Beethoven: Piano Sonatas, Vol. 9

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
These three sonatas emerged from the creative maturity of Beethoven's middle years--that is, when he was nearing 30. Each brims with its own individual personality, and pianist John O'Conor fully understands and develops to the fullest each work's unique musical and expressive character. This culmination of O'Conor's complete Beethoven sonata cycle maintains the same high standard set in the first volume. --David Vernier

Tracks:

Sonata No. 1 In F Minor, Op. 2, No. 1: Movement I: Allegro
Sonata No. 1 In F Minor, Op. 2, No. 1: Movement II: Adagio
Sonata No. 1 In F Minor, Op. 2, No. 1: Movement III: Minuetto-Allegretto
Sonata No. 1 In F Minor, Op. 2, No. 1: Movement IV: Prestissimo
Sonata No. 25 In G Major, Op. 79: Movement I: Presto alla tedesca
Sonata No. 25 In G Major, Op. 79: Movement II: Andante
Sonata No. 25 In G Major, Op. 79: Movement III: Vivace
Sonata No. 5 In C Minor, Op. 10, No. 1: Movement I: Allegro molto e con brio
Sonata No. 5 In C Minor, Op. 10, No. 1: Movement II: Adagio molto
Sonata No. 5 In C Minor, Op. 10, No. 1: Movement III: Finale, Prestissimo
Sonata No. 6 In F Major, Op. 10, No. 2: Movement I: Allegro
Sonata No. 6 In F Major, Op. 10, No. 2: Movement II: Allegretto
Sonata No. 6 In F Major, Op. 10, No. 2: Movement III: Finale, Presto
Sonata No. 9 In E Major, Op. 14, No. 1: Movement I: Allegro
Sonata No. 9 In E Major, Op. 14, No. 1: Movement II: Allegretto
Sonata No. 9 In E Major, Op. 14, No. 1: Movement III: Rondo; Allegro commodo

Tracks:

Sonata No. 10 In G Major, Op. 14, No. 2: Movement I: Allegro
Sonata No. 10 In G Major, Op. 14, No. 2: Movement II: Andante
Sonata No. 10 In G Major, Op. 14, No. 2: Movement III: Scherzo: Allegro assai
Sonata No. 13 In E-Flat Major, Op. 27. No. 1: Movement I: Andante-Allegro-Andante
Sonata No. 13 In E-Flat Major, Op. 27. No. 1: Movement II: Allegro molto vivace
Sonata No. 13 In E-Flat Major, Op. 27. No. 1: Movement III: Adagio
Sonata No. 13 In E-Flat Major, Op. 27. No. 1: Movement IV: Finale: Allegro vivace
Sonata No. 14 In C-Sharp Minor, Op. 27, No. 2 'Moonlight': Movement I: Adagio sostenuto
Sonata No. 14 In C-Sharp Minor, Op. 27, No. 2 'Moonlight': Movement II: Allegretto
Sonata No. 14 In C-Sharp Minor, Op. 27, No. 2 'Moonlight': Movement III: Presto agitato
Sonata No. 15 In D Major, Op. 28 'Pastoral': Movement I: Allegro
Sonata No. 15 In D Major, Op. 28 'Pastoral': Movement II: Andante
Sonata No. 15 In D Major, Op. 28 'Pastoral': Movement III: Scherzo: Allegro vivace-Trio; Movement IV: Rondo: Allegro non troppo

Customer Reviews:

AMONG THE BEST!.......2006-05-08

One man's viewpoint: Brendel again shows his wonderful, steady sense of rhythm. The miracle is that he can keep it rock-steady or slow it a bit for dramatic effect - only if he wants to. He has control and a clarity of vision/purpose with each piece. So of course he transmits this to us. I also notice the lightness of touch he has. And his limber agility (hard-won, no doubt).
I suggest picking up on all four of Mr. Brendel's Vox recordings of the LVB sonatas. Absolutely wonderful stuff. Also consider his fine, fine Diabelli Variations on Vox. Also I suggest checking out John O'Conor's set. Fantastic! Also Claude Frank has a highly praised set; I may buy this one next (a real bargain).
There are many fine players, so enjoy the search through these piano pieces of such incredible character, nobility, beauty, and boldness. They help develop a love of sound and the fine arts.

Brendel plays Bethoven in his own way.......2006-02-24

He may not have a lyricism of Gilels or force and precision of Sokolov, but along these greatest I love the way he plays No.10 G Major and NO. 15 D Major "Pastoral" and others from this album

early Beethoven played sweetly.......2004-04-25

Brendel always seems to have a penchant for never over-doing things. He's never too loud, never too soft, never too harsh (even with this composer). In all the lyrical sections of these early sonatas, I find this disciplined sense of moderation to be soothing yet intense. For example in the first movement of the "Moonlight" Sonata, the soft and double soft marking are observed with assiduousness. It's subtle and not overly dramatic.

Brendel's technique is more than adequate. I wonder why he is not more of a perfectionist when he plays (as he has said about his playing- "I am not a perfectionist.")

Tracks:

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
8 Bagatelles: in F Major,Op.33 No.3 (Allegretto)
8 Bagatelles: in C Major,Op.33 No.5 (Allegro ma non troppo)
8 Bagatelles: in C Major,Op.119 No.2 (Andante con moto)
8 Bagatelles: in C Major,Op.119 No.7(Allegro,ma non troppo)
8 Bagatelles: in A Minor,Op.119 No.9 (Vivace moderato)
8 Bagatelles: in G Major,Op.126 No.1 (Andante con moto catabile e compiacevole)
8 Bagatelles: in B Minor,Op.126 No.4 (Presto)
8 Bagatelles: in E-flat Major,Op.126 No.6 (Presto - Andante amabile e con moto)
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 - presto
Fantasy For Piano, Chorus And Orchestra In C Minor, Op. 80: Adagio
Fantasy For Piano, Chorus And Orchestra In C Minor, Op. 80: Finale.Allgro
Fantasy For Piano, Chorus And Orchestra In C Minor, Op. 80: Allegretto ma non troppo,quasi Andante con moto

Amazon.com

This live Appassionata, from a Moscow recital of 1960, is one of the most thrilling piano performances ever recorded. Sviatoslav Richter fills every moment of the first movement with intense drama, creates the illusion of total repose in the central variations, and then takes off in the finale with an exhibition of musical virtuosity and ever-increasing tension that becomes almost unbearably intense (and unbelievably fast and accurate). The studio Pathétique is quite fine, and the Fantasy (sung in Russian!) well performed by all but still rather quaint in its effect. But don't miss that Appassionata! --Leslie Gerber

Customer Reviews:

Richter plays Beethoven!.......2005-10-11

The original treatment given by Richter to the "Pathetique" is worthy to remark. It is absolutely interesting. The opening bars sound marked Beethovenian but in Russian mood; dry and authoritative; that is a good signal because must never sound romantic, but rough. The harmonies must be dissonant. The Adagio is noble and sublime but the last movement is a pleasant surprise: Richter, before the coda makes a fabulous retard, that brief decrease of intensity prepares us for the following arpeggios with magnificent results.
The 8 Bagatelles know best interpreters: I dislike this approach. The tempos are too fast and inexpressive. I rather choose Glenn Gould or Wilhelm Kempff, just to name two Greats.
Through the years I have realized that "Appassionata" Sonata is measure by measure the most complete and heroic piano work ever written in the keyboard' s history. This Op. 57 gives us a very close idea about the player 's temperament and personality of the performer. Richter makes a superb reading about it, and in my personal ist of the great performances about this piece, I would name just five: The First choice is the legendary and unexplainable not released yet on CD of Paul Badura Skoda in 1978 in vinyl, recording that fortunately I converted digitally; this work maintains its own feature that seems to be improving through the years. The second choice goes for a superb version of Rudolf Serkin in a live recording (available in CD) Lugano 1957; my third choice would incline by a recital given in a Castle room by Daniel Barenboim in 1984; fierceness and wildness. My fourth pronouncement goes to this version and the Fifth is William Murdoch a not so well known Australian pianist in the late twenties (available in CD).
The Fantasy is terrific. Richter was inflamed by a Dionysian rage and this work needs it. Far from being a contemplative work; this work deserves to be played with more frequency by the most of pianists. Emotive, expressive, energetic and mercurial.
A glorious choice in case you decide to acquire it as I did it in 1995.

Richter is King of Beethoven.......2002-01-13

I must say that in my opinion Sviatoslav Richter is the finest interpreter of Beethoven this century. This disc is a perfect example with which to support my case. It couples two of Beethoven's greatest piano sonatas, the Pathetique and Appassionata, with some charming bagatelles, and the underrated Choral Fantasy. The Pathetique is a studio version from the 50s in mono sound (if you need a reference the whole disc is mono but sounds slightly clearer than Gould's famous 1955 Goldberg Variations), and it is simply the best performance of this famous sonata that I've ever heard. Unlike so many other pianists, Richter actually plays the first movement at a correct tempo, with it's slow opening turning into a rather fast burst of pianistic energy. Too often you hear a recording of this sonata that starts of Grave and moves to an allegretto. Thankfully, Richter actually plays the movement allegro as specified. The famous second movemtent is without a doubt the most perfect and moving I've ever heard. The rondo is also simply amazing. Richter has the incredible ability to play a rondo as light, yet emotional music at the same time. It seems like a paradox, but this amazing one of a kind pianist is able to pull it off. The Appassionata is hands down the best piano performance available on disk. It's a live recording and showcases Richter in his prime. It's simply the most emotionally stirring piano performance I've ever heard. Words fail to describe the power that Richter conjures from Beethoven's keyboard masterpiece. It's is a must hear. The fillers are the bagatelles and the choral fantasy, and even though they may just be there to fill the rest of the disk, they are quite simply stunning. The bagatelles, small dance works that were greatly popularized by Beethoven, come off sounding like the masterpieces they are. Too often they're thrown off as light music, perhaps given to a piano student as a learning tool. Basically they're not taken as seriously as they should. Luckily, Richter believed them to be miniature masterpieces, and it shows in his playing. The Choral Fantasy is in russian, translated from the original german, and may sound odd if you've heard other versions, but sanderling and his orchestra and chorus along with Richter's amazing talents make another one of Beethoven's neglected masterpieces shine as bright as it should. This disc is full of absolutely amazing performances and at an incredible price. It showcases Richter's amazing talent, and supports the belief of many, including myself, that he is THE Beethoven interpreter. Even though the sound is mono, the quality is still relatively good. Excellent performances and better than average mono sound at a bargain price make this CD an essential.

Brilliant performances.......2001-06-02

This is a fantastic CD for lovers of Beethoven's piano works and Richter both. In particular, Richter's version of the "appassionata" is without parallel in fiery virtuosity. He approaches many of these pieces in a much different way than many modern performers. This is not a CD to play in the background, this is a CD that commands your full attention, both intellectually and emotionally.

Phenomenal.......2001-04-08

I agree with the other reviewer. This disk is incredible. Simply incredible. Take any person off the street and sit then down with this disk, and play them the Appassionata. If they are not breathtaken, the only explanation is they are deaf. This is one of the most powerful performances of anything I have ever heard in my life. Beethoven himself would have had an climax if he heard this. The rest of the disk is first rate as well. If you aren't familiar with the Bagatelles, or the Choral fantasy, this is a good pace to get hooked.

incredible.......2001-01-01

I don't write a lot of amazon.com reviews, but this CD needs more exposure.. This was one of the first Richter disks I bought (I now have ~40), and is still my favorite. The 'Appassionata' is the best among all existing recordings (even if you have Richter's Praga or RCA performances, you have to hear this one). Every little bit of this sonata makes perfect sense in the context of the whole piece; it is always pushing forward toward the finale, which is more exciting than anything else ever put on tape. You shouldn't be able to listen to anything else for a few hours after it's over. So, this alone should be enough... But the other works on this CD--the bagatelles, the 'Pathetique' sonata, and especially the choral fantasy--are just as worthy of praise. I like the 'Pathetique' more than Gilels', and the Fantasy is beautiful.

Finally -- this disk is part of the 10-CD Richter Edition. The whole set is great, but if you cannot afford it right now -- this is what you ought to buy. And then you should buy a copy for your friends, especially those who don't listen to classical music yet.

Tracks:

I. Molto Allegro E Con Brio
II. Largo, Con Gran Espessione
III. Allegro
IV. Rondo: Pocco Allegretto E Grazioso
I. Allegro Con Brio
II. Adagio Con Molta Espessione
III. Menuetto
IV. Rondo: Allegretto
I. Andante
II. Allegro Molto E Vivace
III. Adagio Con Espessione
IV. Allegro Vivace

Amazon.com

These three sonatas emerged from the creative maturity of Beethoven's middle years--that is, when he was nearing 30. Each brims with its own individual personality, and pianist John O'Conor fully understands and develops to the fullest each work's unique musical and expressive character. This culmination of O'Conor's complete Beethoven sonata cycle maintains the same high standard set in the first volume. --David Vernier

Beethoven: Piano Sonatas, Vol. 1 - Nos, 1-3, 5-10, 12-14

Average customer rating:

A joke
worth a listen but there are better recordings
Very Interesting
Gould Realizes Beethoven...
no 'original intent'

Beethoven: Piano Sonatas, Vol. 1 - Nos, 1-3, 5-10, 12-14

Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B0000028NX
Release Date: 1994-04-19

Tracks:

Sonata No.1 In F Minor, Op.2, No.1: I. Allegro
Sonata No.1 In F Minor, Op.2, No.1: II. Adagio
Sonata No.1 In F Minor, Op.2, No.1: III. Menuetto. Allegretto
Sonata No.1 In F Minor, Op.2, No.1: IV. Prestissimo
Sonata No.2 In A Major, Op.2, No.2: I. Allegro vivace
Sonata No.2 In A Major, Op.2, No.2: II. Largo appassionato
Sonata No.2 In A Major, Op.2, No.2: III. Scherzo. Allegretto
Sonata No.2 In A Major, Op.2, No.2: IV. Rondo. Grazioso
Sonata No. 3 In C Major, Op.2, No.3: I. Allegro con brio
Sonata No. 3 In C Major, Op.2, No.3: II. Adagio
Sonata No. 3 In C Major, Op.2, No.3: III. Scherzo. Allegro
Sonata No. 3 In C Major, Op.2, No.3: IV. Allegro assai

Tracks:

Sonata No.5 In C Minor, Op.10, No.1: I. Allegro molto e con brio
Sonata No.5 In C Minor, Op.10, No.1: II. Adagio molto
Sonata No.5 In C Minor, Op.10, No.1: III. Finale. Prestissimo
Sonata No.6 In F Major, Op.10, No.2: I. Allegro
Sonata No.6 In F Major, Op.10, No.2: II. Allegretto
Sonata No.6 In F Major, Op.10, No.2: III. Presto
Sonata No.7 In D Major, Op.10, No.3: I. Presto
Sonata No.7 In D Major, Op.10, No.3: II. Largo e mesto
Sonata No.7 In D Major, Op.10, No.3: III. Menuetto. Allegro
Sonata No.7 In D Major, Op.10, No.3: IV. Rondo. Allegro
Sonata No.12 In A-Flat Major, Op.26: I. Andante con Variazioni
Sonata No.12 In A-Flat Major, Op.26: II. Scherzo. Allegro molto
Sonata No.12 In A-Flat Major, Op.26: III. Marcia funebre sulla morte d'un Eroe
Sonata No.12 In A-Flat Major, Op.26: IV. Allegro

Tracks:

SONATA NO.8 IN C MINOR, OP.13 'PATHETIQUE': I. Grave - Allegro di molto e com brio
SONATA NO.8 IN C MINOR, OP.13 'PATHETIQUE': II. Adatio cantabile
SONATA NO.8 IN C MINOR, OP.13 'PATHETIQUE': III. Rondo. Allegro
Sonata No.9 In E Major, Op.14, No. 1: I . Allegro
Sonata No.9 In E Major, Op.14, No. 1: II. Allegretto
Sonata No.9 In E Major, Op.14, No. 1: III. Rondo. Allegro comodo
Sonata No.10 In G Major, Op.14, No.2: I. Allegro
Sonata No.10 In G Major, Op.14, No.2: II. Andante
Sonata No.10 In G Major, Op.14, No.2: III. Scherzo. Allegro assai
Sonata No.13 In E-Flat Major, Op.27, No.1: I. Andante - Allegro - Tempo I. - attacca:
Sonata No.13 In E-Flat Major, Op.27, No.1: II. Allegro molto e vivace - attacca:
Sonata No.13 In E-Flat Major, Op.27, No.1: III. Adagio con espressione - attacca:
Sonata No.13 In E-Flat Major, Op.27, No.1: IV. Allegro vivace
Sonata No.14 In C-Sharp Minor, Op.27, No.2 'Moonlight': I. Adagio sostenuto - attacca:
Sonata No.14 In C-Sharp Minor, Op.27, No.2 'Moonlight': II. Allegretto - attacca:
Sonata No.14 In C-Sharp Minor, Op.27, No.2 'Moonlight': III. Presto agitato

Customer Reviews:

A joke.......2005-07-15

Glenn Gould fans have got to be the most annoying people on the planet. As for the sonatas, I don't even know why they are stretched out over three disc, they could've compressed them down to one with no quality loss.

Everything you will get out of listening to these can be gotten from the Amazon.com preview samples. Listen, have a laugh, and save yourself some money.

worth a listen but there are better recordings.......2005-06-21

This is actually a review for vols. I and II. Just in general, Gould's style is fantastic for some of the sonatas but is really inappropriate for others.
His portamento (detached) presto/prestissimo playing makes the "Tempest" sonata the best version I've ever heard but really makes the "Pathetique" seem rushed and totally without feeling.
I mostly bought vol. II for the last 3 sonatas (op. 109, 110 and 111). I figured the most unusual and most "un-Beethovanic" of the sonatas deserved the most unusual interpretation, and I wasn't disappointed. They are clear and with good "diction", fast where appropriate but also slow and legato where melodic and flowing. Even in the most technically difficult sections Gould, in typical contrapunctal style, weaves the different voices in and out of the melody holding to his philosophy that "Every voice is important".
Probably the most disappointing of all the recordings on these 2 sets is the "Appassionata". Playing it through at practice speed does nothing for the passion, depth and beauty of this piece and only serves to exemplify Gould's hatred for it. (Typically, if Gould hated a piece, he would play it through either blindingly fast and without regard for dynamics or lethargically slow to heighten its inferiority and "boringness".
The "moonlight" seems a little fast, esp. the first movement, but it might be Gould's literal interpretation of 2/2 time. The 3rd movement is at breakneck speed that some people might like.
I actually prefer the romantic-style playing of R. Serkin, Brendel and Horowicz for this piece.
Listen to the 2nd movement of the #13 where the left and right hands are playing parallel arpeggios. In the 1st section the notes are played together but in the second section the hands are staggered by an 8th (the left hand plays the note 1/8th before the right). I have never heard a piano make that kind of ethereal echoing sound and, I suppose, it probably cannot be reproduced without the kind of fast detached playing that only Gould could do.
So, no one recording artist has the best performance of all the Beethoven sonatas. With Gould, you'll get excellent interpretations of some of the lesser known works and less adherence to the romantic style of the better known "named" sonatas.

Very Interesting.......2005-04-01

This is one of the most interesting CD's I've ever listened to. Gould's playing is unique; sometimes he makes Beethoven sound almost as if he had lived in Bach's days.

I'd recommand that you compare Gould's first movement of the first sonata to that of any good "conventional" pianist (Goode, Kovacevich, Brendel, Kempff, Ashkenazy, to name a few; too bad Gilels died before he could record it). Some of you might find Gould's approach worthy indeed.

Gould Realizes Beethoven..........2005-01-17

These are great recordings. Gould realizes Beethoven: he sees what's there, not merely playing the notes, but understanding the vision. He takes some movements very briskly; others, he expands to a heavenly length.

Frequently, these earlier works of Beethoven are marginalized by his later, greater works; still, these pieces are works of pure art, and Gould sees this and brings them to vivid life.

About the sound: these tracks were recorded over a 15-year period. Sony has done a wonderful job with its "Super Bit Mapping" techne; still, there are a few quirks embedded in the recordings which cannot be removed: specifically, a little "ticking" from Gould's Steinway on the '60s tracks. At that time, Gould was tinkering with his piano to achieve a certain feel to the keys--a kind of immediacy and tactile ease of stroke--by removing the bushings which padded the key mechanism. As a result, he got the feel he wanted, but was also stuck with "ticking" keys. This doesn't bother me, as the results speak for themselves: an aesthetic vision of unparalleled ecstasy. Nevertheless, the "ticks" are audible sometimes: it's part of the art and vision.

no 'original intent'.......2004-05-02

Gould's interpretations compliment the complaints I've read, about 'original intent' by introducing his own - one that has worked itself thru the entirety of Modernism and that seems to have maintained momentum, even past death...into OUR present. The digits march to our more open sense of time - space is a suspension, like in a Ran Blake cd - these are Beethoven Sonatas that Babbitt or Bartok could have composed at a minimalist cafe`.

Average customer rating:

Outstanding performance

Beethoven: The Piano Sonatas, Vol. 1

Manufacturer: Vox (Classical)
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Playing the Beethoven Piano Sonatas

ASIN: B000001KE8
Release Date: 1995-09-05

Tracks:

I. Allegro
II. Adagio
III. Menuetto (Allegretto); Trio
IV. Prestissimo
I. Andante-Allegro-Tempo I
II. Allegro Molto Vivace
III. Adagio Con Espressione
IV. Allegro Vivace-Adagio-Presto
I. Adagio Cantabile; Allegro Ma Non Troppo
II. Allegro Vivace
I. Allegro Con Brio
II. Introduzione: Adagio Molto
III. Rondo: Allegretto Moderato

Tracks:

I. Allegro Vivace
II. Largo Appassionato
III. Schervo: Allegretto; Trio
IV. Rondo: Grazioso
I. Allegro
II. Allegretto
III. Rondo: Allegro Comodo
I. Allegro
II. Andante
III. Scherzo: Allegro Assai
I. Adagio sostenuto
II. Allegretto; Trio
III. Presto Agitato

Amazon.com

Some hits, some misses, no errors, and little enlivenment characterize Robert Taub's first Beethoven cycle installment. How prosaic and matter-of-fact his slow movements of Op. 2, Nos.1 and 2, seem next to the eloquence of pianists Murray Perahia and Artur Schnabel, for example. And Taub's leisurely amble through No. 13's Scherzo is hardly the allegro molto vivace that Beethoven specifies. The pianist fares better with supple and flowing readings of the little Op. 14 sonatas, and his tempo fluctuations in the Moonlight opening evoke the composer's sobriquet--Sonata quasi una fantasia--without losing grip of the bigger picture. His Waldstein comes alive in the first movement's development and the bravura finale, while the rest is excellent note playing. Beautifully recorded sound. --Jed Distler

Customer Reviews:

Outstanding performance.......2001-02-01

After hearing Robert Taub featured on Trenton's classical music radio station and hearing him perform at the Institue for Advanced Studies in Princeton, I bought this CD. I have found Taub's eloquence and mastery of Beethoven's Sonatas throughly mezmerizing and I had to get all three volumes. In fact, this collection has become my standard gift to friends who enjouy outstanding classical piano performances.

Tracks:

Son in G, Op.79: I. Presto Alla Tedesca
Son in G, Op.79: II. Andante
Son in G, Op.79: III. Vivace
Son in g, Op.49, No.1: I. Andante
Son in g, Op.49, No.1: II. Rondo. Allegro
Son in E flat, Op.81a: I. Das Lebewohl-Adagio. Allegro
Son in E flat, Op.81a: II. Abwesenheit-Andante Espressivo
Son in E flat, Op.81a: III. Das Wiedersehn-Vivacissimente Im Lebhaftsten Zeitmasse
Son in B flat, Op.22: I. Allegro Con Brio
Son in B flat, Op.22: II. Adagio Con Molto Espressione
Son in B flat, Op.22: III. Minuetto
Son in B flat, Op.22: IV. Rondo. Allegretto
Son in F, Op.54: I. In Tempo D'un Minuetto
Son in F, Op.54: II. Allegretto

Customer Reviews:

Annie Fischer's Beethoven Piano Sonatas.......2007-01-13

In "Beethoven," by JWN Sullivan ("the son of a poor Irish sailor"), written in 1927 and never out of print since, the author describes the last movement of the Hammerklavier sonata as "the expression of the final refusal of annihilation, even if no hope and object be left in life." If this sort of thing sounds like nonsense to you, then you don't need Annie Fischer's performances of the Beethoven sonatas. If Sullivan's words speak to you, and you can already hear it in the performances of the sonatas you know, then again you needn't purchase Fischer's set. If, however, Sullivan's words ring true yet you have never found a performance that adequately embodies the truth that you long to hear, then Fischer's performances are for you.

That is perhaps the simplest way I can explain why I love these CDs. No other set I know (save, perhaps, Schnabel's) satisfied me, whatever fine qualities it might possess. I am thinking of Kempff, Goode, Roberts, Frank, Kuerti, Brendel, Kovacevich, Arrau, Perl, and Gulda, all of whose sets I have owned and listened to for years and then either given away or sold, because I could not hear in them the full range of states I know are expressed in the Beethoven sonatas. Besides Fischer, Schnabel alone has the spiritual depth and intellectual power to bring forth all the meaning of those phases of existence, yet the sound is distracting and there are a few occasions where he seems to put showmanship before communication. To make it even simpler, I will say that if, like me, you find Furtwangler's interpretation of the Beethoven symphonies (particularly those recorded during the war) revelatory in a way that no other performance has yet matched, then Fischer is to the sonatas what Furtwangler is to the symphonies. (If you don't know Furtwangler's recordings, more's the pity. They are available from Music & Arts.)

A more complicated way to explain would be to discuss the differences in cultural life (and therefore all life) wrought by what Walter Benjamin called "the age of mechanical reproduction," when recordings and reprints have flooded the world with what Lyotard calls "simulacra" of reality, so that we feel as though we have had an experience, though there are no emotional or intellectual traces of it left afterward. Fischer somehow avoided being caught up in "the concert industry," so her performances were genuine communal experiences between the composer, the performer, and the audience (not the empty gestures of practiced automata, like our prolific technical miracles). What's more amazing is that through what must have been an incredibly painstaking process of "patching in" (much like what Glenn Gould explains he did in his great Bach recordings), over several years and contrary to her own predilection Fischer managed to recreate that experience in the isolation of the recording studio so that we who never heard her in performance can nevertheless participate in it.

I was briefly tempted to try to justify some of my claims about Fischer's set by analysis, but even if I were adequate to the task it's absurd in this forum, so I will just baldly make the claims, and you may accept or reject them as you wish. First, Fischer understands and conveys the meaning of virtually every phrase, every contrapuntal line, every harmonic development, every dynamic contrast in a way that is nothing short of revelatory. Second, she plays with something like the range of touches, colors, expressions that were attributed by listeners to Beethoven's own playing, so that she has the heartbreaking delicacy of the adagio in op. 110 and the heaven-storming thunder of the allegro in op. 57, as well as everything in between. Third, the sound is finally adequate to the vision, amazingly "present" and beautiful, never diffuse or hazy, but really in the same room. Fourth, the packaging is beautiful, each CD in a paper sleeve accompanied by a fine booklet in English, French, German, and Hungarian, all contained in a super-slim high quality box. I am deeply grateful to Hungaraton (apparently now a subsidiary of Sony) for making this set available.

Of course, the price is very high, though I was able to find it new at Video Warehouse and at Best Prices for just over $100. If, like me, you love this music, you will likely feel that it is well worth it.

Can't stop listening.......2004-04-15

I've been living with Annie Fischer's Beethoven cycle for over a year now and I just cannot get over how wonderful and fresh her playing is. I try to go back to other pianists, great names all, but they all fail to convey the living, breathing, pulsing rhythm that AF conveys in every bar.

This album contains two "sonatinas" that hardly sound slight in AF's hands; the "grande sonata" Op. 22, the first one published after LvB completed his early set of quartets; the popular "Les Adieux"; and the neglected Op. 54, played here (as the culmination of the whole series) with such brilliance as to leave no doubt that it is a contemporary of the "Waldstein" and "Appassionata". AF plays each of these like there is no tomorrow. Forget about all those guys with the Steinways: this lady with the Bosendorfer leaves 'em all on the shelf.

This whole series of recordings must be experienced. I have been collecting for thirty years and I know of no other performances that keep me coming back again and again, and leave me so awestruck every time. These are my most cherished recordings.

Eureka!.......2002-12-19

It was Artur Schnabel who claimed this music was better than could ever be played. After 30 years of collecting, having listened to all the greats perform this endlessly fascinating oeuvre, I would tend to agree: virtually every pianist has left room for just a little more something. Otherwise why bother collecting hundreds of performances of these vital pieces? There is always something missing that compels one to keep searching.

Until now. I can tell you from my heart that, virtually without fail, every movement of every one of these sonatas had me out of my seat, fist in the air, shouting "Brava!" These are, for me, the most satisfying performances of any music in the whole range of music. Not only are they, as the notes attest, peerless, they are priceless.

All who brought these recordings to fruition are to be deeply thanked. I have to think that Beethoven himself could not but smile, were he to hear these wonderful performances. Playing like this cannot have happened since he was alive.

To the memory of Annie Fischer, and to the kind folks at Hungaroton: Bravissima!

Beethoven at it's Best.......2001-06-30

Annie Fischer's complete recordings of the Beethoven piano sonatas are a treasure. Recorded during the 70's, not one was released during her lifetime. However, she did approve of final takes on all 32 before she passed away and thankfully, these great performances are finally available. She has an expressive tone the displays all the nuances of Beethoven's far-reaching set. She has a knack for capturing the perfect tempo every time. I regularly return to any of these recordings, including this one, to just rediscover these superb renditions. Any in this series is a solid purchase you will enjoy again and again. And whoever said Stiff and Labored is really hearing a different set of recordings then most everyone else who has sampled this treasure chest.

Inn a class by itself - Just like Schnabel!.......2001-05-05

I have extensively listened to 8 or 9 full setts of Beethoven's Piano Sonatas. Kempf, Arrau, Brendel, Backhauss, Gilels (partial set)...etc...I will say that without a doubt it is absolutely evident to my ears, heart and soul, that Annie Fischer's interpretation is in a class by itself. Her rendition is absolutely magnificent and sensitive. It flows with just the "right" timing just like pure running water. Although all major renditions have something to say, I feel that only Schnabel (the PEARL edition) and Gilels are in the same class as Annie Fischer. In the end and on a desert Island...I would choose her interpretation if I had to choose just one. It towers well above most of the others and by quite a margin...

Beethoven: Complete Piano Sonatas Vol. 5

Average customer rating:

Annie Fischer's Beethoven Piano Sonatas
Eureka!
Desert Island Beethoven
In a class by itself - just like Schnabel!

Beethoven: Complete Piano Sonatas Vol. 5

Manufacturer: Hungaroton
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music
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Beethoven: Piano Sonatas Vol. 1

ASIN: B0000030B2
Release Date: 1998-10-21

Tracks:

Son in e, Op. 90: Con Vivacita E Sempre Con Senitmento Ed Espressione
Son in e, Op. 90: Non Troppo Vivace E Cantabile Assai
Son in E, Op. 14 No. 1: Allegro
Son in E, Op. 14 No. 1: Allegretto
Son in E, Op. 14 No. 1: Rondo/Allegro Commodo
Son in c#, Op. 27 No. 2: Adagio Sostenuto
Son in c#, Op. 27 No. 2: Allegretto
Son in c#, Op. 27 No. 2: Presto Agitato
Son in A, Op. 101: Allegretto Ma Non Troppo Con Intimissimo Sentimento
Son in A, Op. 101: Vivace Alla Marcia
Son in A, Op. 101: Adagio Ma Non Troppo/Con Affetto
Son in A, Op. 101: Allegro Ma Non Troppo/E Con Fermezza

Customer Reviews:

Annie Fischer's Beethoven Piano Sonatas.......2007-01-13

Eureka!.......2002-12-19

To the memory of Annie Fischer, and to the kind folks at Hungaroton: Bravissima!

Desert Island Beethoven.......2001-06-30

In a class by itself - just like Schnabel!.......2001-05-05

Average customer rating:

Jando is Superb
Incredibly difficult
"Hammerklavier" Sonata, superbly played.

Beethoven: Piano Sonatas, Vol. 9

Manufacturer: Naxos
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

4-for-3 Classical | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music

4-for-3 All Music | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music
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ASIN: B0000013N1
Release Date: 1994-02-15

Tracks:

Son No.11 in B flat, Op.22: Allero Con Brio
Son No.11 in B flat, Op.22: Adagio Con Molta Expressione
Son No.11 in B flat, Op.22: Menuetto
Son No.11 in B flat, Op.22: Rondo. Allegretto
Son No.29 in B flat, Op.106 'Hammerklavier': Allegro
Son No.29 in B flat, Op.106 'Hammerklavier': Scherzo. Assai Vivace - Presto - Tempo I
Son No.29 in B flat, Op.106 'Hammerklavier': Adagio Sostenuto. Appassionato E Con Molto Sentimento
Son No.29 in B flat, Op.106 'Hammerklavier': Largo - Allegro
Son No.29 in B flat, Op.106 'Hammerklavier': Allegro Risoluto. Fuga A Tre Voci, Con Alcune Licenze

Customer Reviews:

Jando is Superb.......2006-02-18

I'm amazed that Jeno Jando hasn't been signed to one of the major labels. His luminescent recordings of the Beethoven Sonatas are superb, often better than the major label recordings with big names. And the Naxos recordings are much cheaper.

I find Jando to be an ideal Beethoven interpreter. No matter how demanding the material, there is no attempt at flamboyancy. Difficult to play shouldn't mean difficult to listen to and he handles the "Hammerklavier" expertly. The B flat major Sonata (No. 11) is also lovingly played. In Jando's hands, there are no minor Beethoven Sonatas. Gorgeous stuff.

Incredibly difficult.......2005-02-08

Two very different sonatas by Beethoven are the programme for the ninth volume in Jenö Jandó’s Complete Beethoven Piano Sonatas series for Naxos. Sonata No. 11, written around 1800, develops from a gorgeous little “twiddle” of a theme that somebody has supplied with the words, “Can I really do this?”, the answer being a resounding “Yes!”. The sonata is, as a whole, still in the classical mode, and each of its four movements has moments of particular beauty. Sonata No. 29, the so-called “Hammerklavier-Sonate”, was written about 18 years later when Beethoven, more or less stone deaf, was experimenting with completely new forms and ideas. The five movements of this sonata were deliberately designed to challenge the greatest virtuosos of the day, and the climax is the three-part fugue of the last movement, which is not only incredibly difficult to play, but has harmonic and rhythmic difficulties all its own. No wonder that Jenö Jandó needed all of 14 days to make this recording! – The result is a positive one. Jandó plays competently and convincingly, he is never idiosyncratic or flamboyant, always true to the ideals of the composer whose work he is currently playing. Although a survey in a German-language music magazine came to the conclusion that Alfredo Perl’s recording of the same repertoire for the label Arte Nova was to be preferred, I personally have never seen the need to buy any other recording after having listened to Jenö Jandó, who continues to be one of those Naxos artists whose releases bring pleasure over and over again.

"Hammerklavier" Sonata, superbly played........2000-05-22

Until recently, Hungarian classical pianist Jeno Jando was not very well known outside his own country, although he's recorded for the Naxos label for several years. One of his most notable achievements for Naxos is the complete piano sonatas of Ludwig van Beethoven. This CD (volume 9 of the complete Beethoven sonatas) contains one of Beethoven's last and most famous sonatas - the "Hammerklavier" (no. 29, Op. 106) - as well as an earlier, less well known sonata (no. 11, Op. 22.) The "Hammerklavier," which Beethoven composed to be so difficult as to challenge the best pianists of his day, is played with all the skill, fire, passion and dynamism originally intended by its composer. My favorite movements are the third, (adagio sostenuto,) with its slow, passionate, peaceful and songlike feel, and the fifth (allegro risoluto,) which contains Beethoven's innovative and massive fugue for solo pianist. It is a wonderfully exciting performance throughout, as is Jando's rendition of the piano sonata no. 11. Highly recommended.

Beethoven: The Complete Violin Sonatas, Vol. 2

Average customer rating:

Amazing!
Beethoven's Middle and Late Violin Sonatas

Beethoven: The Complete Violin Sonatas, Vol. 2

Manufacturer: Philips
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

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Beethoven: The Violin Sonatas

ASIN: B0000041CS
Release Date: 1996-01-23

Tracks:

Sonata No. 6 In A, Op. 30 No. 1 For Piano And Violin: 1. Allegro
Sonata No. 6 In A, Op. 30 No. 1 For Piano And Violin: 2. Adagio
Sonata No. 6 In A, Op. 30 No. 1 For Piano And Violin: 3. Allegretto con variazioni
Sonata No. 7 In C Minor, Op. 30 No. 2 For Piano And Violin: 1. Allegro con brio
Sonata No. 7 In C Minor, Op. 30 No. 2 For Piano And Violin: 2. Adagio cantabile
Sonata No. 7 In C Minor, Op. 30 No. 2 For Piano And Violin: 3. Scherzo. Allegro
Sonata No. 7 In C Minor, Op. 30 No. 2 For Piano And Violin: 4. Finale. Allegro
Sonata No. 8 In G, Op. 30 No. 3 For Piano And Violin: 1. Allegro assai
Sonata No. 8 In G, Op. 30 No. 3 For Piano And Violin: 2. Tempo di menuetto ma molto moderato e grazioso
Sonata No. 8 In G, Op. 30 No. 3 For Piano And Violin: 3. Allegro vivace

Tracks:

Sonata No. 9 In A, Op. 47 For Piano And Violin 'Kreutzer': 1. Adagio sostenuto - Presto
Sonata No. 9 In A, Op. 47 For Piano And Violin 'Kreutzer': 2. Andante con variazioni
Sonata No. 9 In A, Op. 47 For Piano And Violin 'Kreutzer': 3. Finale. Presto
Sonata No. 10 In G, Op. 96 For Piano And Violin: 1. Allegro moderato
Sonata No. 10 In G, Op. 96 For Piano And Violin: 2. Adagio espressivo
Sonata No. 10 In G, Op. 96 For Piano And Violin: 3. Scherzo. Allegro
Sonata No. 10 In G, Op. 96 For Piano And Violin: 4. Poco allegretto

Customer Reviews:

Amazing!.......2005-03-05

I love these pieces, especially 5, 7, 8, 9, & 10. I first heard Kreisler's versions, which are great. But only 'nine' is in stereo. So I bought Anna-Sophie Mutter's DG verion for a more recent copy. One problem, although Mutter's playing is flawless and the CD's clarity is superb, either the mixing, playing, or mic placement resulted in the violin often taking a distant back seat to the piano.

So I bought the Perlman/Askenazy 5/9 disk for my two favorites, and this disk for 6,7, & 10 (because I'm too cheap to by the whole Perlman/Ashkenazy Beethovin V. Sonata collection).

Guess what? Big surprise! I can't get the Haebler/Szeryng disks out of my player...unless it's to put them into my portable player, including & especially for the Kreutzer! In other words Haebler/Szeryng are GREAT!!!

Ok, this isn't telling the true audiophile much. There's no point in my discussing tempo, passion, inflection, or even recording quality, since beauty is in the ear of the beholder. But I will say this:

My immediate plan after posting this is to buy the rest of Haebler/Szeryng's Beethoven V. Sonata collection (Vol. 1)...before YOU can get it!

Beethoven's Middle and Late Violin Sonatas.......2004-01-07

This is the second two-CD set of Beethoven's ten sonatas for piano and violin performed by violinist Henryk Szeryng and pianist Ingrid Haebler. It includes Beethoven's final five works in this form, including the three sonatas of opus 30, the opus 47 sonata, and the opus 96 sonata.

The best-known work on this CD is Beethoven's ninth sonata in A, opus 47, the "Kreutzer" sonata. Beethoven dedicated this sonata, written in 1803, to a famous violinist, Rudolphe Kreutzer, who never played it. (Originally Beethoven dedicated the work to a violinist named Bridgetower who premiered the work with the composer at the piano. Beethoven withdrew the dedication after he and Bridgetower quarreled over a woman.) The Kreutzer is a flamboyant, virtuosic work of Beethoven's middle period. It features a lengthy opening movement full of double stops on the violin, challenging duels between the instruments and sweeping arpeggios on the piano. The middle movement is a contrasting and florid set of variations and the finale is a sweeping tarantelle that Beethoven originally composed for the first of the opus 30 violin sonatas. Some people hear this work as a musical recreation of the war between the sexes. Indeed, Tolstoy wrote a famous story, "The Kreutzer Sonata" on this theme. This is powerful, passionate music beautifully performed by Szeryng and Haebler and will undoubtedly lead many listeners to this set.

But there is much more to this collection than the Kreutzer. The remaining four sonatas on this collection are less well-known than is the Kreutzer but provide equally splendid, if different musical experiences. The listener will enjoy exploring these lesser-known compositions.

I was particularly impressed with Beethoven's final sonata for violin and piano, no. 10, in G. major opus 96. This four-movement work dates from 1812 and Beethoven dedicated it to a French violinist named Pierre Rode. The work lies on the border between Beethoven's second and third compositional periods. Unlike the Kreutzer, this is a subdued, quiet work, but one of great beauty and depth. The work opens with a short melodic phrase in the violin which is developed exquisitely in the movement between the two instruments. There is a lovely passage in thirds in the piano followed by a long, lyrical melody in the violin. The second movement opens with a long, chorale-like singing theme in the piano followed by a beautiful duet between the instruments. The third movement is a short minor-key scherzo and the fourth movement is a set of variations on a simple comic-opera like theme. Listeners who fall in love with this music may want to read Maynard Solomon's essay, "Pastoral Rhetoric, Structure: the Violin Sonata in G op. 96" in his book "Late Beethoven: Music, Thought and Imagination" (2003). Much as I love the Kreutzer, the opus 96 is probably the finest of Beethoven's ten sonatas for piano and violin.

The three violin and piano sonatas, opus 30, date from 1802 and invite comparison with the three contemporaneous piano sonatas of opus 31 (which include the "Tempest" sonata). Each of these three sonatas has its own character and the listener will enjoy hearing all of them. The first of the set is a three-movement work in A major. This is quiet, lyrical music. The "tarantelle" that Beethoven initially wrote to conclude this work would not fit well with the prior two movements. One can understand Beethoven using it as the finale for the Kreutzer and substituting a quieter concluding movement.

The second sonata in C-minor, in four movements, is the best known of the opus 30 set. Again, it opens with a short four-note piano figure which is developed into a movement of great force. There is much lyricism in this movement together with the passion attendant upon the C-minor key. The second movement is a long, slow theme first stated by the piano. There is a brief scherzo with a bubbly trio followed by a concluding rondo in the minor. The work ends on a fiery note.

The third opus 30 sonata is in G and is short and lively. It opens with a growling, swirling figure in the piano that again forms the basis for lengthy development and interplay between the instruments. The second movement is a simple, flowing minuet while the brief finale is fast and humorous -- almost foot-stomping in character. This too is a work that bears getting to know. One contemporary admirer of this sonata, Nigel Fortune, wrote: "There is no Beethoven sonata remotely like it, and it is one of his wittiest and most delightful works." (In "A Beethoven Companion", 1971, at 217)

Szeryng and Haebler collaborate beautifully on this CD and on their earlier CD which includes the first five Beethoven sonatas for piano and violin.

Tracks:

No.1 f-moll op. 2 No. 1: 1: Allegro
No.1 f-moll op. 2 No. 1: 2 : Adagio
No.1 f-moll op. 2 No. 1: 3 : Menuetto. Allegretto
No.1 f-moll op. 2 No. 1: 4 : Prestissimo
No.2 A-dur op. 2 No. 2: 1 : Allegro vivace
No.2 A-dur op. 2 No. 2: 2 : Largo appassionato
No.2 A-dur op. 2 No. 2: 3 : Scherzo. Allegretto
No.2 A-dur op. 2 No. 2: 4 : Rondo. Grazioso
No.4 Es-dur op.7: 1 : Allegro molto e con brio
No.4 Es-dur op.7: 2 : Largo, con gran espressione
No.4 Es-dur op.7: 3 : Allegro
No.4 Es-dur op.7: 4 : Rondo. Poco allegretto e grazioso

Tracks:

No. 3 C-dur op. 2 No. 3: I. Allegro con brio
No. 3 C-dur op. 2 No. 3: II. Adagio
No. 3 C-dur op. 2 No. 3: III. Scherzo, Allegro
No. 3 C-dur op. 2 No. 3: IV. Allegro assai
No. 5 c-moll op. 10 No. 1: I. Allegro molto e con brio
No. 5 c-moll op. 10 No. 1: II. Adagio molto
No. 5 c-moll op. 10 No. 1: III. Finale. Prestissimo
No. 6 F-dur op. 10 No. 2: I. Allegro
No. 6 F-dur op. 10 No. 2: II. Allegretto
No. 6 F-dur op. 10 No. 2: III. Presto
No. 7 D-dur op. 10 No. 3: I. Presto
No. 7 D-dur op. 10 No. 3: II. Largo e mesto
No. 7 D-dur op. 10 No. 3: III. Menuetto. Allegro
No. 7 D-dur op. 10 No. 3: IV. Rondo. Allegro

Tracks:

No. 8 C-moll op. 13 - Pathetique: I. Grave - Allegro di molto e con brio
No. 8 C-moll op. 13 - Pathetique: II. Adagio cantabile
No. 8 C-moll op. 13 - Pathetique: III. Rondo. Allegro
No. 9 E-dur op. 14 No. 1: I. Allegro
No. 9 E-dur op. 14 No. 1: II. Allegretto
No. 9 E-dur op. 14 No. 1: III. Rondo. Allegro comodo
No. 10 G-dur op. 14 No. 2: I. Allegro
No. 10 G-dur op. 14 No. 2: II. Andante
No. 10 G-dur op. 14 No. 2: III. Scherzo. Allegro assai
No. 11 B-dur op. 22: I. Allegro con brio
No. 11 B-dur op. 22: II. Adagio con molta espressione
No. 11 B-dur op. 22: III. Menuetto
No. 11 B-dur op. 22: IV. Rondo. Allegretto

Tracks:

No. 12 As-dur op. 26: I. Andante con Variations - Beethoven
No. 12 As-dur op. 26: II. Scherzo. Allegro molto - Beethoven
No. 12 As-dur op. 26: III. Marcia funebre sulla morte d'un Eroe - Beethoven
No. 12 As-dur op. 26: IV. Allegro - Beethoven
No. 13 Es-dur op. 27 No. 1: I. Andante - Beethoven
No. 13 Es-dur op. 27 No. 1: II. Allegro molto e vivace - Beethoven
No. 13 Es-dur op. 27 No. 1: III. Adagio con expressione - Beethoven
No. 13 Es-dur op. 27 No. 1: IV. Allegro vivace - Beethoven
No. 14 cis-moll op. 27 No. 2 Mondschein-Sonate in C sharp minor 'Moonlight': I. Adagio sostenuto - Beethoven
No. 14 cis-moll op. 27 No. 2 Mondschein-Sonate in C sharp minor 'Moonlight': II. Allegretto - Beethoven
No. 14 cis-moll op. 27 No. 2 Mondschein-Sonate in C sharp minor 'Moonlight': III. Presto agitato - Beethoven
No. 15 D-dur op. 28 Pastorale: I. Allegro - Beethoven
No. 15 D-dur op. 28 Pastorale: II. Andante - Beethoven
No. 15 D-dur op. 28 Pastorale: III. Scherzo. Allegro vivace - Beethoven
No. 15 D-dur op. 28 Pastorale: IV. Rondo. Allegro, ma non troppo - Beethoven

Tracks:

No. 16 G-dur op. 31 No. 1: I. Allegro vivace
No. 16 G-dur op. 31 No. 1: II. Adagio grazioso
No. 16 G-dur op. 31 No. 1: III. Rondo. Allegretto
No. 17 d-moll op. 31 No. 1 - Sturm - Sonate: I. Largo - Allegro
No. 17 d-moll op. 31 No. 1 - Sturm - Sonate: II. Adagio
No. 17 d-moll op. 31 No. 1 - Sturm - Sonate: III. Allegretto
No. 18 Es-dur op. 31 No. 3: I. Allegro
No. 18 Es-dur op. 31 No. 3: II. Scherzo. Allegretto vivace
No. 18 Es-dur op. 31 No. 3: III. Menuetto. Moderato e grazioso
No. 18 Es-dur op. 31 No. 3: IV. Presto con fuoco
No. 19 g-moll op. 49 No. 2: I. Andante
No. 19 g-moll op. 49 No. 2: II. Rondo. Allegro

Tracks:

No. 20 G-dur op. 49 No.2: I. Allegro , ma non troppo
No. 20 G-dur op. 49 No.2: II. Tempo di Menuetto linkerkant
No. 21 C-dur op. 53: I. Allegro con Brio
No. 21 C-dur op. 53: II. Introduzione. Adagio molto - attacca:
No. 21 C-dur op. 53: III. Rondo. Allegretto moderato
No. 22 F-dur op. 54: I. In tempo d'un Menuetto
No. 22 F-dur op. 54: II. Allegretto
No. 23 f-moll op. 57 - Appassionata: I. Allegro assai
No. 23 f-moll op. 57 - Appassionata: II. Andate con moto - attacca:
No. 23 f-moll op. 57 - Appassionata: III. Allegro, ma non troppo - Presto
No. 24 Fis-dur op. 78: I. Adagio cantabile - Allegro, ma non troppo
No. 24 Fis-dur op. 78: I. Allegro vivace

Tracks:

No. 25 G-dur op. 78: I. Presto alla tedesca
No. 25 G-dur op. 78: II. Andante
No. 25 G-dur op. 78: III. Vivace
No. 26 Es-dur op. 81a - Les Adieux: I. Das Lebewohl (Les Adieux). Adagio - Allegro
No. 26 Es-dur op. 81a - Les Adieux: II. Abwesenheit (L'Absence). Andante espressivo
No. 26 Es-dur op. 81a - Les Adieux: III. Das Wiedersehn (Le Retour). Vivacissimamente
No. 27 e-moll op.90: I. Mit Lebhaftigkeit und durchaus mit Empfindung und Ausdruck
No. 27 e-moll op.90: II. Nicht zu geschwind und sehr singbar vorzutragen
No. 29 B-dur op. 106 - Grosse Sonate fur das Hammerklavier: I. Allegro
No. 29 B-dur op. 106 - Grosse Sonate fur das Hammerklavier: II. Scherzo. Assai vivace
No. 29 B-dur op. 106 - Grosse Sonate fur das Hammerklavier: III. Adagio sostenuto. Appassionato e con molto sentimento
No. 29 B-dur op. 106 - Grosse Sonate fur das Hammerklavier: IV. Largo - Allegro risoluto

Tracks:

No. 28 A-dur op. 101: I. Etwas lebhaft und mit der innigsten Empfindung. Allegretto ma non troppo afdruk
No. 28 A-dur op. 101: II.Lebhaft, marschmig. Vivace alla marcia
No. 28 A-dur op. 101: III. Langsam und sehnsuchtsvoll. Adagio, ma non troppo, con affetto - attacca:
No. 28 A-dur op. 101: IV. Geschwinde, doch nicht zu sehr und mit Entschlossenheit. Allegro
No. 30 E-dur op. 109: I. Vivace, ma non troppo
No. 30 E-dur op. 109: II. Prestissimo
No. 30 E-dur op. 109: III. Gesangvoll, mit innigster Empfindung (Andante molto cantabile ed espressivo) gevlekt
No. 31 As-dur op. 110: I. Moderato cantabile molto espressivo
No. 31 As-dur op. 110: II. Allegro molto
No. 31 As-dur op. 110: III. Adagio, ma non troppo - Fuga. Allegro ma non troppo
No. 32 c-moll op. 111: I. Maestoso - Allegro con brio ed appassionato
No. 32 c-moll op. 111: II. Arietta. Adagio molto semplice e cantabile

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Wilhelm Kempff was the premier German pianist of the postwar period, so it's no surprise that he was considered one of the supreme interpreters of Beethoven. He recorded complete sets of the sonatas and concertos twice, and just about all the rest of the chamber music with piano as well. A classicist by nature, his approach to Beethoven was clear and poised rather than impulsive, but never lacking in sheer power or virtuosity when necessary. His last cycle of Beethoven sonatas is rightly regarded as his musical testament. Even if the mono recordings offered a few more exciting moments in a couple of works, you can't go wrong here--there isn't dud in the lot. --David Hurwitz

Customer Reviews:

Wilhelm Kempff Plays the Beethoven Piano Sonatas.......2005-08-16

Beethoven's "Daybook" includes the following famous entry: "The starry heavens above; the moral law within -- Kant!" Beethoven was alluding to Kant's statement in the "Critique of Practical Reason" of the two things that filled him with awe. But, in a simple way, Beethoven's statement could be read to show two related ways of understanding his music: the first as heroic, heaven-storming and outward directed and the second as inward, reflective, and meditative. Some of Beethoven's music can be seen as occupying one or the other end of the polarity while much of the music somehow occupies both ends.

The same holds true as a rough approach to the interpretation of Beethoven's music -- including the 32 piano sonatas. Some performers emphasize the dramatic, rugged and virtuosic characteristics of the music. Other performers emphasize the music's inward, introspective qualities. The great German pianist Wilhelm Kempff's classic recording of the complete piano sonatas is clearly within the latter approach. Kempff (1895 -- 1991) recorded the complete Beethoven sonata-cycle twice, the first in the 1950's and the second in the 1960's. The latter version was reissued on eight CDs by Deutsche Gramophonne as part of its 87-CD Complete Beethoven Edition. I had the original version on LP and purchased the CD set when LPs became obsolete. I recently had the opportunity to relisten to Kempff's performances in their entirety.

Kempff's readings of the sonatas are highly personal and introspective. His tempos tend to be slow and fluid, the pedal is used a great deal, phrasing is highly legato, and the volume is subdued and restrained. This is a metaphysical thoughtful reading of Beethoven which probes within. It is a moving and convincing way of rendering the sonatas; and I came away from my experience with a renewed devotion to this music. I have attempted about half of the sonatas myself over the years on the piano.

Beethoven's sonatas date from his youthful days in Bonn before his 1792 move to Vienna (the two sonatas of opus 49) to about 1822 (opus 111). Thus they occupied him for almost the entirety of his creative life. In listening to this complete set, the listener can follow Beethoven's development essentially chronologically and learn more first-hand about the sonatas than can be gained from reading many studies.

Separate from a chronological approach, listeners interested in a complete set of the sonatas will probably have some familiarity with some of the better-known named sonatas, such as the "Pathetique", opus 13, the "Moonlight", opus 27 no. 2, the "Waldstein" opus 53 or the "Appassionata" opus 57. After falling in love with some of these works, many listeners will want to explore the entire set of 32 sonatas.

Kempff brings his own personal, introspective readings to each of these familiar works. He does best, I think, with the rondo finale of the "Waldstein", with the "Moonlight" and with the two final movements of the "Tempest" sonata, opus 31 no. 2. His readings of these works on the whole will offer fresh insight into these great sonatas.

I think the greatest attraction of this set is the opportunity it affords to explore some of Beethoven's less frequently performed works. Again, Kempff is at his best in works of an introspective character. Thus, those coming to the sonata cycle for the first time will enjoy his performances of the opus 26 sonata, of opus 78, 79, and 81a ("Les Adieux) of opus 90, and of opus 101, 109, and 110. Opus 90, 101, and 109 are among my favorites of the cycle, and Kempff plays them soulfully and beautifully.

There is yet another group of sonatas that are still less well-known but receive excellent readings on this set. This group includes two early sonatas, opus 2 no 3 and opus 7, the opus 22 sonata, opus 27 no. 1 (the companion to the more famous "Moonlight"),opus 31 no. 3, the enigmatic opus 54, and, of course, the "Hammerklavier" sonata and the final sonata, opus 111. Each listeners choices and favorites among the 32 will vary and change with time and repeated hearings. This collection is an excellent introduction to all of them.

There are many recordings of the set of 32 sonatas and many approaches to the interpretation of Beethoven. I have lived with my set of Kempff for a long time and still am moved and inspired by his playing of this inexhaustible music. Listeners wanting to get to know this great body of work will find much to cherish in these performances by Wilhelm Kempff.

Robin Friedman

Dollar for Dollar, the Best Beethoven Sonatas on CD.......2001-03-16

Beethoven's piano sonatas were one of humanity's great achievements. They have been recorded by many pianists including Artur Schnabel, Alfred Brendel, Richard Goode, and John O'Connor--and nearly every pianist of note has recorded at least a few of the most popular sonatas.

What makes the Kempff set work best for me is the lack of a dogmatic, cookie cutter approach to the music. Kempff approaches each piece as a masterwork in its own right. The tempos are more sensible than those adopted by most other pianists, particularly in the slower movements. For example, in the Hammerklavier Sonata, most pianists cannot resist the urge to play the Adagio almost as a Largo--ignoring the fact that such a tempo would have made the movement incomprehensible on a piano of Beethoven's time--which had a quick tonal decay. Speaking of tone, Kempff has an especially beautiful sound--a product of his 19th century training. The phrasing is more flexible than today's "red light, green light" stop and go approach, and Kempff, unlike so many of today's pianists, never lets musical point making get in the way of the big picture, structually.

Although Kempff was getting along in years when these recordings were made--the 1960s--he is fully up to the technical hurdles these sonatas contain. The only disappointment on this set is in the "Appassionata" Sonata, where Kempff's clear headed approach does not suit this rage filled piece. For that particular piece, it's best to go with Richter's RCA recording. On the whole, this is the best set of Beethoven Sonatas currently available on CD--and it's at bargain price!

A great set, but..........2000-05-19

the mono set is clearly preferable, both as to performance and sound. All the attributes ascribed to the stereo set are present in even greater abundance in the mono set from the early 50s and the sound is more natural and warm than here. Problem is, it is difficult to find now. But do seek it out. This stereo set is probably still a "5" on an absolute scale, but the earlier set is just that much better.

The Definitive Beethoven Sonatas.......2000-05-12

Kempff recorded the complete cycle of Beethoven sonatas no fewer than three times. This, his last, is quite possibly the most refined set of Beethoven sonatas as far as overall consistency and polish. Many other sets show great promise in either the most popular sonatas or else in one particular period. (Richard Goode's late sonatas, for instance, are stellar, but some of the earlier works come across as dry and pedantic). From the Haydn-esque op. 2, to the Sonate Pathétique, the thunderous Hammerklavier and intense opp. 109, 110 and 111, all of the sonatas are executed with extreme clarity, authority and thoughtfulness. (Actually, the clarity is one of my few complaints in this set as occasionally passages feel a little detached, but rarely). Even the two "easy" sonatas of op. 49 are excellent; intermediate student pieces no longer. Some of the slow movements are taken a little faster than I would prefer, although there is hardly ever a sense of urgency. Kempff's dynamic range and large capacity for every imaginable articulation is also exploited to its very finest. There is no clearer Waldstein available, period. Even the so-called "warhorses" like the Moonlight are not tiresome in this set; some other recordings sound like the pianist has played them too many times and is sick to death of it, but you will never feel that here. For freshness and detail in all of these monuments of the piano sonata, this is the set to have.

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