Beethoven: The Great Piano Sonatas [Import]

Track Listings

1. Cd-1 (1-4 ) Sonato No. 1 In F Minor, Op.2 No.1

2. Cd-1 (5-7) Sonato No.6 In F Major, Op.10 No.2

3. Cd-1 (8-10) Sonato No. 8 In C Minor, Op.13 "Pathetique"

4. Cd-1 (11-14) Sonato No.11 In B-Flat, Op.22 "Grande Sonata"

5. Cd-2 (1-4) Sonato No.12 In A-Flat Major, Op.26

6. Cd-2 (5-8) Sonato No.13 In E-Flat Major, 27 No.27 No.1

7. Cd-2 (9-11) Sonato No.14 In C-Sharp Minor, Op.27 No.2 "Moonlight"

8. Cd-2 (12-14) Sonato No.16 In G Major, Op.31 No.1

9. Cd-3 (1-3) Sonato No.21 In C Major, Op.53 "Waldstein"

10. Cd-3 (4-6) Sonato No.23 In F Minor, Op.57 "Appassionata"

11. Cd-3 (7-8) Sonato No.24 In F-Sharp Major, Op.78 "Therese"

12. Cd-3 (9-11) Sonato No.26 In E-Flat Major, Op.81a "Das Lebewohi"

13. Cd-4 (1-3) Sonato No.28 In A Major, Op.101

14. Cd-4 (4-7) Sonato No.29 In B-Flat Major, Op.29 "Hammerkiavier"

15. Cd-5 (1-3) Sonato No.30 In E-Flat Major, 109

16. Cd-5 (4-6) Sonato No.31 In A-Flat Major, Op.110

17. Cd-5 (7-8) Sonato No.32 In C Minor, Op.111

Editorial Reviews
Album Details
5 CD Box set.

Tracks:

Cd-1 (1-4 ) Sonato No. 1 In F Minor, Op.2 No.1
Cd-1 (5-7) Sonato No.6 In F Major, Op.10 No.2
Cd-1 (8-10) Sonato No. 8 In C Minor, Op.13 "Pathetique"
Cd-1 (11-14) Sonato No.11 In B-Flat, Op.22 "Grande Sonata"
Cd-2 (1-4) Sonato No.12 In A-Flat Major, Op.26
Cd-2 (5-8) Sonato No.13 In E-Flat Major, 27 No.27 No.1
Cd-2 (9-11) Sonato No.14 In C-Sharp Minor, Op.27 No.2 "Moonlight"
Cd-2 (12-14) Sonato No.16 In G Major, Op.31 No.1
Cd-3 (1-3) Sonato No.21 In C Major, Op.53 "Waldstein"
Cd-3 (4-6) Sonato No.23 In F Minor, Op.57 "Appassionata"
Cd-3 (7-8) Sonato No.24 In F-Sharp Major, Op.78 "Therese"
Cd-3 (9-11) Sonato No.26 In E-Flat Major, Op.81a "Das Lebewohi"
Cd-4 (1-3) Sonato No.28 In A Major, Op.101
Cd-4 (4-7) Sonato No.29 In B-Flat Major, Op.29 "Hammerkiavier"
Cd-5 (1-3) Sonato No.30 In E-Flat Major, 109
Cd-5 (4-6) Sonato No.31 In A-Flat Major, Op.110
Cd-5 (7-8) Sonato No.32 In C Minor, Op.111

Album Details

5 CD Box set.

Customer Reviews:

Moved to the core of my being.......2006-06-17

I am a professional musician of many years, self-styled and the producer of 14 recordings of my own. Although I am not a Classical musician, I have listened to Classical music almost exclusively since 1955, and am a serious listener to pianists, my favorite of whom tend to be Arthur Rubinstein, Glenn Gould, and Sviatislav Richter. But during the past two years I have listened to this particular Serkin recording countless times, bathing myself in the profound meanings and feelings that I find nowhere else. There is something so vastly transcendent and authentic in the immediate experiencing of Beethoven's heart in these magnificently captured performances that I sense that I'm personally with Beethoven at the keyboard, with all the depth of his inexplicable understanding of life on earth. And Serkin's way of laying his fingers on the keys, sometimes seeming to coax the keys to the strings in a more personal and present manner than I've found anywhere else, moves me to the core of my being. Listening straight through the series, I sense the final sections and the repeat of the final movement of no. 31 as holy ground, a more sincere and real taste of eternal glory than I have seen in musical form anywhere. So...this is my experience I want to share with you.

Sublime and anthological recordings! .......2006-03-24

"You can't over-emphasize technique, if you really love music... the utmost variety of tone, rhythm has to do with an unity in music `s approach. I don' t believe in style. The words romantic or classic never had much meaning for me".

These penetrating thoughts come from the vigorous and propulsive mind of Serkin, the acclaimed artist, a devoted and famed Beethoven player in any age and one of the master keyboardists of the last Century.

BEETHOVEN'S PROPHET.......2005-05-17

So far as I know Serkin only performed 17 of the 32 Beethoven sonatas. Recordings exist of all, but 8 here are readings he refused to issue in his lifetime, and one (Les Adieux) is from his 75th birthday recital in Carnegie Hall. Older recordings are now available on Sony of the Pathetique, 'Moonlight', Appassionata and op109, and I know of an older commercial issue of the Waldstein which I do not own, although I have recorded from the BBC a live account from 1969. I also know of two other recordings of the Appassionata, one being available on Aura as part of a recital at Lugano in 1957.

The 8 that Serkin suppressed, except op110, are from his later years when his style had changed. He had slowed down, and he was taking more interest in beauty of sound and perfect evenness. Treat what you read regarding his sound-quality with a good deal of caution. Whatever you think of it, Serkin's touch in his prime was near-unmistakable. I adore his clipped and peremptory way with cadential chords. Above all his sound then was largely a matter of his sense of timing and rhythm, and the outer movements of the Pathetique have a drive that makes other renderings sound genteel and even limp. The rhythm is never as straightforward as it sounds, and its subtlety is what gives power to the slowish playing in the last movement of op101 as well as to that incomparably tense and epic last movement of the 'Moonlight'. There was steel in those great ugly sausages of fingers. He complained that it was difficult to get his pupils to produce 'a proper forte'. Anyone who has heard him close-to knows what that meant to him. The sheer volume at the start of the 'Hammerklavier' was incredible, and it says much for the robustness of Steinway grands that they could survive his fortissimo chords near the beginning of the Appassionata. His fortissimo often had a granite quality, but there was more variety in his touch than is sometimes recognised - the opening chords of the Hammerklavier had a superb rich tone. It was difficult to record faithfully, and usually toned down, but on cd the climax of the last movement of op101 is at least without distortion. Les Adieux is tolerably recorded, but the rising 3-note crescendo that keeps coming round in the first movement is not what it was in real life, with his right hand descending from vertical above his head on the third note. Something was gained but far more was lost in his later style. Op27/1 is most beautiful, but this smooth Waldstein is not equal to the mighty effort I heard in 1969. In any case he could always be as beautiful as any when he chose, as in the F#.

Except in the Appassionata and 'Moonlight' the rule 'the earlier the better' holds. His Pathetique from the 40's is poorly recorded, but there's more warmth in the slow movement. The op109 on the same disc is better in every way. The puzzle is op110. This set has the reading he released, but the one from 1960 that he sat on is far better, with a terrific impression of great doors opening and shutting in the fugue. Often he gives an object-lesson, like the right-hand portamenti in the slow movement of op101, the duet in the first movement of the Hammerklavier, the glissandos near the end of the Waldstein or the dazzling way he handles the last return of the rondo-theme in op22. Sometimes his interpretation is less a credit to him than a shame to others, as the finale of the Appassionata played at the speed Beethoven explicitly instructs. Many things are debatable, like where to start the repeat in the Pathetique. Tovey's suggestion seems best - leave it out. How slowly should the first movement of the 'Moonlight' go? 'Adagio sostenuto' does not compute with alla breve, and Serkin goes for a slow interpretation. In one case at least he is categorically right and everyone else is wrong - the left-hand chords in the transition theme of the Hammerklavier's adagio should be unpedalled. His view of this movement has raised eyebrows, but a very slow start-up, as from Solomon or Richter, involves an ugly jolting gear-change at the transition, which they make even worse by pedalling over the chords. Nor should the start be pianissimo as they do it. Serkin provides another of his object-lessons here.

It's the vision-thing in the last analysis. Serkin is not a charmer, and neither is Beethoven. This set is not some box of chocolates with smoothness and sweetness guaranteed or your money back. For my money this is the greatest exponent of Beethoven on the piano I have ever heard, or ever expect to.

Architecture with Passion.......2003-12-02

This 5-CD set contains Rudolf Serkin's complete recorded repertoire of Beethoven Sonatas-just over half the sonatas in Beethoven's ouvre. These recordings, some of which were not released until after Serkin's death, are now compiled together for the first time.

For those accustomed to hearing Beethoven as played by Schnabel, Kempff, or Brendel, these performances will come as a splash of cold water across the face. Serkin was unconcerned with niceties of tone, color, or pianistic perfection. He famously described Arturo Toscanini's interperative philosophy as "architecture with passion," and the same could be said of Serkin's approach. His vision was to reveal the structure-both emotional and musical-of Beethoven's masterpieces. To put it bluntly, Serkin could be a little rough: chords are sometimes pounded, scales are occasionally uneven, he hums, grunts, and he stomps on the pedal (once, when playing with the Cleveland Orchestra, he knocked the lyre mechanism right off the piano). But Beethoven himself was known for brutalizing the pianos of his day, and the composer's fighting spirit is in these performances as is seldom heard elsewhere.

Several of these performances are appearing on CD for the first time, and nearly everything on this set is revelatory. Serkin is most successful in the "big" Sonatas: The finale of the Appassionata scorches with rage, the last movement of the Moonlight is a blitz, and the Hammerklavier-where the pianist lays out the fugue with remarkable clarity--has never been bettered. Less successful is the Pathetique, with a questionable interpretation of Beethoven's first movement repeat sign, and some poor chord weighting in the Andante cantabile. Serkin's performances of Beethoven's last five Sonatas should be mandatory listening for all pianists.

Tracks:

Pno Trio in E flat, Op.1 No.1: I. Allegro
Pno Trio in E flat, Op.1 No.1: II. Adagio Cantabile
Pno Trio in E flat, Op.1 No.1: III. Scherzo: Allegro Assai - Trio
Pno Trio in E flat, Op.1 No.1: IV. Finale: Presto
Pno Trio in G, Op.1 No.2: I. Adagio - Allegro Vivace
Pno Trio in G, Op.1 No.2: II. Largo Con Espressione
Pno Trio in G, Op.1 No.2: III. Scherzo: Allegro - Trio
Pno Trio in G, Op.1 No.2: IV. Finale: Presto
Vars On Dittersdorf's 'Ja, Ich Muss Mich Von Ihr Scheiden' in E flat, Op.44

Tracks:

Pno Trio in c, Op.1 No.3: I. Allegro Con Brio
Pno Trio in c, Op.1 No.3: II. Andante Con Brio
Pno Trio in c, Op.1 No.3: III. Menuetto: Quasi Allegro - Trio
Pno Trio in c, Op.1 No.3: IV. Finale: Prestissimo
Pno Trio in B flat, Op.97 'Archduke': I. Allegro Moderato
Pno Trio in B flat, Op.97 'Archduke': II. Scherzo: Allegro - Trio
Pno Trio in B flat, Op.97 'Archduke': III. Andante Cantabile Ma Pero Con Moto - Poco Piu Adagio...
Pno Trio in B flat, Op.97 'Archduke': IV. Allegro Moderato - Presto
Allegretto in B flat, WoO 39
Allegretto in E flat, Hess 48

Tracks:

Pno Trio in D, Op.70 No.1 'Ghost': I. Allegro Vivace Con Brio
Pno Trio in D, Op.70 No.1 'Ghost': II. Largo Assai Ed Espressivo
Pno Trio in D, Op.70 No.1 'Ghost': III. Presto
Pno Trio in E flat, Op.70 No.2: I. Poco Sostenuto - Allegro, Ma Non Troppo - Tempo I - Tempo II
Pno Trio in E flat, Op.70 No.2: II. Allegretto
Pno Trio in E flat, Op.70 No.2: III. Allegretto, Ma Non Troppo
Pno Trio in E flat, Op.70 No.2: IV. Finale: Allegro
Vars On Muller's 'Ich Bin Der Schneider Kakadu' in G, Op.121a: Intro: Adagio Assai - Tema: ...

Tracks:

Vc Son No.1 in F, Op.5 No.1: I. Adagio Sostenuto -
Vc Son No.1 in F, Op.5 No.1: Allegro - Adagio - Presto - Tempo I. (Allegro)
Vc Son No.1 in F, Op.5 No.1: II. Allegro Vivace
Vc Son No.2 in g, Op.5 No.2: I. Adagio Sostenuto Ed Espressivo -
Vc Son No.2 in g, Op.5 No.2: Allegro Molto Piu Tosto Presto
Vc Son No.2 in g, Op.5 No.2: II. Rondo: Allegro
Vc Son No.3 in A, Op.69: I. Allegro, Ma Non Tanto
Vc Son No.3 in A, Op.69: II. Scherzo: Allegro Molto
Vc Son No.3 in A, Op.69: III. Adagio Cantabile - Allegro Vivace

Tracks:

Vc Son No.4 in C, Op.102 No.1: I. Andante - Allegro Vivace
Vc Son No.4 in C, Op.102 No.1: II. Adagio - Tempo D'andante - Allegro Vivace
Vc Son No.5 in D, Op.102 No.2: I. Allegro Con Brio
Vc Son No.5 in D, Op.102 No.2: II. Adagio Con Molto Sentimento D'affetto -
Vc Son No.5 in D, Op.102 No.2: III. Allegro - Allegro Fugato
Vars On Handel's 'See The Conqu'ring Hero Comes' in G, WoO 45
Vars On Mozart's 'Bei Mannern, Welche Liebe Fuhlen in E flat, WoO 46
Vars On Mozart's 'Ein Madchen Oder Weibchen' in F, Op.66

Tracks:

Vn Son No.1 in D, Op.12 No.1: I. Allegro Con Brio
Vn Son No.1 in D, Op.12 No.1: II. Tema Con Var: Andante Con Moto
Vn Son No.1 in D, Op.12 No.1: III. Rondo: Allegro
Vn Son No.2 in A, Op.12 No.2: I. Allegro Vivace
Vn Son No.2 in A, Op.12 No.2: II. Andante, Piu Tosto Allegretto
Vn Son No.2 in A, Op.12 No.2: III. Allegro Piacevole
Vn Son No.3 in E flat, Op.12 No.3: I. Allegro Con Spirito
Vn Son No.3 in E flat, Op.12 No.3: II. Adagio Con Molt'espressione
Vn Son No.3 in E flat, Op.12 No.3: III. Rondo: Allegro Molto

Tracks:

Vn Son No.4 in a, Op.23: I. Presto
Vn Son No.4 in a, Op.23: II. Andante Scherzoso Piu Allegretto
Vn Son No.4 in a, Op.23: III. Allegro Molto
Vn Son No.5 in F, Op.24 ('Spring'): I. Allegro
Vn Son No.5 in F, Op.24 ('Spring'): II. Andante Scherzoso Piu Allegretto
Vn Son No.5 in F, Op.24 ('Spring'): III. Allegro Molto
Vn Son No.5 in F, Op.24 ('Spring'): IV. Rondo: Allegro Ma Non Troppo
Vn Son No.6 in A, Op.30 No.1: I. Allegro
Vn Son No.6 in A, Op.30 No.1: II. Adagio Molto Espressivo
Vn Son No.6 in A, Op.30 No.1: III. Allegretto Con Var

Tracks:

Vn Son No.7 in c, Op.30 No.2: I. Allegro Con Brio
Vn Son No.7 in c, Op.30 No.2: II. Adagio Cantabile
Vn Son No.7 in c, Op.30 No.2: III. Scherzo: Allegro - Trio
Vn Son No.7 in c, Op.30 No.2: IV. Finale: Allegro
Vn Son No.8 in G, Op.30 No.3: I. Allegro Assai
Vn Son No.8 in G, Op.30 No.3: II. Tempo Di Minuetto, Ma Molto Moderato E Grazioso
Vn Son No.8 in G, Op.30 No.3: III. Allegro Vivace
Vn Son No.10 in G, Op.96: I. Allegro Moderato
Vn Son No.10 in G, Op.96: II. Adagio Espressivo -
Vn Son No.10 in G, Op.96: III. Scherzo: Allegro - Trio
Vn Son No.10 in G, Op.96: IV. Poco Allegretto - Adagio - Tempo I. - Allegro - Poco Adagio - Presto

Tracks:

Vn Son No.9 in A, Op.47 ('Kreutzer'): I. Adagio Sostenuto - Presto
Vn Son No.9 in A, Op.47 ('Kreutzer'): II. Andante Con Var
Vn Son No.9 in A, Op.47 ('Kreutzer'): III. Finale: Presto
Pno Trio in a, Op.50: I. Pezzo elegiaco: Moderato Assai - Allegro Giusto - Adagio Con Duole E ...
Pno Trio in a, Op.50: IIA. Tema Con Var: Andante Con Moto - Piu Mosso - Allegro Moderato - Tempo...

Amazon.com

In the main, the youthful Beethoven chamber music collaborations between Daniel Barenboim, Pinchas Zuckerman, and the late Jacqueline du Pré are characterized by broad, liberally fluctuating tempos, ripeness of tone, and a tendency to place expression ahead of stylistic considerations. Zuckerman's sweet vibrato, for instance, seems misplaced in Beethoven's terse, combative syntax (the earlier trios and violin sonatas, for example). Likewise, du Pré's throbbing solo lines impose a late-Romantic patina on the music that some listeners will find more appropriate to Arensky or Glazunov. More often than not, Daniel Barenboim's piano provides the decisive voice, by way of setting tempos and effecting transitions.

While the leaner, more economically expressive Abegg Trio (Tacet) and Vienna Piano Trio (Nimbus) Beethoven Trio offerings better reflect the composer's headlong brio and nervous energy, the Barenboim-Zuckerman-Du Pré team oozes sheer musicality and involvement in every bar. For this reason, one might well prefer Zuckerman and Barenboim's overwrought rapport in the Violin Sonatas to the violinist's tighter RCA remakes with Marc Neikrug at the piano. Du Pré's tragic illness prevented her and Barenboim from tackling the Cello Sonatas in the studio. Happily, their exciting, communicative live 1970 Edinburgh Festival traversals (plus the variation sets) were broadcast by the BBC and captured in excellent sound. So was a touchingly indulgent Tchaikovsky Trio preserved from one of Du Pré's final concerts, included as both a bonus and a memento. Tully Potter's excellent booklet notes give equal time to music and artists, and rightly discuss the performances in the context of their time. It's good to have these recordings gathered in a budget-priced, space-saving box. --Jed Distler

Customer Reviews:

With minor reservations, "excellent".......2004-05-16

As noted above, this 9 CD set resulted from the youthful collaboration of Barenboim, du Pre (soon to wed Barenboim) and Zukerman. Clearly Barenboim is the driving force. As the info booklet asks: "Would Beethoven have approved of what Barenboim does here? Perhaps not, although he would surely have applauded the young man's courage".

Sadly, du Pre's illness (she had MS, forcing her retirement in 1973 and ultimately causing her untimely death) seriously limited the collaboration. Because her illness prevented a studio recording, the cello sonatas are from 1970 live recordings taped by the BBC. The audience noise is distracting, and I simply cannot understand why the coughs and chair scrapings could not have been edited out.

Barenboim and co really do drag out the slow movements; sometimes to good effect, and sometimes too much in my view. For example, the third movement of the Archduke Trio goes for 12:07 on the Naxos recording but extends to 16:02 here (but this one is still a better rendition).

To fill out the last CD, EMI includes Tchaikovsky's Piano Trio Op 50 (taped from a live performance in Tel Aviv in 1972), which is not in the same league as Beethoven's (but I guess they had to do something with the space).

My main complaint is that the thick 3-language info booklet is devoted entirely to the history of the performers and includes not a single word about the music itself!

Tracks:

Violin Sonata No. 7 In C Minor, Op. 30, No. 2: I. Allegro con brio
Violin Sonata No. 7 In C Minor, Op. 30, No. 2: II. Adagio cantabile
Violin Sonata No. 7 In C Minor, Op. 30, No. 2: III. Scherzo (Allegro) & Trio
Violin Sonata No. 7 In C Minor, Op. 30, No. 2: IV. Finale (Allegro)
Violin Sonata No. 8 In G, Op. 30, No. 3: I. Allegro assais
Violin Sonata No. 8 In G, Op. 30, No. 3: II. Tempo di Minuetto
Violin Sonata No. 8 In G, Op. 30, No. 3: III. Allegro vivace
Violin Sonata No. 10 In G, Op. 96: I. Allegro moderato
Violin Sonata No. 10 In G, Op. 96: II. Adagio espressivo
Violin Sonata No. 10 In G, Op. 96: III. Scherzo (Allegro) & Trio
Violin Sonata No. 10 In G, Op. 96: IV. Poco allegretto

Tracks:

Violin Sonata No. 9 In A Minor, Op. 47 'Kreutzer': I. Adagio sostenuto - Presto
Violin Sonata No. 9 In A Minor, Op. 47 'Kreutzer': II. Andante con variazioni
Violin Sonata No. 9 In A Minor, Op. 47 'Kreutzer': III. Finale (Presto)
Piano Trio In A Minor, Op. 50: I. Pezzo elegiaco (Moderato assai - Allegro giusto)
Piano Trio In A Minor, Op. 50: II. Tema con variazioni

The Great Violinist, Vol. 19: Beethoven Violin Sonatas

Average customer rating:

The Great Violinist, Vol. 19: Beethoven Violin Sonatas

Manufacturer: Symposium
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music
ASIN: B0000TWAKE
Release Date: 2004-05-25

Great Recordings Of The Century - Beethoven: Piano Sonatas nos. 8, 14 & 23 / Barenboim

Average customer rating:

A one-man museum of romantic gestures
Mixed bag - more good than bad
enjoyable
Uninteresting throughout
Disappointing Set

Great Recordings Of The Century - Beethoven: Piano Sonatas nos. 8, 14 & 23 / Barenboim
Daniel Barenboim
Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music
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Great Recordings Of The Century - Beethoven: Triple Concerto; Brahms: Double Concerto / Oistrakh, Rostropovich, Richter
Beethoven: Concerto for violin in D

ASIN: B00000K4FA
Release Date: 1999-09-14

Tracks:

Piano Sonata No. 8 In C Minor, Op. 13 'Pathetique': I. Grave - Allegro molto e con brio
Piano Sonata No. 8 In C Minor, Op. 13 'Pathetique': II. Adagio cantabile
Piano Sonata No. 8 In C Minor, Op. 13 'Pathetique': III. Rondo (Allegro)
Piano Sonata No. 14 In C Sharp Minor, Op. 27 No. 2 'Moonlight': I. Adagio sostenuto
Piano Sonata No. 14 In C Sharp Minor, Op. 27 No. 2 'Moonlight': II. Allegretto & Trio
Piano Sonata No. 14 In C Sharp Minor, Op. 27 No. 2 'Moonlight': III. Presto agitato
Piano Sonata No. 23 In F Minor, Op. 57 'Appassionata': I. Allegro assai
Piano Sonata No. 23 In F Minor, Op. 57 'Appassionata': II. Andante con moto
Piano Sonata No. 23 In F Minor, Op. 57 'Appassionata': III. Allegro ma non troppo - Presto

Amazon.com

Daniel Barenboim was in his mid-to-late 20s when he recorded all 32 Beethoven sonatas for EMI. His expansive tempos and rhetorical attitude, however, suggest the musings of a weathered veteran of the German school. At this stage in his career, there was no question that Barenboim¹s instinct for Beethoven's confrontational style was genuine and deeply felt. Yet, there's a self-conscious aura surrounding the pianist's accentuations, breath pauses, and tempo fluctuations. These expressive devices seem grafted onto the music, rather than emerging as organic components of a more internalized vision. True, Barenboim's torrential dash through the Moonlight Sonata's hard-to-control finale and the Appassionata's fiery opening pack a cathartic wallop. But Claudio Arrau's similarly conceived yet more technically polished and musically seasoned versions surpass Barenboim's aspirations to be the Furtwängler of the piano. Incidentally, Barenboim eschews Beethoven's crucial third-movement repeat in the Appassionata. For headlong brio and terse concentration, Rudolf Serkin's 1963 traversals of these oft-recorded "name" sonatas for CBS deserve a sonic facelift on the order of EMI's beautiful, lifelike remastering here. --Jed Distler

Customer Reviews:

A one-man museum of romantic gestures.......2006-06-01

In his late twenties, in the first flush of fame on the EMI label, Barenboim did some remarkable things. His Brahms concertos with Barbirolli and the five Beethoven concertos with Klemperer have enormous virtues. Maybe he needed an older, steadier hand, because left to his own devices, Barenboim clearly wanted to be part of the Great Tradition without having the experience or depth required--at least not in the Beethoven sonatas. He was (and is) a strange case of enormous talent desperate to overreach.

Sometimes he relaxes into his natural musicianship, as in the flowing first movement of the Moonlight sonata. Sometimes he seems a bit lost and therefore resorts to the Arrau-Backhaus school of weighty seriousness, as in the opening of the Appassionata. At his worst he makes a hash of romantic cliches, as in the first movement of Les Adieux. "Mostly enjoyable," as one reviewer puts it, but the Amazon review is dead on target: too much feels self-conscious and applied from the outside.

Mixed bag - more good than bad.......2004-08-16

I was kind of surprised that the other reviewers here were in such ferocious debate over the CD, since I bought it before reading reviews, and liked it...but a few more listens have proven some of the criticisms (though not all).

Pathetique: A very good rendition. Some people take exception with the slow intro, but I rather like it. The disc's booklet says Barenboim considers the sonata "the birth of the Romantic era" and doesn't "politely evade" the slow intro - definitely true. I think it gives the piece a darker cast, a bit of real color - and makes the following first movement seem even more furious. The slow movement's taken a bit fast, but then I have been told that I advocate VERY slow tempi for both this and the Fur Elise...so probably it isn't a bit fast really. Only real complaint - a few wrong notes in the outer movements, but nothing to skip the CD over.

Moonlight: When I agree with my mom, you KNOW it's done right. And we both agree that the first movement is done beautifully, heartbreakingly. I don't like the scherzo, no matter how it's played, so I can't tell you if it is played well. The finale is played very well, and here Barenboim shows his technical skill. (EDIT: Okay, maybe not. He's outdone by budget-disc phenom Jeno Jando, who plays it 30 seconds faster and nails every. single. note. WOW - knockout performance for Mr. Jando...but the Barenboim is still okay.)

Appassionata: First two movements done well, and I like the tempo on the slow movement (it's actually, well, slow), but the whole skipping-part-of-the-finale thing is not good, not excusable, and only barely forgiveable. (I also reviewed a version of Mozart's 41st where the finale is sliced up - I hate that kind of "edit". grr)

So there are some flaws, including wrong notes in the first track and rather dull moments elsewhere (plus the big omission), but the rest of it is just fine and Dan Barenboim does NOT deserve the fiercely angry comments of some reviewers on this page. Consider buying this CD if you are really fanatical about the sonatas here, but if you want just one version of them, look elsewhere first.

One final comment: the producer is one Suvi Raj Grubb, a bald Indian guy who just so happened to produce several Itzhak Perlman recordings. This guy must have had an eye for talented young musicians!

enjoyable.......2004-05-15

The exceedingly slow tempi of the Pathetique's opening bars and the Appassionata's Andante con moto were definitely the two things I noticed right off the bat about this recording. A criticism might be that Barenboim plays either with extreme languor or with extreme speed.

However, this recording has grown on me since I first listened to it. While I was certainly accustomed to faster playing, it later seemed to me that Barenboim was savouring each note, and that there was a lot of contemplation behind every strike of the key. Certainly as a listener, one has the time to think about every chord and appreciate the notes and melodic lines that Barenboim draws out, particularly in the Appassionata's second movement.

I do not own the recordings by Schnabel or Brendel so I can't compare. I would say, though, that this recording by Barenboim was a valuable addition to my collection. By virtue of his perhaps exaggerated tempi and dynamics, the listener receives the impression that Barenboim feels the music and is not just going through musical motions of crescendo, diminuendo, articulation, etc. I mean that this is generally a less sterile performance than others. The instrument itself complements this aspect, as its tone and clarity have not been stripped of resonance (as I find many recordings are wont to do).

In short: 4 stars. If you know your Beethoven, then be forewarned that Barenboim's tempo decisions might put you off. For a casual listener, though, I'd definitely recommend this disc.

Uninteresting throughout.......2004-03-29

Barenboim's playing of these three famous sonatas perfectly summarizes his playing of the other twenty-nine: unfelt, not musical, forgetting dynamic accents and staccato marks, too loud in the forte and too soft in the piano sections. I don't hear any spontaneity here, nor freshness, drama or even passion. These are party recordings at their best. The slow movements of all three sonatas are uniformly flat that it's hard to keep your attention with them. The fast movements suffer either from thorough dullness (he plays all the notes of the first movements of both Pathetique and Appassionata but that's about it) or, even worse, dullness in combination with banging (the final movements of all three sonatas). I've never heard the main theme in the last movement of the Appassionata sound this boring. Nor have I heard anyone play the movement's last minute this ugly. And he omits the repeat! The Mondschein's final: same story. There are SO many better recordings of these three sonatas that it's rather ashaming to see EMI put Barenboim's recordings in the 'great recordings of the century' series. EMI is that company that has a load of great Beethoven recordings by Edwin Fischer lying in its store vaults, but seemlingly prefers to release mediocre, dull readings like these. Anyway, if you want to hear these pieces in better renditions, you'd best go for Arrau's disc with these three sonatas on Philips (which is cheaper too), Brendel's two-fer with the 'favourite' sonatas or Gilels' recordings on DG. For an entire sonatas set, Kovacevich is also recommended. Barenboim's readings of Beethoven are thoroughly uninteresting and don't deserve any attention in such a crowded catalogue.

Disappointing Set.......2002-04-30

I was truly distraught when I brought this disc home and listened to the opening bars of the "Pathetique": the tempo was so slow it actually belied the concept of "tempo." So slow the music seemed to pull apart at the seams. I'm usually all for a more extreme reading of tempo markings, particularly with Beethoven, but there has to be some restraint, and I think Barenboim missed the mark here. Too bad, because the playing is otherwise excellent, and he hits the nail on the head, it seems to me, with the more energetic allegros. Unfortunately, I cannot recommend a disc of sonatas wherein each of the slow movements serves as an annoying distraction to the superior performances of the fast movements. Try Brendel (3rd cycle), Kempff, or Schnabel for a more even reading of some of the most wonderful music ever composed.

The Great Piano Music of the World: Beethoven - M. Grinberg - 3

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The Great Piano Music of the World: Beethoven - M. Grinberg - 3

Manufacturer: Melodiya, BUKOK
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD
ASIN: B0002IQR5M

Product Description

SONATA NO. 7 IN D MAJOR, OP. 10-3: Presto, Largo e mesto, Menuetto. Allegro, Rondo. Allegro. SONATA NO. 8 IN C MINOR PATHETIQUE, OP. 13: Grave, Adagio cantabile, Rondo. Allegro. SONATA NO. 9 IN E MAJOR, OP. 14-1: Allegro, Allegretto, Rondo. Allegro commodo. SONATA NO. 10 IN G MAJOR, OP. 14-2: Allegro, Andante, Scherzo. Allegro assai. Piano: Maria Grinberg.

The Great Piano Music of the World: Chopin - M. Voskresensky - 20

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The Great Piano Music of the World: Chopin - M. Voskresensky - 20

Manufacturer: Melodiya, BUKOK
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD
ASIN: B0002IQRSE

Product Description

SONATA NO. 1 IN C MINOR, OP. 4: Allegro maestoso, Menuetto. Allegretto, Larghetto, Finale. Presto. SONATA NO. 2 IN B-FLAT MINOR, OP. 35: Grave, Scherzo, Marche funebre. Lento, Finale. Presto. SONATA NO. 3 IN B MINOR, OP. 58: Allegro maestoso, Scherzo. Molto vivace, Largo, Finale. Presto, non tanto. Piano: Mikhail Voskresensky.

The Great Piano Music of the World: Beethoven - M. Grinberg - 9

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The Great Piano Music of the World: Beethoven - M. Grinberg - 9

Manufacturer: Melodiya, BUKOK
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD
ASIN: B0002IQTGE

Product Description

SONATA NO. 30 IN E MAJOR, OP. 109: Vivace ma non troppo, Prestissimo, Gesangvoll, mit innigster empfindung. SONATA NO. 31 IN A-FLAT MAJOR, OP. 110: Moderato cantabile molto espressivo, Allegro molto, Adagio ma non troppo. SONATA NO. 32 IN C MINOR, OP. 111: Maestoso, Arietta. Adagio molto semplice e cantabile. Piano: Maria Grinberg.

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Adolf Busch: The Great Violin Sonatas

Manufacturer: Grammofono 2000
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music
ASIN: B00000DGJR
Release Date: 1998-10-20

Tracks:

Son No.2 in G, BWV 1021: I. Adagio
Son No.2 in G, BWV 1021: II. Vivace
Son No.2 in G, BWV 1021: III. Largo
Son No.2 in G, BWV 1021: IV. Presto
Son No.5 in F, 'Spring' Op.24: I. Allegro
Son No.5 in F, 'Spring' Op.24: II. Adagio Molto Espressivo
Son No.5 in F, 'Spring' Op.24: III. Scherzo. Trio
Son No.5 in F, 'Spring' Op.24: IV. Rondo. Allegro Non Troppo
Son No.2 in A Op.100: I. Allegro
Son No.2 in A Op.100: II. Adagio Molto Espressivo
Son No.2 in A Op.100: III. Scherzo Trio

Tracks:

Son No.7 in c Op.30 No.2: I. Allegro Con Brio
Son No.7 in c Op.30 No.2: II. Adagio Cantabile
Son No.7 in c Op.30 No.2: III. Scherzo. Allegro
Son No.7 in c Op.30 No.2: IV. Finale. Allegro
Son No.1 in a Op.105: I. Mit Leidenschaftlichem Ausdruck
Son No.1 in a Op.105: II. Allegretto
Son No.1 in a Op.105: III. Lebhaft
Son No.1 in G Op.78: I. Vivace Ma Non Troppo
Son No.1 in G Op.78: II. Adagio
Son No.1 in G Op.78: III. Allegro Molto Moderato

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Close, but no Cigar

Beethoven: Great Piano Sonatas

Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

Classical Music | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music

Classical Instrumental Music | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music
ASIN: B0000CF31Q
Release Date: 2003-09-30

Tracks:

I. Adagio Sostenuto
II. Allegretto
III. Presto Agitato
I. Allegro Con Brio
II. Introduzione. Adagio Molto. Attacca:
III. Rondo. Allegretto Moderato. Prestissimo
I. Allegro Assai
II. Andante Con Moto - Attacca:
III. Allegro, Ma Non Troppo - Presto

Customer Reviews:

Close, but no Cigar.......2007-01-28

This CD features the legendary pianist in three popular Beethoven sonatas. It's no secret that Horowitz did not care for Beethoven's clumsy piano writing, was not regarded as a great Beethoven interpreter, and recorded these sonatas merely to satisfy contractual obligations. Though these sonatas were recorded in 1972 and 1973, Horowitz never played these particular works in public after 1953. Record company executives were the bane of Horowitz's existence until very late in his career, when he had attained so much notoriety that he could "record the C major scale and it would sell" in the words of Thomas Frost.

This is Horowitz's third recording of the de-rigeur Moonlight. As a performance, it is smoothed out and uneventful, slick and modern--even cold. The triplets of the opening movement lope along without having much meaning invested in them (a far cry from Horowitz's 1956 recording of the work which, despite its poor sonics, remains a benchmark in Beethoven performances). The Allegretto has some nice voicing, but the Finale's sudden accents are ignored, robbing the movement of much of its drama. One can admire the clarity of the playing here, as well as the technical finesse and excellent recorded sound, but Horowitz's heart is clearly not in this performance.

Horowitz's recording of the Waldstein Sonata in C major, Op.53, alternately delights and distracts. The clarity of the outer movements is remarkable, as is the unique kinetic energy. But, his feminine way of phrasing the first movement's second theme, beautifully voiced as it is, is especially foreign to Beethoven's masculine approach. The trills which accompany the main theme in the last movement are uncannily balanced, but purists will also be annoyed by Horowitz's rewriting of the finale's coda: where Beethoven has written octave glissandi, Horowitz substitutes octaves played presto and staccato. It has been speculated elsewhere that Horowitz considered the octave glissandi unplayable on the modern piano. Nonsense, I've played it as written myself, and so have many fellow pianists. Horowitz simply did not like the way Beethoven's writing sounded, so he changed it. Still, it cannot be said that this performances are boring (he's way ahead of Rubinstein's 1954 performance, which drags in the finale), and in today's homogenized pianistic culture, that alone is adequate recommendation.

Horowitz was more attuned to the bravura Sonata in F minor, Op. 57, the popular Appassionata. This 1972 recording is more successful than his more somber 1959 version. Horowitz allows more of his inate theatricality to come through, thereby increasing the drama of the piece. He also resists the temptation to stress the odd phrase for effect, at the expense of the whole, thereby increasing the structural cohesiveness. Especially noteworthy is the finale, taken at an unhurried tempo (it's actually easier to rush this movement), with virtually no pedal, but with overwhelming effect. Truly a triumph of the will over the limits of the flesh.

Sony has adequately remastered the sound, which is more full bodied than before, but remains rather dry.

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1. Cd-1 (1-4 ) Sonato No. 1 In F Minor, Op.2 No.1
2. Cd-1 (5-7) Sonato No.6 In F Major, Op.10 No.2
3. Cd-1 (8-10) Sonato No. 8 In C Minor, Op.13 "Pathetique"
4. Cd-1 (11-14) Sonato No.11 In B-Flat, Op.22 "Grande Sonata"
5. Cd-2 (1-4) Sonato No.12 In A-Flat Major, Op.26
6. Cd-2 (5-8) Sonato No.13 In E-Flat Major, 27 No.27 No.1
7. Cd-2 (9-11) Sonato No.14 In C-Sharp Minor, Op.27 No.2 "Moonlight"
8. Cd-2 (12-14) Sonato No.16 In G Major, Op.31 No.1
9. Cd-3 (1-3) Sonato No.21 In C Major, Op.53 "Waldstein"
10. Cd-3 (4-6) Sonato No.23 In F Minor, Op.57 "Appassionata"
11. Cd-3 (7-8) Sonato No.24 In F-Sharp Major, Op.78 "Therese"
12. Cd-3 (9-11) Sonato No.26 In E-Flat Major, Op.81a "Das Lebewohi"
13. Cd-4 (1-3) Sonato No.28 In A Major, Op.101
14. Cd-4 (4-7) Sonato No.29 In B-Flat Major, Op.29 "Hammerkiavier"
15. Cd-5 (1-3) Sonato No.30 In E-Flat Major, 109
16. Cd-5 (4-6) Sonato No.31 In A-Flat Major, Op.110
17. Cd-5 (7-8) Sonato No.32 In C Minor, Op.111