Beethoven's Piano Sonatas

[Don]

My top recommendations are Gilels, Sherman, Gulda and Brendel.  I also love the late sonatas set from Pollini.

[Great Gable]

You will have to name the labels - individual ones on Naxos, box on EMI?

A previous thread on the matter: Schnabel's Beethoven Getaway (old forum).

Q

The individual "re-masters" are in this series
http://www.musicalpointers.co.uk/reviews/cddvd/Schnabel22-29.htm
(see the bottom of the page for an explanation regarding the preparation of the discs)

This is the box set
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Beethoven-Complete-Sonatas-Ludwig-van/dp/B000002S29/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1195065504&sr=1-1
I read somewhere (not sure where) that this was very bad for hiss, hence the reason I went for the "re-masters"

[marvinbrown]

The Eloquence has the concertos as well. As for your other questions:

Do you want fast and technically proficient in good sound? Then Gulda's your man.

Do you want Romantic and beautiful played and sound with many fast movements that are played slower than usual? Barenboim (DG) is your man.

Do you want incredible power, depth in the slow movements and good sound? Annie Fischer's your woman. (Expensive though absolutely worth it)

Do you want great sound, great depth in the slow movements with great consistency throughout? Can you tolerate missing a few sonatas and some slowish fast movements? Then Gilels is your man.

Do you want a solid cycle by a man who lived and breathed with these works, recording the set twice? Then Backhaus (stereo) is your man.

FWIW, I think that Gulda probably provides the best contrast to Schnabel. The price is right and the sound is good. 

Also, FWIW, The Bernard Roberts set as a whole is not very good. Some of the performances are excellent, but not enough to warrant getting the cycle.

The four sets that I would recommend for performance, consistency and sound quality are Annie Fischer, Gulda (Brilliant/Amadeo/Eloquence), Gilels and Backhaus (stereo), in that order. 

  I would just like to say that last March I took George's advice and bought the Gulda set and as far as the Beethoven sonatas are concerned I have been happy ever since  .  thanks George

  marvin

[Brian]

The real expert on this question is Todd. I asked him and he recommended the almost brand-new set of Mr Andrea Lucchesini - recorded live just a few years ago - on the Italian label Stradivarius. I could not be happier. Lucchesini has (as Todd promised) a uniquely beautiful piano tone, a gentle lyricism that you will either love or hate, depending on how you like your Beethoven. (He's not for all tastes, probably.) He is not, however, afraid to put in the full force when necessary. And the sound is marvelous. And the price is dirt cheap - you might be able to find it for around $45.

I also listen regularly to Jeno Jando's recordings, and love them. His No. 32 is growing on me rather rapidly.

Todd's review of Lucchesini

[Mark]

Doesn't Todd also have some great things to say about Robert Silverman's set?

[George]

  I would just like to say that last March I took George's advice and bought the Gulda set and as far as the Beethoven sonatas are concerned I have been happy ever since  .  thanks George

  marvin

My pleasure.

The individual "re-masters" are in this series
http://www.musicalpointers.co.uk/reviews/cddvd/Schnabel22-29.htm
(see the bottom of the page for an explanation regarding the preparation of the discs)

This is the box set
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Beethoven-Complete-Sonatas-Ludwig-van/dp/B000002S29/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1195065504&sr=1-1
I read somewhere (not sure where) that this was very bad for hiss, hence the reason I went for the "re-masters"

The EMI filters out the hiss, the high frequencies and if low noise is your only requirement, you'd be very happy with them. Naxos strikes a nice balance between filtering and SQ, IMO. Pearl's hiss level is incredibly high, but you really hear Schnabel's tone in all its glory. If you don't like the Naxos (because of the noise), don't mess with the Pearl. However, try to keep in mind that these performances were recorded over seventy years ago. Considering that, the quality of these recordings is incredible. 

[Holden]

I have complete sets by Barenboim (EMI), Schnabel and Annie Fischer. Of the three the Fischer is the one that I like the best. There is not really a 'dud' sonata amongst them (unlike the other two) and while they took a while to grow on me I"m glad I perservered.

That said, the Barenboim is a fine set and an inexpensive way to start on the '32'.

[Great Gable]

My pleasure.



The EMI filters out the hiss, the high frequencies and if low noise is your only requirement, you'd be very happy with them. Naxos strikes a nice balance between filtering and SQ, IMO. Pearl's hiss level is incredibly high, but you really hear Schnabel's tone in all its glory. If you don't like the Naxos (because of the noise), don't mess with the Pearl. However, try to keep in mind that these performances were recorded over seventy years ago. Considering that, the quality of these recordings is incredible. 

I agree - the quality, sans hiss, is good. The trouble is, depending on my mood, sometime I can mentally filter out the hiss and other times it's all I can hear. It is the most prominent of all historic recordings I own. I can usually put up with all foibles due to age.

[George]

I agree - the quality, sans hiss, is good. The trouble is, depending on my mood, sometime I can mentally filter out the hiss and other times it's all I can hear. It is the most prominent of all historic recordings I own. I can usually put up with all foibles due to age.

Yes, I totally agree, there are days when I only hear the performance and other days when I only hear the noise. 

In fact, I have both the Naxos and the Pearl sets because to me, the Naxos is fine anytime, while the Pearl I have to be in the right frame of mind (or ears?). 

I recommend not listening to historical stuff on headphones though. 

[dirkronk]

The four sets that I would recommend for performance, consistency and sound quality are Annie Fischer, Gulda (Brilliant/Amadeo/Eloquence), Gilels and Backhaus (stereo), in that order. 

While I might rearrange the order slightly, these are all very good options. In the "almost/not quite complete" category (with Gilels), I would add Solomon. And in the "nowhere near complete" category (more's the pity), Richter.

But of course, YMMV.

Dirk

[George]

While I might rearrange the order slightly, these are all very good options. In the "almost/not quite complete" category (with Gilels), I would add Solomon. And in the "nowhere near complete" category (more's the pity), Richter.

But of course, YMMV.

Dirk

Yes and Serkin as well, but their unfortunately their performances are spread out over 20 CDs. 

[Great Gable]

I recommend not listening to historical stuff on headphones though. 

Quite

[Sean]

The Schnabel set is as extraordinary as often claimed, very subtley structured and touching in details as in ideal imagination.

[Expresso]

I also have some of the "remastered" Schnabel discs. I had heard the box set was hiss heaven so plumped for the individual ones. They ARE hiss heaven so god knows how bad the box set must be = what are your thoughts on the sound quality of it?

There are many Schnabel sets... i have this one:

http://www.amazon.com/Beethoven-Sonatas-Germany-Artur-Schnabel/dp/B000AAVCYS

It's from a company called "Membran music". I haven't heard the other sets from EMI or Pearl so i can't compare, but on membran the hiss is quite prominent. Not bad for a 30's recording though.

The Eloquence has the concertos as well. As for your other questions:

Do you want fast and technically proficient in good sound? Then Gulda's your man.

Do you want Romantic and beautiful played and sound with many fast movements that are played slower than usual? Barenboim (DG) is your man.

Do you want incredible power, depth in the slow movements and good sound? Annie Fischer's your woman. (Expensive though absolutely worth it)

Do you want great sound, great depth in the slow movements with great consistency throughout? Can you tolerate missing a few sonatas and some slowish fast movements? Then Gilels is your man.

Do you want a solid cycle by a man who lived and breathed with these works, recording the set twice? Then Backhaus (stereo) is your man.

FWIW, I think that Gulda probably provides the best contrast to Schnabel. The price is right and the sound is good. 

Also, FWIW, The Bernard Roberts set as a whole is not very good. Some of the performances are excellent, but not enough to warrant getting the cycle.

The four sets that I would recommend for performance, consistency and sound quality are Annie Fischer, Gulda (Brilliant/Amadeo/Eloquence), Gilels and Backhaus (stereo), in that order. 

Judging by those standards, Gulda would be closer to my liking.

On the Eloquence label the recording is remastered... are there any improvements on the sound quality?

[Don]

I recommend not listening to historical stuff on headphones though. 

That can be problematic, but I do listen often to historical keyboard recordings on my headphones.  Takes some adjusting, but I get used to it.

[Mark]

How do folks think Barenboim's DG set stacks up against his EMI outing? I have the former, and while there's much I like about it, I can't seem to fall in love with it.

[Great Gable]

That can be problematic, but I do listen often to historical keyboard recordings on my headphones.  Takes some adjusting, but I get used to it.

That would be unbearable if you had tinnitus as well - hiss in quad

[Mark]

That would be unbearable if you had tinnitus as well - hiss in quad

Don't joke: I suffer with mild tinnitus in my right ear. Gets louder when I'm tired or stressed, but as it's very high-pitched, it generally doesn't interfere with my musical enjoyment. I only discovered I had it this year - was quite distressing at the time, but I'm used to tuning it out now. And headphones (to come to my point) were probably to blame: I've always done 95% of my listening through cans. Usually (and stupidly) too loud.

[Great Gable]

Don't joke: I suffer with mild tinnitus in my right ear. Gets louder when I'm tired or stressed, but as it's very high-pitched, it generally doesn't interfere with my musical enjoyment. I only discovered I had it this year - was quite distressing at the time, but I'm used to tuning it out now. And headphones (to come to my point) were probably to blame: I've always done 95% of my listening through cans. Usually (and stupidly) too loud.

I started with it last year - mine manifests itself as a pulse which gets louder under certain circumstances, just in one ear also. I meet another chap whilst out walking my hound and his drives him nuts. He is even in a group for sufferers.
I have stopped listening with phones due to worries about the long term health of my hearing. Deafness would not be the best ailment for a music lover, obviously.

[Mark]

Deafness would not be the best ailment for a music lover, obviously.

Quite. Though I'm addicted to headhone use - it's when I connect most to the music. I guess it's my funeral if I lose the sense I love so much. Mind you, they can now repair certain types of hearing loss which was once considered terminal, so things aren't all bad.