Beethoven Violin Sonatas

[Justin Ignaz Franz Bieber]

If this is to be a serious survey, I think we can assume that the following will be studied:
Grumiaux/Haskil
Francescatti/Casadesus
Kremer/Argerich
Schneiderhan/Kempff
Perlman/Ashkenazy
Oistrakh/Oborin
Menuhin/Kempff
Suk/Panenka
Szigeti/Arrau (and Szigeti's Kreutzer with Bartok)
Frank/Frank
Kreisler/Rupp (and the individual sonatas with Rachmaninoff
Heifetz/Bay or Smith
Stern/Istomin*
Rosand/Flissler*
Mutter/Orkis*
Szeryng/Haebler*

don't forget menuhin/kentner  i like that one enough that i haven't really thought of getting another. the cello sonatas are a different story

[Don]

Don

Are you purchasing all the discs

I'll be purchasing all the discs I acquire.  At this point, I don't know how many that will be.  Depends on finances.

[Robert]

I'll be purchasing all the discs I acquire.  At this point, I don't know how many that will be.  Depends on finances.

Don,
I am sure I am not the only one that appreciates all the time and effort that you have put into all your reviews over the years. For that I want to tell you how much I appreciate all your work...I would like to  know what motivates you to do all these massive projects....

[Dancing Divertimentian]

Kagan/Richter*

Don't know if this is permissable on this thread () but if I were to ward Don off any recording for this survey it would be this one...much as it pains me to say so.

But not for musical reasons. Rather, purely sonic ones. This is an absolute disaster of a recording. Not that sound should be an issue, of course, but when it comes to stereo-era recordings this listener at least would rather not have to suffer through sonic trauma.

I used to own this disc and nothing came through for me but the painfully bad sound (it's live). Eventually I sold it off. YMMV (or in this case, D'sMMV).

Talk of this disc however reminds me of a very worthy contender for this survey: Kagan/Lobanov (on the same label as Kagan/Richter: Live Classics). Exceptionally well done, full of energy and insight and this time in good recorded sound.

[Que]

Paging Mr. Que..............Mr. Que, there is a telephone call for you....................Mr. Que?

LOL! 

I'm on the look for HIP sets myself and the only complete cycle I know of sofar, is this one.
I haven't got it myself - it's on my list. So Don, I'll be interested in your findings!



Q

[Harry Collier]

In no particular order:

Ferras - Barbizet
Pamela and Claude Frank
Grumiaux and Haskil

Hors concours, but a personal love:

Szigeti and Arrau

I have just recorded off-air the complete 10 played by Christian Tetzlaff and Alexander Lonquich. From sampling, this seems to be excellent.

[George]

LOL! 

[Rabin_Fan]

Harry - Ferras & Barbizet on EMI - what are their virtues please? Cheers - Lee

[Josquin des Prez]

Francescatti/Casadesus.

[Todd]

Playing on the Claves set are pianist Paavali Jumppanen and violinist Corey Cerovsek.

I have the set on order at Arkiv; hopefully they come through, otherwise I'll order from MDT.  I definitely want to hear it as the two recordings of Jumppanen I have are both good enough to make me want to hear more. 

As to other cycles, seeing as how I don't know what you have, I'd say the Grumiaux / Haskil and Francescatti / Casadesus sets are musts, with the Ferras / Barbizet and Frank / Frank as pretty much must-haves.  (if memory serves, you aren't a big fan of the father-daughter tandem in the Schubert works, though.)  Do report back on your findings.

[dirkronk]

Don't know if this is permissable on this thread () but if I were to ward Don off any recording for this survey it would be this one (Kagan/Richter)...much as it pains me to say so....This is an absolute disaster of a recording...

Talk of this disc however reminds me of a very worthy contender for this survey: Kagan/Lobanov (on the same label as Kagan/Richter: Live Classics). Exceptionally well done, full of energy and insight and this time in good recorded sound.

Well darn, donwyn. Sorry to hear about the Kagan/Richter on Live Classics. I wonder if this has the same performance (of #4 & #5) as on the EMI 2-CD set of Mozart/Beethoven violin sonatas that I just recently got but haven't yet listened to.

Anyway, I am glad to know about the other Kagan set. I'll keep my eyes open for that one.

Cheers,

Dirk

[dirkronk]

Ferras - Barbizet

I have just recorded off-air the complete 10 played by Christian Tetzlaff and Alexander Lonquich. From sampling, this seems to be excellent.

Aha! So Ferras/Barbizet did an entire cycle? I wasn't sure, since I have only a single LP of their Beethoven.

Your comment about Tetzlaff has me curious to hear his efforts. I've downloaded a couple of live performances of concerti with him as soloist and have enjoyed them, but otherwise haven't heard much from this violinist.

Dirk

[Don]

I have the set on order at Arkiv; hopefully they come through, otherwise I'll order from MDT.  I definitely want to hear it as the two recordings of Jumppanen I have are both good enough to make me want to hear more. 

As to other cycles, seeing as how I don't know what you have, I'd say the Grumiaux / Haskil and Francescatti / Casadesus sets are musts, with the Ferras / Barbizet and Frank / Frank as pretty much must-haves.  (if memory serves, you aren't a big fan of the father-daughter tandem in the Schubert works, though.) 

Some time back, I did a review of some Mozart Violin Concerto recordings and had unfavorable things to say about the Pamela Frank/Zinman set on Arte Nova.  But I've never heard her or her dad in Schubert.

[Todd]

Some time back, I did a review of some Mozart Violin Concerto recordings and had unfavorable things to say about the Pamela Frank/Zinman set on Arte Nova.  But I've never heard her or her dad in Schubert.

My mistake.  You may not enjoy their LvB then, though I will say that I find the violin sonatas more compelling than Pamela Frank's Mozart, though I do enjoy her Mozart.

[Don]

LOL! 

I'm on the look for HIP sets myself and the only complete cycle I know of sofar, is this one.
I haven't got it myself - it's on my list. So Don, I'll be interested in your findings!



Q

Thanks for the heads-up about the Verney set; will definitely include it.

[Don]

My mistake.  You may not enjoy their LvB then, though I will say that I find the violin sonatas more compelling than Pamela Frank's Mozart, though I do enjoy her Mozart.

No problem.  My not enjoying Frank's Mozart doesn't lead me to assume I wouldn't care for her Beethoven.

Concerning HIP recordings other than the Verney, I know of an Amon Ra disc and another on the Folger Consort label.

[Don]

Don,
I am sure I am not the only one that appreciates all the time and effort that you have put into all your reviews over the years. For that I want to tell you how much I appreciate all your work...I would like to  know what motivates you to do all these massive projects....

The motivation is a combination of thoroughness and deep love for the music.  Listening to the same work for many dozens of hours carries the possbility of tiring of the composition.  For example, I've twice tried to do this with Bach's Brandenburg Concertos but found that I didn't like the music sufficiently.  With the WTC, Godlbergs, or Schumann's Davidsbundlertanze, it's an easy process.  What's involved here is not just listening to each version once or twice, but at least a few times so I can be sure that I am intimate with every performance and my conclusions are actually final.

[Gurn Blanston]

No problem.  My not enjoying Frank's Mozart doesn't lead me to assume I wouldn't care for her Beethoven.

Concerning HIP recordings other than the Verney, I know of an Amon Ra disc and another on the Folger Consort label.

Don,
Well, the field in HIP is not just overrun.

You can get only one disk of the Immerseel/Schröder cycle at Amazon Marketplace, it has 5 & 9 on it. There is a 3 disk set on Cypress with Huvé/Fleezanis. And the rest, if there IS a rest, is not available. Early next year will be released Immerseel/Midori Sieler, but that's no help at all right now. I am fairly amazed, actually, that there are so very few recordings in what should be a burgeoning field. 

[Harry Collier]

Aha! So Ferras/Barbizet did an entire cycle?

Yes, and it was an extremely cheap 4-disc set (from EMI, France).

[Harry Collier]

Harry - Ferras & Barbizet on EMI - what are their virtues please? Cheers - Lee

1. Good partnership -- no sign of "star violinist plus accompanist".
2. Excellent playing from both, but particularly Ferras.
3. Very musical, civilised interpretations that concentrate on the music rather than on virtuoso playing.