What is your favourite record of Beethoven's op. 111 ?

[laredo]

This is one of the greatest sonata ever written and i confess my curiosity about r listenings and preferences.

[PaulSC]

I can't confidently state a favorite, but I just finished hearing Seymour Lipkin's recording and it's mighty good.

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[david-jw]

for me it has to be Solomon, closely followed by Schnabel.

[Todd]

As with pretty much every LvB sonata, I have no single favorite.  The contenders, as of today, are below:

Pollini
Serkin
A Fischer
Sheppard
Gulda (1964, Orfeo)
Gieseking (1947)
Silverman (both Orpheum & Rouvain)
Barenboim III
Riefling (Simax)

[George]

My favorite is Yudina.

Then it's a three way tie between Annier Fischer, Kempff(stereo) and Gulda (Brilliant/Amadeo)

Then a big tie between Pollini/Barenboim(DG)/Richter/Schnabel/Serkin(st)

[Cato]

My favorite is an early1960's recording, whose sound London/Decca handled quite well in the stereo LP era, with Wilhelm Backhaus.

No picture available to download,  but you can see it here:

http://www.audiophileusa.com/item.cfm?record=48850&c=1&kw=Classical

The first movement has all the drive and urgency which Beethoven demanded, and the last movement portrays the delicate pathos, hopeful energy, and melancholy ecstasy in the score: a perfect performance to my ear.

I have a CD with Alfred Brendel playing the Opus 111, and was extremely disappointed.  A completely earthbound and even unpoetic experience.

[George]

My favorite is an old 1950's mono recording, whose sound London/Decca handled quite well in the stereo LP era, with Wilhelm Backhaus.

I enjoy the stereo performance on the same label. Is the mono much better?

[Cato]

I enjoy the stereo performance on the same label. Is the mono much better?

In fact, I just checked with my brother, who has the record now, and it is indeed an early stereo performance: I thought it had been the mono performance, and that they had "stereoized" it.

Unbeatable: I also heard Vladimir Feltsman in the work, and he was much better than Brendel, but Backhaus is my #1.

[George]

In fact, I just checked with my brother, who has the record now, and it is indeed an early stereo performance: I thought it had been the mono performance, and that they had "stereoized" it.

OK, cool. He's among my favorites, but not my "top" favorites, that's the only reason I didn't mention him.

[Holden]

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[springrite]

I am one of the few (I guess) who likes Pogorelich in this work.

Other favs include Annie Fischer, Kovacivic, Arrau, Serkin, Bachaus and Richter.

[Monty Cello]

As played on a modern piano, Andras Schiff (EMC 1949). On a more apposite instrument, Paul Komen (GLO 5106). However, there are so many I would not want to be without access to.

[laredo]

Thx, for now. No one did mention G. Gould?

[George]

She does a good job. Have you heard Sofronitsky? It would be interesting to do comparative listenings with them.

Have heard his, I should revisit it again.

I agree about the Gieseking Op. 110. Very beautiful.

There's a very early acoustic recording which is very interesting I think -- if you want I'll post it for you.

I am playing it now. Interesting that his final recording of this work, made 27 years later, has almost identical timings.

[david-jw]

Which one? I think the later one is rather better in the first movement.

I'm thinking of the Schnabel recording released as part of the GROC series (which I believe is taken from the EMI box set of the complete Beethoven sonata's).

I think that's the later one......

I dont mind the finger slips in the first movement because he is so transcendent in the Arietta.

Agree Arrau is good here but much prefer his 1980's op 111 to the 1960's CD version where I find his Arietta too slow and indulgent. (I havent seen the DVD though).

Uchida should get a mention for her op 111 also imho 

[George]

I'm thinking of the Schnabel recording released as part of the GROC series (which I believe is taken from the EMI box set of the complete Beethoven sonata's).

I think that's the later one......

It is the later one, but it was not from the complete set. The Op. 111 in the GROC set was the first and only release of those 1940s performances.

[david-jw]

It is the later one, but it was not from the complete set. The Op. 111 in the GROC set was the first and only release of those 1940s performances.

thanks George- I did not realise this.

[George]

thanks George- I did not realise this.

No problem. My copy had a sticker on it with the info, or I wouldn't have known myself.

[Holden]

Here in OZ it is 11/11/11 so in honour of that the local classical station decided to play - you guessed it - Op111. I listened through the whole performance really liking what I heard with the sneaking suspicion that I'd heard this particular recording before. Halfway through the Arietta I said to myself "I wonder if this is 'so and so' becuause if it is, I have this rercording and rate it highly.

Sure enough it was. Barenboim (EMI). His speed with the Arietta may not be to everybody's taste but this is the way I think it should be played, allowing the sublime music time to breathe. This was originally my top recommendation until I heard the Arrau on Classic archives DVD.

[George]

Here in OZ it is 11/11/11 so in honour of that the local classical station decided to play - you guessed it - Op111. I listened through the whole performance really liking what I heard with the sneaking suspicion that I'd heard this particular recording before. Halfway through the Arietta I said to myself "I wonder if this is 'so and so' becuause if it is, I have this rercording and rate it highly.

Sure enough it was. Barenboim (EMI). His speed with the Arietta may not be to everybody's taste but this is the way I think it should be played, allowing the sublime music time to breathe. This was originally my top recommendation until I heard the Arrau on Classic archives DVD.

Can you tell me the timings on that one? The DG is 10:02 and 20:28.