Beethoven's Piano Sonatas

[Oldnslow]

Todd, do you know of any current source for the  Lucchesini set?

[jlaurson]

No, it is a studio recording made by the CBC. According to a letter by Gould quoted in the liner notes, they finally overcame a series of scheduling problems and finished it "by Dec 1970." I assume the recording was subsequently broadcast.

Sarge

Sarge -- you have the HJ Lin recordings, right?

a.) Is it just all 32 or just 30 as the back-cover claims? (The same cover also refers to HJ Lin as "his/he", which makes one wonder about sloppiness and/or saving money on translators and/or whether it's a guy and the picture was just used to lure you in.

b.) Does it contain detailed recording dates?

Todd:

Do you know (of) the Russian (Soviet?) collective set with, among others, Pavel Egorov, Sergey Uryvaev, Igor Urjash, Valery Vishnevsky, Vladimir Shakin, Galina Sandovskaya, Dmitri Efimov, and Igor Lebedev??

Anyone:

Anyone have the recording (not copyright) dates of any of these cycles? (earliest and last)

Ikuyo Nakamichi
2002? - BMG Japan

Daniela Varinska
???? - 2009? - Diskant

Shoko Sugitani
???? - 2007? - IDC Classic

Takahiro Sonoda I
????- ???? - Denon

[Leon]

Alfredo Perl?

Well played, somewhat leisurely tempos, not so hot sound.  A very good, "middle of the road" set.


Anton Kuerti?

His complete cycle is extremely idiosyncratic, and prone to very slow tempos in slow movements.  Mostly bizarre misses for me, though when he hits, it can be amazing (31/1).  His later recordings are better, and he was magnificent in person.


Bernard Roberts?

Well played, just about perfect tempos, decent sound.  One of the best "middle of the road" sets.


David Allen Wehr?

Very well played, with unusually prominent left hand playing throughout.  Powerful, vigourous, it's no wimpy LvB.  On par with Roberts, or thereabouts. 

None of the cycles really rates as a great, but they're good to hear.

Thanks

[Karl Henning]

Todd, I have the Kempff stereo set, which I enjoy just fine (and often more than just fine).  If I wanted to go so far as to fetch in a second, which set(s) would you recommend as possibilities? TIA

[Sergeant Rock]

Sarge -- you have the HJ Lin recordings, right?

a.) Is it just all 32 or just 30 as the back-cover claims?

Just 30. The two op.49s are missing. I haven't read the complete liner notes yet. Perhaps there is an explanation why she didn't record them. I'll check it out. Why EMI calls this Complete Piano Sonatas on the cover is anyone's guess. Well, it does read better than Almost Complete Piano Sonatas 

(The same cover also refers to HJ Lin as "his/he", which makes one wonder about sloppiness and/or saving money on translators and/or whether it's a guy and the picture was just used to lure you in.

   Without having checked her out personally, I think I'm still safe in saying she is really a woman. The instances of the use of he/his on the back cover all refer to Beethoven.

b.) Does it contain detailed recording dates?

Unfortunately, no. All it says is: Recorded VII-VIII.2011, Faller Hall, La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland


Sarge

[Karl Henning]

(The same cover also refers to HJ Lin as "his/he", which makes one wonder about sloppiness and/or saving money on translators and/or whether it's a guy and the picture was just used to lure you in.)

(* takes note of valuable publicity strategy *)

[Sergeant Rock]

(* takes note of valuable publicity strategy *)

[Karl Henning]

Hey: the eyes are pretty close! That's a wrap.

[Papy Oli]

( Fake !!! there's no beard....  )

[George]

Todd, I have the Kempff stereo set, which I enjoy just fine (and often more than just fine).  If I wanted to go so far as to fetch in a second, which set(s) would you recommend as possibilities? TIA

I am not Todd, but it would be my pleasure to help.

Can you speak to what you feel may be missing from Kempff's set? Or if you prefer something more dramatic or more modern (objective)? 

For more dramatic, I'd say Annie Fischer would be the best compliment to Kempff. It's probably still expensive, though. Perhaps Kovacevich's EMI set? It's not a favorite of mine, as he gets too aggressive and the steely piano sound is not to my liking.

For more modern, Gulda is your man. Fast tempos, clean, impeccable playing. The Amadeo set was reissued on Brilliant and then later on Decca Eloquence with the concertos.

[George]

( Fake !!! there's no beard....  )

Nay, it's glued on top.

[Sergeant Rock]

Nay, it's glued on top.

Sarge

[Sergeant Rock]

For more dramatic, I'd say Annie Fischer would be the best compliment to Kempff. For more modern, Gulda is your man.

George recommending Fischer and Gulda. I'm shocked, shocked, I say. Who would have guessed? 



Sarge

[Karl Henning]

I am not Todd, but it would be my pleasure to help.

Can you speak to what you feel may be missing from Kempff's set? Or if you prefer something more dramatic or more modern (objective)? 

For more dramatic, I'd say Annie Fischer would be the best compliment to Kempff. It's probably still expensive, though. Perhaps Kovacevich's EMI set? It's not a favorite of mine, as he gets too aggressive and the steely piano sound is not to my liking.

For more modern, Gulda is your man. Fast tempos, clean, impeccable playing. The Amadeo set was reissued on Brilliant and then later on Decca Eloquence with the concertos.

Thanks, George!  I certainly did not mean even to seem to restrict the question to our esteemd Todd, and (as I hope you know) I value your own opinion.

[George]

George recommending Fischer and Gulda. I'm shocked, shocked, I say. Who would have guessed? 



Sarge

Anyone with eyes and a computer. 

[George]

Thanks, George!  I certainly did not mean even to seem to restrict the question to our esteemd Todd, and (as I hope you know) I value your own opinion.

Yes, karl. One thing I have learned in my time here at GMG is that it is never unwise to be polite and not assume anything. 

I hope you have Spoitfy, MOG, or the like, as they will give you a chance to sample before buying.

Do you think you'd like the more emotional approach or a more objective one?

[Karl Henning]

Either, depending on my mood : )  Although I don't think of Kempff as necessarily lacking aught, I don't mind the idea of a contrasting approach.  I can be something of a mixer . . . .

[George]

Either, depending on my mood : )  Although I don't think of Kempff as necessarily lacking aught, I don't mind the idea of a contrasting approach.  I can be something of a mixer . . . .

Sure, I'd say that Gulda would be the best contrast (and one of the cheapest options, too.)

[DavidRoss]

I certainly did not mean to restrict the question to our esteemd Todd

Kovacevich for spunk, Goode for classical restraint and beauty. Goode's complete set and some of Kovacevich's single issues are available via Mog.

I like Mog. Thanks to it and other web music sources I almost never buy recordings these days without hearing them first. This practice, however, seems to have increased, not decreased, the number of purchases I make.

[jlaurson]

Just 30. The two op.49s are missing. I haven't read the complete liner notes yet. Perhaps there is an explanation why she didn't record them. I'll check it out. Why EMI calls this Complete Piano Sonatas on the cover is anyone's guess. Well, it does read better than Almost Complete Piano Sonatas 

   Without having checked her out personally, I think I'm still safe in saying she is really a woman. The instances of the use of he/his on the back cover all refer to Beethoven.

Unfortunately, no. All it says is: Recorded VII-VIII.2011, Faller Hall, La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland
Sarge

1.) Thanks!

2.) "...HJ Lim has curated his complete Piano Sonatas into eight themes..." confused me.

3.) recording dates as you gave me were all I needed! Not bad, banging them out in under two months.

4.) Karl: Gulda, Brautigam (not yet a set), Goode, Arrau I, Backhaus II are all sufficiently different from Kempff II and all pretty darn good. (And then there are others, which are mostly just different, and plenty I've never heard.) My survey, which I've just updated (and will continue to update this week, can be viewed here: http://ionarts.blogspot.com/search/label/Beethoven%20Sonata%20Survey?max-results=100