Serkin plays Beethoven

[~George]

Can someone tell me if this box...





...contains what is in this box and these two CD's: (plus sonata 11, 24 and 28 of course)



 



*EDIT: I have since found out that the 5CD set contains all of the recordings from the three above releases except for the Fanatasy from the Essential Classics CD and the 1960 Op. 110 from the "Unreleased Box." The 5CD has a later recording of Op. 110, from 1971.

I've also found a fairly comprehensive discography for this artist:

http://my.dreamwiz.com/fischer/Serkin/discography-serkin.htm




Also, how is that first box? Is the playing of the sonatas at the same level as the above single CD (in the middle)?

[jwinter]

Hi George.  I'm not 100% positive what specific performances are on those other discs you list, but I have the Sony France set.  It covers all of the sonatas listed on those discs, I believe the same performances, and it's excellent IMO.  If you'd like me to check a performance date or anything for you, just give a shout. 

[val]

George, Rudolf Serkin is one of my favorite pianists. But I think that his best interpretations are in Mozart Concertos (with Schneider or Szell) and Schubert Sonatas, not mentioning the chamber music with the Busch or the Budapest.

Regarding Beethoven I love his versions of the Sonatas opus 13 (the best, to me), opus 27/2, opus 81-a (again, the best) and the opus 109 (in one of his last recordings, with the opus 110 and 111): the opus 109 is remarkable but the other two are slow and seem to show the age of the pianist.

Serkin also gave extraordinary versions of the first two piano Concertos (with Ormandy) and the 4th (with Toscanini).

[~George]

George, Rudolf Serkin is one of my favorite pianists. But I think that his best interpretations are in Mozart Concertos (with Schneider or Szell) and Schubert Sonatas, not mentioning the chamber music with the Busch or the Budapest.

One day I'll get to these.

Regarding Beethoven I love his versions of the Sonatas opus 13 (the best, to me), opus 27/2, opus 81-a (again, the best) and the opus 109 (in one of his last recordings, with the opus 110 and 111): the opus 109 is remarkable but the other two are slow and seem to show the age of the pianist.

Can you tell me which ones you are referring to? Some were recorded more than once. I suspect the recordings of the late works you refer to are from the DG set?

Serkin also gave extraordinary versions of the first two piano Concertos (with Ormandy) and the 4th (with Toscanini).

Are the ones with Ormandy still in print?

[Todd]

The Columbia Legends set contains all of Serkin's stereo LvB sonata recordings for CBS and is generally excellent.  Better still is the single disc of Serkin's mono recordings of Opp 13, 27/2, 57, and 109 in the The Art of Interpretation series.  The sound isn't as good - but it's surprisingly good - and each recording handily bests the later recordings. 

[~George]

The Columbia Legends set contains all of Serkin's stereo LvB sonata recordings for CBS and is generally excellent.  Better still is the single disc of Serkin's mono recordings of Opp 13, 27/2, 57, and 109 in the The Art of Interpretation series.  The sound isn't as good - but it's surprisingly good - and each recording handily bests the later recordings. 

Thanks Todd! 

[dirkronk]

George, Rudolf Serkin is one of my favorite pianists. But I think that his best interpretations are in Mozart Concertos (with Schneider or Szell) and Schubert Sonatas, not mentioning the chamber music with the Busch or the Budapest.

Serkin also gave extraordinary versions of the first two piano Concertos (with Ormandy) and the 4th (with Toscanini).

Agree re Serkin's Mozart recordings...and of course his early collaborations with Busch & Budapest Qts.

By and large, though, Serkin doesn't do as much for me in his Beethoven sonatas. I don't mean they're bad or not enjoyable--certainly they have wonderful aspects to commend them. But his touch and his choices in phrasing don't always speak to me the way those of other pianists do.

And his Beethoven concertos...these, I find more appealing, even though I seldom think to list him among my personal faves. His Emperor with Bernstein is a classic, of course, as is his 4th with Toscanini. I'm especially interested now in your recommendation of his #1 and #2 with Ormandy, val--mainly because it was only a few years ago that I first listened to his performance of the 4th with Ormandy and found it to be surprisingly good...quite satisfying. Why surprising? Mainly because I think of the older Serkin as occupying a sort of second tier in my personal pantheon of pianists--and Ormandy perhaps third tier in conductors (all my personal opinion, folks: no flames, please)--and yet in combination they were utterly splendid. Not quite outstanding enough to displace Fleisher/Szell or Gilels/Ludwig in my affections, but still most admirable. So I definitely want to hear what they do with the first two concerti.

Thanks for the recs,

Dirk

[~George]

Hi George.  I'm not 100% positive what specific performances are on those other discs you list, but I have the Sony France set.  It covers all of the sonatas listed on those discs, I believe the same performances, and it's excellent IMO.  If you'd like me to check a performance date or anything for you, just give a shout. 

Can you tell me how this is packaged, J?

I think its 5 discs, right? So is it in 2 thick Double jewel boxes? 

[jwinter]

No, it's in one double-wide jewel box (all of the Sony France sets that I have are like that -- Lenny's Sibelius, Walter's Mozart, etc.).  One of the sides has a double holder on a hinge to accommodate the fifth disc.

If you're into Serkin's Beethoven, may I also strongly recommend his Diabelli Variations.  They are superb, one of the best versions I've heard.

[~George]

No, it's in one double-wide jewel box (all of the Sony France sets that I have are like that -- Lenny's Sibelius, Walter's Mozart, etc.).  One of the sides has a double holder on a hinge to accommodate the fifth disc.

Thanks. So its the same size as a regular fat double CD box?

If you're into Serkin's Beethoven, may I also strongly recommend his Diabelli Variations.  They are superb, one of the best versions I've heard.

I agree, I have it. Its one of the reasons why I am getting this set. I can't wait!! I ordered it last night from archiv.  .

Have you heard his mono sonata recordings? I'm going to pick up a few at the next inventory sale at my local B&M store.

[jwinter]

Thanks. So its the same size as a regular fat double CD box?

I agree, I have it. Its one of the reasons why I am getting this set. I can't wait!! I ordered it last night from archiv.  .

Have you heard his mono sonata recordings? I'm going to pick up a few at the next inventory sale at my local B&M store.

Yep, it's the same size.  Haven't heard the mono -- I don't have too much mono Beethoven on piano, other than Schnabel and Kempff, and a little Nat and Gieseking.

[~George]

Yep, it's the same size.  Haven't heard the mono -- I don't have too much mono Beethoven on piano, other than Schnabel and Kempff, and a little Nat and Gieseking.

Thanks for your help and patience, J, I am at a serious loss for space, so this information is important to me.   

[~George]

The Columbia Legends set contains all of Serkin's stereo LvB sonata recordings for CBS and is generally excellent.  Better still is the single disc of Serkin's mono recordings of Opp 13, 27/2, 57, and 109 in the The Art of Interpretation series.  The sound isn't as good - but it's surprisingly good - and each recording handily bests the later recordings. 

Have you (or anyone else) heard the Music and Arts release of his mono sonatas for Columbia?

Link:

http://musicandarts.com/CDpages/CD1141hi.html 

Also, are some of these performances duplicates of the Sony mono releases?

[Todd]

Have you (or anyone else) heard the Music and Arts release of his mono sonatas for Columbia?

All the recordings except the Moonlight are the same for both sets.  I've not heard the M&A set, but since Sony has the original source material, it may have the better transfer.

[~George]

All the recordings except the Moonlight are the same for both sets.  I've not heard the M&A set, but since Sony has the original source material, it may have the better transfer.

Thanks.

FWIW, the Waldstein was not released on Sony CD to my knowledge and I've read that it is some folks very favorite version of the work. Plus, I believe the Op. 78 and 81a were also not released on CD, at least they are unavailable now.