Beethoven Violin Sonatas

[Mandryka]

This  one with Gilels and Kogan is good

http://www.amazon.com/Leonid-Kogan-Emil-Gilels-L-Beethoven/dp/B003H7XDW0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1300986243&sr=8-1

As is this one with Richter and Kagan
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And this recording with Bezuidenhout and Mullova is fun too
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The ones with Serkin and Busch are old friends
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As is the one with Rachmaninov and Kreisler
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The Kreutzer presents problems and I'm not sure any recording I've heard has ever made me love the music  -- not Moiseiewitsch with Heifitz , not Szigetti with Bartok, not Hubermann with Ignaz  Friedman, not Gilels, not Serkin and Busch, not Cortot with Thibaud, not Goldberg with Kraus . Maybe the problem is with Beethoven. Or with me. But anyway you should listen to all of these I think. If I had to pick one it would be Hubermann/Friedman

[SonicMan46]

A most excellent set, and probably my favorite among the various digital versions I've heard.  Francescatti / Casadesus, though, remains my personaly favorite.  I listened to the whole cycle again a couple months ago and was reminded anew of how good it is.

Hi Todd - well, I could easily replace my Perlman/Ashkenazy, so was interested in your comments on the above 'personal favorite' - obviously OOP and expensive on the Amazon MP - have not looked around yet for MP3 downloads or other non-Amazon options - the recording is from the early 60s, I believe from my brief research - I'm assuming that you prefer this set over the others of this vintage mentioned, but how is the sound?  Dave

[Todd]

I'm assuming that you prefer this set over the others of this vintage mentioned, but how is the sound?

Of the recordings I've heard from the era, yes, I prefer this set.  (I should note that the slightly older Ferras / Barbizet set is almost as good, if a bit slower, less energetic, and plusher.  But then, I'm a sucker for Ferras' fiddling.)  Sound for the Francescatti / Casadesus recordings cannot hide their age, but the dynamic range is surprisingly wide.

[dirkronk]

OK, I'll be repeating myself...though it's been several years since I posted on this particular topic, but...
IMO there are four sets worth getting (assuming you can) before you venture out to other options. Unfortunately, each of these sets has...well, "issues"...and I'll briefly touch on them.

Grumiaux/Haskil. Superb performances, just gorgeous in almost every way, and one of my two top faves ever. I listen and I melt. I have them complete on vinyl and a handful of private transfers (not the entire set) on CD. Drawback: I'm told that both the Decca AND the Brilliant issues of the entire set have sonic problems: the Decca muffles the piano and the Brilliant is rather too, uh, brilliant (bright in the treble department). No such issues seem to exist in my Philips LP set, which provides perfectly acceptable though mono sound. Not the highest hi-fi mono I've heard but still darn good. Makes me wonder what the digital transfer engineers did to muck things up. I really don't mean for this to come across as "Nyaah, nyaah!" but this is one case where it obviously helps if you still have a good turntable in your system.

Francescatti/Casadesus. Same performance level as Grumiaux/Haskil, though with the characteristics of two quite different yet equally appealing players...also my other all-time fave. I have these on vinyl (2 copies...I'm taking no chances) and almost all on CD (single discs from different labels/countries, not an integral set on a single label). Drawback: out of print and too expensive on the used market.

Schneiderhan/Kempff. Classic performances, power, poetry, and wonderful partnership...Schneiderhan still has his touch and Kempff is still comparatively youthful and in his full powers as a pianist. Also, last time I checked, this set was still easily available. Drawback: the sound will annoy some listeners. It's OK (better than that if you're used to typical historical releases), but it's really pre-hi-fi mono and miked so that sometimes the violin overpowers the piano. Not enough to detract from the performance value, in my opinion, but some listeners may have problems.

Kremer/Argerich. The newest and best recorded of my select four, and MAN, do these performances have fire! Frequently edge-of-your-seat stuff. Also easily available. Drawback: Kremer's tone...it's generally better than in some performances of other works, thank heavens (the guy is obviously world class but often just too damn wiry for my tastes), and I'm willing to keep listening for the sake of the interps, at least one or two pieces at a time, but other listeners may be less forgiving. I have Argerich's live performance with Perlman (of the Kreutzer IIRC) and the difference is pretty much night and day; makes me wish THOSE two had recorded an integral set.

If you go back to the earlier threads that Opus106 tracked down, you'll find my old full list of other performances that I keep around. Those threads were several years back, and since then I have added Dumay/Pires (gorgeous but almost too pretty...the music's there and it's s-o-o-o easy to listen but I come away feeling like someone added a layer of sweet cream icing; lots of critics like this set, though, and I do too when I'm in the right mood). Among slightly older sets, Perlman/Ashkenazy probably deserve consideration: both players are excellent, sonics were beautifully realistic in the original analog LPs (assume they've been transferred well to CD), and this was a critic's pick for two or three decades for a reason...and yet I don't seem to return to their set all that often myself. Same can be said for Oistrakh/Oborin...lots of critics (Penguin as one example) just loved these, but I could never warm to them myself.

Wish there were just one easy winner, but...

Good luck finding your own favorite.

Dirk

[czgirb]

Few other threads to consider for opinions from members present and past, active or otherwise.

Oh my God ... why the post didn't appeared when I'm typed Beethoven Violin Sonata to search?
Can someone explain ?? THank you for your guidance ....

[PaulSC]

Oh my God ... why the post didn't appeared when I'm typed Beethoven Violin Sonata to search?
Can someone explain ?? THank you for your guidance ....

If you are viewing a thread and you use the search box in the top right of the window, then the search only finds applicable posts in the thread you're viewing. It's best to initiate a search from the front page of the forum or to use the Home Help Search Profile ... link.

[Que]

Few other threads to consider for opinions from members present and past, active or otherwise.

Mille grazie, signore. 

Q

[Opus106]

Millle grazie, signore. 

Q

Google says, "Sei il benvenuto".

[Mandryka]

Does anyone have this Kreutzer sonata?



You can hear the first movement here:

http://www.youtube.com/v/_700NHZ9yew

[Antoine Marchand]

Google says, "Sei il benvenuto".

Traduttore, Traditore! 

Replies to "grazie" are:

Prego

or

Non c'è di che – Don't mention it.

Italians often say

Di che cosa? – For what?

in reply to "grazie". It's like saying, "It was nothing".

[Opus106]

Millle grazie, signore.

[Antoine Marchand]

Millle grazie, signore.

De nada, estimado Navneeth. 

[Mandryka]

It's amazing how you can surprise yourself. I've always really disliked Kempff's overly lyrical, unenergetic stereo studio recordings, especially the Beethoven, Schubert and Schumann, Brahms and Bach. But recently I've been playing his recording of the Kreutzer with Kulenkampff and it has really gotten under my skin. The only word to describe it is "noble." There's no blood, sweat an tears about this Kreutzer -- it's a refined, elegant, beautifully proportioned, aristocratically . . .you know what I mean.

This noble way with Beethoven really appeals to me.  The heroic idealism in middle period Beethoven is a dignified thing. Not a whirl, a scrum, of passion.

Anyway at the end of the day it's outstanding, unique as far as I know. It's not my favourite -- I'd probably go to Hubermann for that. But it is very memorable.

[kishnevi]

The only word to describe it is "noble." There's no blood, sweat an tears about this Kreutzer -- it's a refined, elegant, beautifully proportioned, aristocratically . . .you know what I mean.

This noble way with Beethoven really appeals to me.  The heroic idealism in middle period Beethoven is a dignified thing. Not a whirl, a scrum, of passion.

Then you'd better keep away from the Faust/Melnikov recording,  which seems to be on the completely opposite tack.  Or at the very least, refinement and lack of passion are not the terms I would ever think of applying to that performance--although it works very well for me. 

This is the one that's part of their recording of the complete cycle.  They also recorded it  as a coupling for her recording of the Violin Concerto.  I haven't heard that one and don't know how much their approach may have differed there.

[Antoine Marchand]

It's amazing how you can surprise yourself. I've always really disliked Kempff's overly lyrical, unenergetic stereo studio recordings, especially the Beethoven, Schubert and Schumann, Brahms and Bach...

I agree with you, but only regarding his Schubert, too much bland, dreamy and sweet. I have not heard his Bach, though.

[prémont]

It's amazing how you can surprise yourself. I've always really disliked Kempff's overly lyrical, unenergetic stereo studio recordings, especially the Beethoven, Schubert and Schumann, Brahms and Bach. But recently I've been playing his recording of the Kreutzer with Kulenkampff and it has really gotten under my skin. The only word to describe it is "noble." There's no blood, sweat an tears about this Kreutzer -- it's a refined, elegant, beautifully proportioned, aristocratically . . .you know what I mean.

This noble way with Beethoven really appeals to me.  The heroic idealism in middle period Beethoven is a dignified thing. Not a whirl, a scrum, of passion.

Relistened to this recently and agree completely. Noblesse and elegant, aristocratic playing also characterizes the Schneiderhan / Kempff recording, which has been my favorite since long.

[Bogey]

Anyone familiar with this tandem?

[George]

Anyone familiar with this tandem?

No, but I LOVE that cover!

[George]

Anyone familiar with this tandem?

Youtube's got something from those guys: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aRGPQ8i-RQU

[Bogey]

No, but I LOVE that cover!

Brother from another!    


They are on Dirk's list but cannot find out much more than that.