variation II Poco allegro
33 Piano Variations In C On A Waltz By Anton Diabelli, Op.120: Variation III L'istesso tempo
33 Piano Variations In C On A Waltz By Anton Diabelli, Op.120: Variation IV Un poco piu vivace
33 Piano Variations In C On A Waltz By Anton Diabelli, Op.120: Variation V Allegro vivace
33 Piano Variations In C On A Waltz By Anton Diabelli, Op.120: Variation VI Allegro ma non troppo e serioso
33 Piano Variations In C On A Waltz By Anton Diabelli, Op.120: Variation VII Un poco piu allegro
33 Piano Variations In C On A Waltz By Anton Diabelli, Op.120: Variation VIII Poco vivace
33 Piano Variations In C On A Waltz By Anton Diabelli, Op.120: Variation IX Allegro pesante e risoluto
33 Piano Variations In C On A Waltz By Anton Diabelli, Op.120: Variation X Presto
33 Piano Variations In C On A Waltz By Anton Diabelli, Op.120: Variation XI Allegretto
33 Piano Variations In C On A Waltz By Anton Diabelli, Op.120: Variation XII Un poco piu moto
33 Piano Variations In C On A Waltz By Anton Diabelli, Op.120: Variation XIII Vivace
33 Piano Variations In C On A Waltz By Anton Diabelli, Op.120: Variation XIV Grave e maestoso
33 Piano Variations In C On A Waltz By Anton Diabelli, Op.120: Variation XV Presto scherzando
33 Piano Variations In C On A Waltz By Anton Diabelli, Op.120: Variation XVI Allegro
33 Piano Variations In C On A Waltz By Anton Diabelli, Op.120: Variation XVII
33 Piano Variations In C On A Waltz By Anton Diabelli, Op.120: Variation XVIII Poco moderato
33 Piano Variations In C On A Waltz By Anton Diabelli, Op.120: Variation XIX Presto
33 Piano Variations In C On A Waltz By Anton Diabelli, Op.120: Variation XX Andante
33 Piano Variations In C On A Waltz By Anton Diabelli, Op.120: Variation XXI Allegro con brio - Meno allegro - Tempo I - Meno allegro
33 Piano Variations In C On A Waltz By Anton Diabelli, Op.120: Variation XXII Allegro molto alla 'Notte giorno faricar' di Mozart
33 Piano Variations In C On A Waltz By Anton Diabelli, Op.120: Variation XXIII Allegro assai
33 Piano Variations In C On A Waltz By Anton Diabelli, Op.120: Variation XXIV Fughetta. Andante
33 Piano Variations In C On A Waltz By Anton Diabelli, Op.120: Variation XXV Allegro
33 Piano Variations In C On A Waltz By Anton Diabelli, Op.120: Variation XXVI
33 Piano Variations In C On A Waltz By Anton Diabelli, Op.120: Variation XXVII Vivace
33 Piano Variations In C On A Waltz By Anton Diabelli, Op.120: Variation XXVIII Allegro
33 Piano Variations In C On A Waltz By Anton Diabelli, Op.120: Variation XXIX Adagio ma non troppo
33 Piano Variations In C On A Waltz By Anton Diabelli, Op.120: Variation XXX Andante sempre cantabile
33 Piano Variations In C On A Waltz By Anton Diabelli, Op.120: Variation XXXI Largo, molto espressivo
33 Piano Variations In C On A Waltz By Anton Diabelli, Op.120: Variation XXXII Fuga. Allegro - Poco adagio
33 Piano Variations In C On A Waltz By Anton Diabelli, Op.120: Variation XXXIII Tempo di minuetto moderato

Tracks:

Piano Concerto No.1 In C, Op. 15: 1. Allegro con brio
Piano Concerto No.1 In C, Op. 15: 2. Largo
Piano Concerto No.1 In C, Op. 15: 3. Rondo. Allegro scherzando
Piano Concerto No.2 In B Flat, Op.19: 1. Allegro con brio
Piano Concerto No.2 In B Flat, Op.19: 2. Adagio
Piano Concerto No.2 In B Flat, Op.19: 3. Rondo. Molto allegro

Tracks:

Piano Concerto No.3 in C minor, Op.37: 1. Allegro con brio
Piano Concerto No.3 in C minor, Op.37: 2. Largo
Piano Concerto No.3 in C minor, Op.37: 3. Rondo. Allegro
Piano Concerto No.4 In G, Op.58: 1. Allegro moderato
Piano Concerto No.4 In G, Op.58: 2. Andante con moto
Piano Concerto No.4 In G, Op.58: 3. Rondo. Vivace

Tracks:

Piano Concerto No.5 In E Flat, Op.73 'Emperor': 1. Allegro
Piano Concerto No.5 In E Flat, Op.73 'Emperor': 2. Adagio un poco mosso
Piano Concerto No.5 In E Flat, Op.73 'Emperor': 3. Rondo. Allegro
Triple Concerto For Piano, Violin And Cello In C, Op.56: 1. Allegro
Triple Concerto For Piano, Violin And Cello In C, Op.56: 2. Largo
Triple Concerto For Piano, Violin And Cello In C, Op.56: 3. Rondo alla Polacca

Amazon.com

Claudio Arrau played with seriousness of purpose that could make other pianists seem like dilettantes and with respect for the composer's score that bordered on veneration. He had nothing but scorn for pianists who played the opening of Beethoven's Opus 111 with two hands instead of one because there were fewer risks. If something was technically difficult, Arrau assumed that the composer had written it that way because the difficulties had an expressive value that it was the interpreter's duty to find.

Arrau's devotion to Beethoven is memorialized by this budget-priced, 14-CD collection of his recordings, mostly from the 1960s, of the composer's 32 sonatas, five concertos (with Bernard Haitink conducting the Concertgebouw Orchestra of Amsterdam), and most important sets of variations. His Beethoven is not always successful. His sometimes ponderous seriousness keeps early works, such as the Sonata No. 3 and the Concerto No. 2, from smiling, and his lack of spontaneity makes the whimsy in Sonata No. 26 and the "Diabelli Variations" sound labored. But in the composer's weightiest works, Arrau can produce revelations. Certainly, no one plays Sonata No. 32 better. The first movement sounds like thunder that comes ever closer and the finale's chains of trills, played with exquisite finish and expressive perfection, transport the listener to a higher realm. If Arrau could be single-minded in his devotion to the composer's score, he also believed that music could encompass everything. When Arrau was at his best--as he frequently is in this set--it does. --Stephen Wigler

Customer Reviews:

The one collection I cannot imagine being without.......2007-01-30

It would be absurd to recommend recommending one Beethoven cycle to the exclusion of all others, yet it is Arrau's cycle to which I repeatedly return, despite some flaws mentioned by other reviewers.

They are flaws which can be forgiven. Scherzi which would be brimming with mirth & vitality in the hands of others may come up short, but it is more than compensated for by the revelations to be found as Arrau explores every aspect of Beethoven at his most profound. There always seems to be something new to be discovered. Flabby? It is hard to imagine how someone could come to this conclusion.

Even the sound quality for recordings dating back into the 1960's has been remastered so as to be acceptable to all but the most spoiled of listeners, who apparently are satisfied only with the most seamless homogenized studio sound. Those who can't get past the slightly imperfect sound quality are focusing on the wrong details.

If the greatness of the performance were not enough, the price should be enough to convince any serious music lover to add these to a CD collection. One cannot overstate how rewarding this collection will be to anyone who does not yet know the artistry of Arrau.

MASTERY.......2007-01-26

One man's viewpoint: Arrau amazes me as he sets the notes down with such clean deliberation! Total command. No matter how fast Beethoven is charging along. And as Arrau gets every note, we find the real Beethoven genius shining through - after all, as raw material, this is some of the finest piano music anywhere. Of course, this playing delivers passion and heart-and-soul communication too. And a sense of commitment and strength.
I suggest this set - with about nine stars! Mastery in art. *** For a lighter, more joyful touch - and great tone - ALSO get hold of O'Conor's set of the 32. I suggest this set - with about nine stars!

Magisterial... mystical.......2006-11-03

I've been listening to Beethoven's sonatas for fifty years and have heard all of them by some, and some of them by all the available recorded performers. Overall, Claudio Arrau is my favorite interpreter of the sonatas. To me he has an inner affinity with Beethoven that is uncanny. Beethoven was a man of great character. And that greatness, detached from his person in the form of musical ideas, enters the listener through intermediaries such as Arrau. When it is done right, it works a sort of righteous therapy, and makes the listener a better person for the hearing.

Arrau describes Beethoven's greatness in his essay "Thoughts on Beethoven" in the 33 1/3 Philips LP edition. "Beethoven has always stood for the spirit of man victorious. His message of endless stuggle concluding in the victory of renewal and spiritual rebirth...his life was an existential fight for survival...In the sense that he mastered both his life and his art to reach the ultimate heights of creation and transfiguration, he will last as long as man's spirit to prevail lasts on this earth." Part of the greatness of Beethoven's character came from his ability to be intimately close and at the same time at an infinite distance above his listener. Arrau possesses this same character, and his qualities as a man and artist are why he is able to so aptly render the greatness of Beethoven.

A book titled "Conversations with Arrau" was written by Joseph Horowitz to celebrate the artists's 80th birthday in 1982. I've only read the extracts published with the Philips edition, but there is enough information to get a feel for Arrau's character. He guarded the purity of his environment. He shunned parties and avoided small talk. He never drank or smoked, never learned to drive a car, boil an egg, or even operate a phonograph. His only hobby was gardening. Horowitz describes him as the embodiment of the nineteenth-century model of the artist as solitary, suffering hero. He was small (5'6") and frail, but in 1982 at age 80 he was still playing more that 70 concerts a season.

Rather than launch a discussion of his individual works (this has been done admirably by many of the reviewers) I will remark on just a few. I never properly appreciated the Fourth and the Seventh Sonatas until I heard Arrau's reading of these works. His Fourth takes 31 minutes, 30 seconds. Annie Fischer, another great interpreter of Beethoven, plays it in 27 minutes, 30 seconds. And Ms. Fischer does not play at a hurried tempo.

Yes, Arrau plays the sonatas at a slower tempo than any other interpreter. He also achieves a mystical quality in his interpretations that is unmatched. The second movement of the Seventh comes in at 10 min, 30 seconds. It is the greatest 10 1/2 minutes of piano music ever conceived. When interpreted by Arrau it becomes a microcosm of Beethoven's life and work. The second movement of the Appassionata is a sacred hymn.

Arrau's five piano concertos are splendid. I've heard no other renditions of the concertos with slow movements that equal Arrau's. No one plays the middle movements with his expressiveness and sense of the numinous. And his rendition of the "Eroica Variations" is on a par with the top few recordings of this piece.

If you have any interest in Beethoven, at whatever level, this bargain is outstanding.

Beethoven + Arrau = Divinity.......2006-10-29

If you love Beethoven, Arrau's interpretation will certainly be a joyful addition to your classical music collection. For me, his is the definitive Beethoven.

Though some will likely disagree, I have listened to many other great pianists' recordings of Beethoven sonatas, and they are great (don't get me wrong). Yet Arrau is unique in his ability to bring to light subtleties in the melodies that no one else can, and these often turn out to be the most enlightening and resonant of passages. His Op. 111 is indeed unparalleled, and his recording of the 2nd movement is one of my favorite pieces in the world. On top of that, his rendition of the Moonlight Sonata, his Waldstein, his Concertos, every recording on this boxed set is a testament to the depth Arrau worked diligently and consciously to achieve; depth that transcends technical showmanship and for the intuitive listener can certainly elicit fleeting glimpses of divine ecstasy.

At any price, it's a steal - beauty of this magnitude is all too rare.

Beethoven himself would be proud........2006-06-19

This is a masterpiece. Don't listen to the one negative review, as this guy is tone deaf. This compilation of Beethoven's music is a treasure to behold. A bargain at twice the price, this is well worth the money. Excellent! Excellent! Excellent!

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