Topic: Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827)

[George]

Yeah, hear, hear ... and only those who have no idea with spaces in their names like G E O R G E or squiggles before like ~George have 24 or so sonata sets  .

I don't know what you are talking about.

[BachQ]

OK:

1. What do you think are among Beethoven's greatest achievements?  Most "influential" works?

His symphonies probably. Many Romantic composers found it difficult to escape the "shadow of Beethoven." Some, like Brahms for instance, felt this influence rather deeply.

My vote would go to LvB's piano sonatas.  All post-Beethoven composers would be forced to confront Beethoven's unrivaled mastery of that genre . . . . . . and many post-LvB composers wisely left that genre alone, realizing that LvB was the alpha and omega of the piano sonata . . . . . . . 

[George]

My vote would go to LvB's piano sonatas.  All post-Beethoven composers would be forced to confront Beethoven's unrivaled mastery of that genre . . . . . . and many post-LvB composers wisely left that genre alone, realizing that LvB was the alpha and omega of the piano sonata . . . . . . . 

You certainly aren't going to get any argument form me on that point. 

[BachQ]

Concertos: 1- Richter/Munch, 2-Pollini/Jochum, 3-Annie Fischer/Fricsay, Serkin/Bernstein, 4-Arrau/Haitink, 5- Serkin/Beethoven, Pollini/Boehm

You have a recording with Serkin as soloist and Beethoven conducting?

Cool! 

 

[George]

You have a recording with Serkin as soloist and Beethoven conducting?

Cool! 

 

LOL

It's with Bernstein. 

[Que]

Hi, I'm a newbie, and this is my first thread (first post, actually).  So please, everyone feel free to respond.

Hi from another newbie.

1. What do you think are among Beethoven's greatest achievements?  Most "influential" works?
Beethoven was the greatest composer of the Classical era and the first Romantic composer! Who can beat that?
Most influentual works were - and I'm not very original here: his symphonies (the 3rd was a revolution and so was the 9th), his piano sonatas and his string quartets.

2. What are your favorite works by Beethoven?
Impossible to give a limited answer: symphonies 3-5 and 7-9, middle and late piano sonatas, all string quartets, several piano trios, the violin sonatas, Missa solemnis, and yes: Fidelio!

Least favorite?
Some juvenelia

3. Do you feel that Beethoven's personal challenges (deafness; nephew issues; etc) considerably heightened the emotional content of his music?
I generally think the relevance of these kinds of things is overrated.
So: no - emotional contect stems from character and intelligence.

4. Any favorite recordings?  Of Symphonies? Piano Sonatas? Concertos?  Chamber?  Overtures?
D Minor! What a question - please think of the workload in replying!
OK, some highlights (all of which are familiar favourites):

Symphonies: Jochum/RCO; Kletzki/CzPO, several Klemperer and Furtwängler recordings with the Furtw./9th with the Philharmonia from '54 as highlight.

Piano concertos: Kempff/Van Kempen; Solomon/Cluytens & Menges, Schnabel/Sargent

Piano sonatas: Kempff, Schnabel.

String quartets: Busch Quartet, Vegh Quartet.

Fidelio: Furtwängler live '53.

Q

[71 dB]

1. What do you think are among Beethoven's greatest achievements?  Most "influential" works?

2. What are your favorite works by Beethoven?  Least favorite?

3. Do you feel that Beethoven's personal challenges (deafness; nephew issues; etc) considerably heightened the emotional content of his music?

4. Any favorite recordings?  Of Symphonies? Piano Sonatas? Concertos?  Chamber?  Overtures?

1. Late String Quartets + Missa Solemnis

2. Favorites: Late String Quartets + Missa Solemnis + Symphony 6 + Piano Concerto 4
Least favorite: Fidelio, Symphonies 1 & 2.

3. Not considerable. They may have some effect thou.

4. I am happy with my Naxos String Quartet discs and Ronald Brautigam's Piano Sonatas (vol 1) on BIS is an awesome SACD! 

[Don]

Favorite Piano Sonata - Hammerklavier/Pollini).  For the other sonatas, I go with Brendel.

Cello Sonatas - Coin/Cohen/Harmonia Mundi.

Missa Solemnis - Klemperer/EMI.

I have much more Beethoven than I tend to listen to.  Guess he's not my soul mate.

[facehugger]

late quartets

seriously

[Maciek]

If anyone'd like to try Beethoven's oratorio Christ on the Mount of Olives op. 85 (not recorded very often, I believe), I've posted a live webcast recording in the Broadcast Corner.

Cheers,
Maciek

[Bogey]

1. What do you think are among Beethoven's greatest achievements?  Most "influential" works?

Symphony #3....just ask Haydn.

2.What are your favorite works by Beethoven?

Cello Sonatas-all
Middle String Quartets-all
Wind Chamber Music-all
Choral Fantasy (for Piano, Chorus, and Orchestra) Op. 80

Least favorite?

Wellington's Sieg/Victory Op. 91....I want to enjoy this, but it always seem to fall short within my "Beethoven standards".

3. Do you feel that Beethoven's personal challenges (deafness; nephew issues; etc) considerably heightened the emotional content of his music?

Absolutely.

4. Any favorite recordings?  Of Symphonies? Piano Sonatas? Concertos?  Chamber?  Overtures?

Cello Sonatas: Casals/Horszowski et al.
String Quartets: Végh String Quartet
Wind Chamber Music: Consortium Classicum
Choral Fantasy Op. 80: Harnoncourt/Chamber Orchestra of Europe (Piano-Aimard)

[hornteacher]

Least favorite?

Wellington's Sieg/Victory Op. 91....I want to enjoy this, but it always seem to fall short within my "Beethoven standards".

I agree, and its interesting to read about how popular that piece was at the time of its composition.

[Holden]

When I started to learn the piano as a youngster I discovered Beethoven and fell in love with this man's music. My first classical recording was the ubiquitous Pathetique/Moonlight/Appassionata combination played by Kempff (mono) and bought for me by my parents as a Xmas present. I then joined World Record Club (lied about my age) and my second recording was the first two Op 2 sonatas coupled with the G minor Fanatsy - is this unique? Whether it is or not, it amply demonstrated my fascination with LvB's piano works. From there I moved on and had soon collected most of the major genres - piano sonatas, piano concertos, symphonies, overtures, - even the complete string quartets - though I hardly ever played them. These were all LPs and most came through the sadly departed World Record Club.

I had piano sonata recordings by Schnabel, Solomon, Gilels and Barenboim. I had the justifiably famous 4th concerto from Gilels/Ludwig. My symphony cycle was the Cluytens/BPO - not a bad place to start and I was still a teenager! I didn't get these because I was an aficionado but because it was what WRC offered. However, I believe that this helped me become more judgemental regarding the quality of recordings.

I still struggle with some of the string quartets and I've never found a recording of the Missa Solemnis that has really 'done it' for me despite my enjoyment of the sacred music of Verdi, Rossini, Cherubini, Mozart et al.

But even after 40 odd years of listening to and acquiring more and more classsical music Beethoven has always been and will always be my numero uno composer.

[George]

Great story, Holden.

Check your PM? 

[Mozart]

Hi, I'm a newbie, and this is my first thread (first post, actually).  So please, everyone feel free to respond.

Hello Noob

1. What do you think are among Beethoven's greatest achievements?  Most "influential" works?

#rd symphony

2. What are your favorite works by Beethoven?  Least favorite?

&th symphony

late string quartets

3. Do you feel that Beethoven's personal challenges (deafness; nephew issues; etc) considerably heightened the emotional content of his music?

Duh.

4. Any favorite recordings?  Of Symphonies? Piano Sonatas? Concertos?  Chamber?  Overtures?

Karajan 1963

[marvinbrown]

Hi, I'm a newbie, and this is my first thread (first post, actually).  So please, everyone feel free to respond.

1. What do you think are among Beethoven's greatest achievements?  Most "influential" works?
    In my opinion Beethoven's greatest achievement is pushing music from the Classical era to the Romantic era.  He ushered in the Romantic Era.  Whether it is the symphonies or piano sonatas or piano concertos you can actually hear the transition from classical to romantic or early romatic .  In that regard he was revolutionary.  I also believe that he made orchestral music (nonvocal or music that is not based on literary text) significant.   

2. What are your favorite works by Beethoven?  Least favorite?
 
    Easily the 3rd, 5th, 7th and 9th symphonies, Piano Concerto No.5 (Emperor) any piano sonata with a name (ie Moonlight, Les adieux, Pathetique tempest etc.)  Least Favorite: perhaps Fidilio 

3. Do you feel that Beethoven's personal challenges (deafness; nephew issues; etc) considerably heightened the emotional content of his music?
    No not really, you do not need to be deaf to be emotional...look at Wagner.

4. Any favorite recordings?  Of Symphonies? Piano Sonatas? Concertos?  Chamber?  Overtures?

     Yes: Symohonies cycle Karajan 1963, Piano Sonatas: Gulda

[Gurn Blanston]

Hi, I'm a newbie, and this is my first thread (first post, actually).  So please, everyone feel free to respond.

1. What do you think are among Beethoven's greatest achievements?  Most "influential" works?

I think that Beethoven's greatest achievement was in forming a presenting a role model for composers after him on how to be a proper tortured soul, and to work towards composing things with their own standards of perfection in mind instead of someone else's (a patron, the Church, whatever).  His works with the longest-lasting influence have clearly been the symphonies from 3-9, although the Late Quartets ran at the back of the pack before making a last second dash with a furlong left to go, and were more influential later. That says a lot about them, I think.

2. What are your favorite works by Beethoven?  Least favorite?

Well, the 3rd & 9th symphonies in about a dead heat. I don't have a least favorite, I view each in context and am quite content with them the way they are. Beethoven knew what he was doing far better than I do.


3. Do you feel that Beethoven's personal challenges (deafness; nephew issues; etc) considerably heightened the emotional content of his music?

Probably less than people tend to give them the weight for. I think the bigger issues of the day (Napoleon, politics in Vienna, the Fall of the Aristocracy &c) probably lent at least as much if not more. 

4. Any favorite recordings?  Of Symphonies? Piano Sonatas? Concertos?  Chamber?  Overtures?

Savall's 3rd, Gardiner's 9th, Arrau's 4th Concerto, Perlman/Giulini's Violin Concerto, Kempff's "Pathetique", L'Archibudelli's String Trios, Fischer-Dieskau's "An die ferne Geliebte"... dozens more.

[George]

4. Any favorite recordings?  Of Symphonies? Piano Sonatas? Concertos?  Chamber?  Overtures?

Savall's 3rd, Gardiner's 9th, Arrau's 4th Concerto, Perlman/Giulini's Violin Concerto, Kempff's "Pathetique", L'Archibudelli's String Trios, Fischer-Dieskau's "An die ferne Geliebte"... dozens more.

I enjoyed reading your post, Gurn! 

Which Arrau 4th? I have the Haitink and love it! 

Also, which Kempff Pathetique? I prefer the Stereo myself, but like many others more. 

[Gurn Blanston]

I enjoyed reading your post, Gurn! 

Which Arrau 4th? I have the Haitink and love it! 

Also, which Kempff Pathetique? I prefer the Stereo myself, but like many others more. 

Thanks, George.

It's the Staatskapelle Dresden / Colin Davis. I love the way Arrau hits it right from the start. He's a pretty fair pianist.

I have the stereo Kempff too, So yes, that one. Kempff is one of my favorite pianists, all in all.

[Bogey]

Thanks, George.

It's the Staatskapelle Dresden / Colin Davis. I love the way Arrau hits it right from the start. He's a pretty fair pianist.

I have the stereo Kempff too, So yes, that one. Kempff is one of my favorite pianists, all in all.

You may recall this Gurn, and possibly yourself George, that about a year and half ago here at GMG Kempff was getting all sorts of "run" from many here, including myself.  However, of late, he has almost left the radar screen.  Good to see him back on as he is still my favorite when it comes to Beethoven's Sonatas.