Beethoven's Piano Sonatas

[George]

I must say that one of my favorite anecdotes about the young Serkin has to do with when he played a recital and asked what encore to play, and someone suggested the Goldbergs, which he proceeded to play.  Only a handful of people were left in the audience, including, if memory serves, Schnabel.  It may be a false story for all I know, but it is a good one.

Indeed.

HMV Japan, though it will be available everywhere soon enough.

Ok, cool. And I assume it will be dirt cheap.

I agree that the mono recordings tend to be better, but the stereo ones are still better than most other pianists' recordings.

In most cases, I agree.

[Brian]

This raises an interesting discussion question.

If you were possessed of Serkinesque/Richteresque powers, which sonatas would you not record?

[George]

This raises an interesting discussion question.

If you were possessed of Serkinesque/Richteresque powers, which sonatas would you not record?

I'd want to give them all a go myself.

[Bogey]

I still need to get the second set of the Festival at Prades stuff....really enjoy the mixture of composers and pieces.  On this follow up set, he plays No. 30, which I believe is the only LvB piano sonata he performed or was recorded by him during the festivals.  The first set is duo and trio performances.  Here is a shot of the second set.  Either way, Serkin nuts need to have both sets!

[Todd]

If you were possessed of Serkinesque/Richteresque powers, which sonatas would you not record?

WoO 47.

[Bogey]

I must say that one of my favorite anecdotes about the young Serkin has to do with when he played a recital and asked what encore to play, and someone suggested the Goldbergs, which he proceeded to play.  Only a handful of people were left in the audience, including, if memory serves, Schnabel.  It may be a false story for all I know, but it is a good one.

Here are the Goldbergs....are these on disc?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2-6snjPjBtA

[Todd]

Here are the Goldbergs....are these on disc?

The discography lists it on Archiphon.  I've not seen it.  (The Peter Serkin recording is readily available, though.)

[Bogey]

The discography lists it on Archiphon.  I've not seen it.  (The Peter Serkin recording is readily available, though.)

http://www.classicsonline.com/catalogue/product.aspx?pid=1420625

[George]

Here are the Goldbergs....are these on disc?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2-6snjPjBtA

His Diabellis are awesome!

[Bogey]

I would be interested to see a list of performers that recorded the majority of the sonatas (this keeps Serkin in the conversation) in mono, and how you would rank them.

[kishnevi]

His Diabellis are awesome!

I have these two CDs, both now apparently OOP.
[asin]B00064AELA[/asin]
[asin]B0000AH3EL[/asin]

Don't know how the sonata CD fits in, or does not fit in, with the new box.

Recording dates for the sonatas  8 June 1976 12 January 1971 March 15-16 1967 resoectively,  all recorded in New York
Recording dates for the Diabellis 3-5 September 1957 at Marlboro VT
Recording dates for the Op. 119 16-18 February 1966 in New York
Recording dates for the Op. 71 7 October and 14-15 October 1970 in New York

The liner notes to the sonata CD seem to say he scheduled, then cancelled (on the grounds that he simply wasn't ready enough to perform them all in public), a series of eight performances at Carnegie Hall in which he would have played the entire cycle.  That was to have been spread out over the period October 1970 to May 1971.  (The notes are not the most clearly written things.)

[Todd]

I would be interested to see a list of performers that recorded the majority of the sonatas (this keeps Serkin in the conversation) in mono, and how you would rank them.

There aren't too terribly many.  (It was covered before, incidentally.)  I believe Kurt Applebaum may have also recorded a good chunk, though I've not heard any.  In the days of mono, complete or near-complete cycles were exceedingly rare.

Don't know how the sonata CD fits in, or does not fit in, with the new box.

I'm guessing they're in the new set.

[Bogey]

There aren't too terribly many.  (It was covered before, incidentally.)  I believe Kurt Applebaum may have also recorded a good chunk, though I've not heard any.  In the days of mono, complete or near-complete cycles were exceedingly rare.

Right.  How about a top three mono LvB sonata disc list then.

[jlaurson]

Right.  How about a top three mono LvB sonata disc list then.

(complete ones:)
Kempff I, Backhaus I, Schnabel


optional: Nat, Gulda I (which has a few stereo bits in it) [edit: Gulda 0]

http://ionarts.blogspot.com/2009/05/beethoven-sonatas-survey-of-complete.html

I'd second the Solomon mentioned below, if completeness is not the issue.

[Todd]

Kempff I, Backhaus I, Schnabel


optional: Nat, Gulda I (which has a few stereo bits in it)

A good list, though the true Gulda I (on Orfeo) is superior to the Decca.

As to three individual releases in mono, some I've enjoyed include:

   

   

[Holden]

There's this, available in a number of incarnations.



...and how could we ignore these?

 

[Bogey]

Thanks!  Just waiting for George's list, which he has probably typed out for me a gazillion times.

[jlaurson]

A good list, though the true Gulda I (on Orfeo) is superior to the Decca.

Blimey! Nearly forgot about the "Gulda 0" cycle. First page of LvB-Sonata-Survey updated accordingly.

[Fred]

Goodyears complete set now available at marquis classics foe $55. Please wait a few days while my order clears.

[George]

Thanks!  Just waiting for George's list, which he has probably typed out for me a gazillion times.

I am only going to recommend one, as I feel it is that essential - Josef Hofmann Vol 6, The Casimir Hall recital (not all Beethoven, but it has two outstanding sonata performances.) It's on the Marston label.