Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827)

[George]

Mine was the EMI...and still my favorite.

Sarge

Of all the Barenboim's or all, period?

[Sergeant Rock]

Stray comment, after first hearing it last night

Szell's recording of the Fifth (with the Clevelanders) is so headbangingly energetic it deserves its own mosh pit.

You're on a roll today, Jeffrey, and deserve more head-banging appreciation from the boys 




Sarge

[Sergeant Rock]

Of all the Barenboim's or all, period?

All, period...although my collection is small compared to the fanatics running around this place    Of the complete or near complete cycles, I own:

ANNIE FISCHER
GULDA
BARENBOIM
HJ LIM
BACKHAUS
GILELS
GOULD
POLLINI



Sarge

[George]

All, period...although my collection is small compared to the fanatics running around this place   

[Sergeant Rock]

Barenboim has recorded the complete sonatas three times that I know of: the first set (when he was around 23, I think) is generally considered very good, but a bit over the top in places (certainly not dull)

I can imagine some other pejorative adjectives being leveled against Barenboim's EMI sonatas but never dull. You're right.


Sarge

[Sergeant Rock]

A somewhat uneven collection, with Lim and Gould but no Kempff or Arrau - you might want to expand your sets a bit; or not.

  ...I like my Beethoven weird   

Actually I have Kempff but it's an LP box and I tend to forget it when listing cycles. His Beethoven doesn't appeal to me anyway. I have Arrau's late Sonatas (and Solomon and Rosen's too).

Sarge

[aquablob]

If it's the cello sonatas with DuPre--yes,  I understand that sentiment, although I wouldn't say they were unlistenable.  Merely dull.

Good, then I'll be content to stick with my Rostropovich/Richter, Fournier/Gulda, Perényi/Schiff, Maisky/Argerich, Casals/Horszowski. 

[aquablob]

By the way, I'm making my way through the Herreweghe symphony cycle right now. I have 5, 8, and 9 left to go. (Two 9's left to go, actually—I plan to listen to his earlier recording on period instruments, too.)

Overall it's a winner. The "Pastorale" was the weakest link so far in my opinion—brisker tempo than I like in the first movement, the balance wasn't quite right in the third (could barely hear the flutes at some key moments, maybe more of a sound-mixing issue than anything else), and not enough "oomph" in the dramatic climax near the end of the finale (cf. Szell's brass surge, Walter's weird dynamic swells that somehow work so well; that said, at least Herreweghe saves something for the climax, unlike some other HIPsters [and Pletnev]). The "Storm" was a highlight.

[Brahmsian]

Mine was the EMI...and still my favorite.

Sarge

Not often we share the same favourite recording, Sarge! 

[Wakefield]

If it's the cello sonatas with DuPre--yes,  I understand that sentiment, although I wouldn't say they were unlistenable.  Merely dull.

[Beethoven's cello sonatas: Barenboim, Du Pré]

From my vantage point this statement is one of the most absurd things that I have read here in the last time.

This set could be a lot of things, but never "dull". Actually, IMO, it's  one of the top three recordings in this repertoire, modern and historical instruments considered.

[Brahmsian]

[Beethoven's cello sonatas: Barenboim, Du Pré]

From my vantage point this statement is one of the most absurd things that I have read here in the last time.

This set could be a lot of things, but never "dull". Actually, IMO, it's  one of the top three recordings in this repertoire, modern and historical instruments considered.

I like it too, Gordo (if it is the live recording of the cello sonatas).  I feel like it is anything but "dull".  The performances highly passionate.

However, my only beef with this recording is the excessive coughing from the audience.   

[Wakefield]

I like it too, Gordo (if it is the live recording of the cello sonatas).  I feel like it is anything but "dull".  The performances highly passionate.

However, my only beef with this recording is the excessive coughing from the audience.   

Yes, it's that vibrant live recording.

The coughing from the audience is a real problem. Not to me, but other people has mentioned the same.

[Brahmsian]

Yes, it's that vibrant live recording.

The coughing from the audience is a real problem. Not to me, but other people has mentioned the same.

I've grown accustomed to it obviously, as I frequently listen to those recordings. 

[Mirror Image]

Cross-posted from the 'Purchases' thread:

Just bought:



I just don't have 'enough' Beethoven in my collection to really amount to anything. I only have a few symphony cycles: Klemperer, Abbado, and 1963 Karajan. I know there's a 1977 Karajan cycle, but I'm much interested in the older Karajan and listening to him in all that digital glory. I listened to a little of Symphony No. 3 on Spotify and it sounded magnificent! As for the PCs, I owned Perhia's cycle, but an unfortunate hot tea spill landed on this box set basically making unplayable. A horrible, and foolish, accident. So in deciding what cycle I wanted to get, this Brendel/Levine/CSO set has long been trailing under my radar, so I figured you just can't go wrong with Brendel in Beethoven so I took a chance here. Looking forward to digging into these two sets.

Can't wait to start my Beethovian journey with Karajan and Brendel/Levine. In the meantime, I'm going to check and see exactly what I have in my collection. I know I do have the afore mentioned cycles.

[amw]

All, period...although my collection is small compared to the fanatics running around this place    Of the complete or near complete cycles, I own:

ANNIE FISCHER
GULDA
BARENBOIM
HJ LIM
BACKHAUS
GILELS
GOULD
POLLINI

That's a rather distinguished list, but who on earth is HJ Lim?

I have Brendel on modern instruments (and some Kempff late sonatas), Badura-Skoda on period ones, and 10 fingers and an access card that lets me into the university practice rooms, which have always been sufficient; but I also have almost all of the sonatas by Barenboim on LPs, though no idea which of his recordings those are. They're in a box somewhere, as is my turntable, so I can't have a listen for comparison right away. However, unlike some earlier posters I did quite enjoy the Barenboim/Du Pre cello sonatas, so might check them out when I'm reunited with my gear.

[Sergeant Rock]

That's a rather distinguished list, but who on earth is HJ Lim?

A young South Korean pianist who released a "complete" cycle in 2012 (controversially she left out the Op.49 sonatas...well, a controversy in this forum anyway ) She isn't well thought of here (Brian's Musicweb review is scathing) although a few of us like her. Her interpretations tend toward the manic (sometimes her technical reach exceeds her grasp) but are great fun when listened to in small quantities.

http://www.youtube.com/v/CH19qS0VTNE

[asin]B007OYFCVC[/asin]


Sarge

[Brian]

(Brian's Musicweb review is scathing) although a few of us like her. Her interpretations tend toward the manic (sometimes her technical reach exceeds her grasp) but are great fun when listened to in small quantities.

And for what it's worth, Todd thought my review was too kind. Your description of manic interpretations that sometimes exceed her own abilities is accurate without being prejudiced, which is admirable. 

[Sergeant Rock]

And for what it's worth, Todd thought my review was too kind.

It's true, you did praise a few things, you old softy 

Sarge

[Karl Henning]

"If you can find anything good to say, go ahead and say it."

[TheGSMoeller]

I would like to nominate this for the "everybody must own" album of the month. I know I'm a little late getting to it, but by the beard of Zeus this is a great disc. The opening movement of the 8th hits hard right out of the gate and continues like a rocket.


[asin]B000ROALF8[/asin]