The 32 Beethoven Sonatas - Compile Your Own Unique Set Using Your No. 1 Faves

rubio · February 07, 2009, 12:14:42 PM

Quote from: George on February 07, 2009, 09:08:43 AM
All favorites are in order, the first one being my #1 pick, second one being #2, etc.

Are you referring to the stereo or mono set by Backhaus, George? Maybe I should sample him. I guess the mono set is quite difficult to find, and probably will be OOP first.

prémont · February 07, 2009, 12:46:01 PM

Quote from: George on February 07, 2009, 10:14:25 AM
Mandryka is a female?

I think, Mandryka is a male. Gould appeals only to real males like Sarge and (probably) Mandryka

Sergeant Rock · February 07, 2009, 12:59:15 PM

Quote from: premont on February 07, 2009, 12:46:01 PM
I think, Mandryka is a male. Gould appeals only to real males like Sarge and (probably) Mandryka

Quite right..having the courage to admit liking Gould's Beethoven requires balls of steel

Sarge

George · February 07, 2009, 02:41:02 PM

Quote from: Sergeant Rock on February 07, 2009, 11:28:40 AM
I knew I would...sorry.

Sarge

Hey, nothing to be sorry about. I was totally kidding.

I appreciate your honesty, actually. No need for us to agree on everything.

Gurn Blanston · February 07, 2009, 02:48:42 PM

I'm working on mine now, be up this evening. Of course, it will be all fortepiano...

OK, one fortepiano, one modern piano.

----------------
Listening to:
Last 3 Sonatas - Charles Rosen - Op 110 Piano Sonata #31 in Ab 2nd mvmt - Allegro molto

George · February 07, 2009, 03:19:07 PM

Quote from: rubio on February 07, 2009, 12:14:42 PM
Are you referring to the stereo or mono set by Backhaus, George? Maybe I should sample him. I guess the mono set is quite difficult to find, and probably will be OOP first.

The Stereo set.

I was telling another member via PM, that good as the Backhaus is, I like the Schnabel better. The Naxos CDs (to me, the best transfers out there) are still all available on MDT.

sporkadelic · February 07, 2009, 04:09:15 PM

Bonus exercise: Compile a set of 32 by 32 different pianists! I always thought this would be a cool idea for a classical radio marathon. (Alas, we have no classical radio stations in the state of New Hampshire.)

Sergeant Rock · February 07, 2009, 04:19:03 PM

Quote from: sporkadelic on February 07, 2009, 04:09:15 PM
Bonus exercise: Compile a set of 32 by 32 different pianists!

Todd and Premont could do that...the rest of us, alas, don't have the resources.

Sarge

Dancing Divertimentian · February 07, 2009, 05:33:37 PM

Quote from: Sergeant Rock on February 07, 2009, 10:41:12 AM
I've got Fischer's box but I'm the odd one out I guess; she's not a first choice in any of the sonatas.

I have her set, too, and I echo your sentiment.

71 dB · February 07, 2009, 06:30:43 PM

I'm surprised about this kind of threads. Some of you are able to list top 5 performances for each of the 32 sonatas! Damn, I think I have heard perhaps half dozen of all of the sonatas and I own only one recording (Brautigam/BIS, sonatas 8-11). I also have sonata 17 by Richter on EMI's Handel disc. That's it, 5 damn sonatas and one performance for each! Personally I don't find those sonatas that mindblowing to explore them fanatically. I am planning to buy a disc of late sonatas (they might be superb) by Brautigam in the future when recorded/released. I don't get how people have time, money or interest to listen to 10+ cycles of all 32 sonatas but that's me.

aquablob · February 07, 2009, 06:38:23 PM

Quote from: 71 dB on February 07, 2009, 06:30:43 PM
I am planning to buy a disc of late sonatas (they might be superb)

They just might be...

Lilas Pastia · February 07, 2009, 08:28:22 PM

I'm just not getting this. How can you opine on 32 works spanning 3 decades, different stylistic influences, and of unequal musical interest ?? Much as I respect everyone's opinion on the various works/recordings/artists listed here, I think this is an amusing (inconsequential) exercise at best.

I can definitely list my favourite sonatas, favourite pianists or favoutrite compilations, but it's just a micro-mini-tiny portion of the recorded output. Among those I respect and enjoy: Kempff (mono DG), Rubinstein, Nat and Backhaus. And I'm sure there are others just as worthy I haven't listened to. Although I love the works, I have a hard time figuring how could one muster much interest in new recorded versions beyond these masters. Unless it's about the sound (admittredly an important aspect).

rubio · February 08, 2009, 01:20:57 AM

Quote from: George on February 07, 2009, 03:19:07 PM
The Stereo set.

I was telling another member via PM, that good as the Backhaus is, I like the Schnabel better. The Naxos CDs (to me, the best transfers out there) are still all available on MDT.

So the Naxos transfers are better than Pearl in this case? I just have one Pearl volume with Schnabel so far. Usually Pearl provide me with the best transfers, but I guess there are exceptions.

George · February 08, 2009, 01:49:12 AM

Quote from: rubio on February 08, 2009, 01:20:57 AM
So the Naxos transfers are better than Pearl in this case? I just have one Pearl volume with Schnabel so far. Usually Pearl provide me with the best transfers, but I guess there are exceptions.

It's a subjective thing, for sure. Pearl is just too noisy for me in this case, I ended up with headaches if I listened to their Schnabel for any length of time. For me, Naxos strikes a nice balance between surface noise and piano tone. They are cheap enough via MDT, so I suggest trying one disc out. The Op. 2 disc contains some incredible performances, his Op. 2 No. 1 and 2 are the best that I have heard.

rubio · February 08, 2009, 01:54:23 AM

Quote from: George on February 08, 2009, 01:49:12 AM
It's a subjective thing, for sure. Pearl is just too noisy for me in this case, I ended up with headaches if I listened to their Schnabel for any length of time. For me, Naxos strikes a nice balance between surface noise and piano tone. They are cheap enough via MDT, so I suggest trying one disc out. The Op. 2 disc contains some incredible performances, his Op. 2 No. 1 and 2 are the best that I have heard.

I will do!

Peregrine · February 08, 2009, 01:58:03 AM

Quote from: rubio on February 08, 2009, 01:54:23 AM
I will do!

It's my reference set, Rubio and well transferred by Mark Obert-Thorn (as usual) on Naxos.

71 dB · February 08, 2009, 02:20:44 AM

Quote from: Lilas Pastia on February 07, 2009, 08:28:22 PMI have a hard time figuring how could one muster much interest in new recorded versions beyond these masters.

Perhaps people are just "brainwashed" to prefer the good old masters? What is the right way to play these sonatas? We just don't know which performances Beethoven himself would prefer.

I just refuse to believe that piano players were (genetically?!?) much better some 50 years ago than new talents are. No, the explanation is that people just prefer the old performances because that's what first heard. I have never heard these old performances (they NEVER play Op. 111 on radio or any other sonata for that matter) so I can brainwash myself with any performance of choice. That is if I choose to explore these sonatas instead of say Franz Tunder's organ works (a sadly unknown composer of great importance in the development of German baroque). Every time I come to this forum I think "Boy, is this Beethoven guy overrated!" There is so much more to classical music...

If you think this is delusional text think again. People are different and have different opinions. My opinion just happen to be rare. I have to "hang around" here because there aren't forums for people like me, people who adore Bruhns, Dittersdorf, Elgar, Tangerine Dream, Prodigy, S'Express etc. instead of Sibelius.

Quote from: Lilas Pastia on February 07, 2009, 08:28:22 PMUnless it's about the sound (admittredly an important aspect).

It is. Multichannel SACD sound for me (Brautigam/BIS).

DavidRoss · February 08, 2009, 03:43:31 AM

Quote from: aquariuswb on February 07, 2009, 08:46:50 AM
You know, I'm not even going to try... too much effort!

Quote from: Wanderer on February 07, 2009, 09:50:53 AM
Me, neither (for now); a very interesting topic to read, nonetheless.

Me three...I'm much too ADD, not enough OCD! But I agree that it's interesting and think that few bodies of work merit the required devotion as much as the 32.

Quote from: Sergeant Rock on February 07, 2009, 10:41:12 AM
I've got Fischer's box but I'm the odd one out I guess; she's not a first choice in any of the sonatas.

Quote from: donwyn on February 07, 2009, 05:33:37 PM
I have her set, too, and I echo your sentiment.

Me three, again!

Quote from: Lilas Pastia on February 07, 2009, 08:28:22 PMI can definitely list my favourite sonatas, favourite pianists or favoutrite compilations, but it's just a micro-mini-tiny portion of the recorded output. Among those I respect and enjoy: Kempff (mono DG), Rubinstein, Nat and Backhaus. And I'm sure there are others just as worthy I haven't listened to. Although I love the works, I have a hard time figuring how could one muster much interest in new recorded versions beyond these masters. Unless it's about the sound (admittredly an important aspect).

Others might say the same of Bruckner's symphonies.

I sure wish Rubinstein had recorded more of the 32...but perhaps the reason the ones he did record are so good is that he recorded only those he loved.

Quote from: 71 dB on February 08, 2009, 02:20:44 AM
Perhaps people are just "brainwashed" to prefer the good old masters? ... Every time I come to this forum I think "Boy, is this Beethoven guy overrated!"

Welcome back, Poju. Your special insights have been missed!

71 dB · February 08, 2009, 04:45:03 AM

Quote from: DavidRoss on February 08, 2009, 03:43:31 AM
Welcome back, Poju. Your special insights have been missed!

Thanks DavidRoss! I never really left. I am just less active here because my job takes so much of my mental energy, I am into Tangerine Dream these days etc.

George · February 08, 2009, 05:17:50 AM

Quote from: Gurn Blanston on February 07, 2009, 02:48:42 PM
I'm working on mine now, be up this evening. Of course, it will be all fortepiano...

OK, one fortepiano, one modern piano.

When you finish it, please PM me. Perhaps you can get us back on track.

Anyone else who has a Unique set of the 32 they wish to post (the topic of this thread) can do the same.