Beethoven's Piano Sonatas

[Todd]

Jean-Bernard Pommier - First six discs or so sound spectacular (a great venue is used), and the playing is generally elegant and a bit light.  Okay, though some individual sonatas are fine (eg, Op 22).

Maria Grinberg - Hard to harsh at times, in mediocre to poor sound.  Not my cup of tea.

Michael Korstick - Masterfully played, alternating between very fast and very slow.  Good overall, but not a favorite.

Eric Heidseick - Willful but insightful and brilliant.  A great cycle.

Anne Oland - Terrible.  Along with HJ Lim, the worst cycle I've heard.

[12tone.]

Thanks Todd!

[jlaurson]

Latest, newest so far...


Beethoven Sonatas - A Survey of Complete Cycles
Part 8, 2010 Onward



INCL: R.BUCHBINDER II • H J LIM • S.GOODYEAR • F.F.GUY • L.LORTIE • P.RÖSEL

http://ionarts.blogspot.com/2013/07/beethoven-sonatas-survey-of-complete.html

[Pat B]

I'm currently listening to Paul Komen playing the Waldstein. He recorded 17 of the 32 on fortepiano between 1993 and 1998. According to this online bio he subsequently played all 32 in concert. Does anyone know why he never completed the cycle in the studio?

[SonicMan46]

Jean-Bernard Pommier - First six discs or so sound spectacular (a great venue is used), and the playing is generally elegant and a bit light.  Okay, though some individual sonatas are fine (eg, Op 22).

Maria Grinberg - Hard to harsh at times, in mediocre to poor sound.  Not my cup of tea.

Michael Korstick - Masterfully played, alternating between very fast and very slow.  Good overall, but not a favorite.

Eric Heidseick - Willful but insightful and brilliant.  A great cycle.

Anne Oland - Terrible.  Along with HJ Lim, the worst cycle I've heard.

Hi Todd - I'm also 'in the dark' w/ these performers, but Heidseick did pique my interest from your comments - where does in fit into your 'current' TOP 10 choices?  What's interesting on Amazon is that his sonata cycle is selling 'new' for $70 in the MP, but the 50 CD Beethoven box which includes these same recordings is available for $54, suggesting that the sonata set can be grabbed for $8 only!  BUT, I already own much of this remaining Beethoven - hmmm, what to do?  Thanks, as usual - Dave

[Todd]

Hi Todd - I'm also 'in the dark' w/ these performers, but Heidseick did pique my interest from your comments - where does in fit into your 'current' TOP 10 choices?

He's definitely in the top 10, though in the second half I would have to say.  (Given that the big four are also included in the top ten, that's hardly anything other than very high praise.)  I must reiterate that his style is very willful, with hefty doses of idiosyncratic rubato throughout, but he is always stylish, tasteful, and he manages to call attention to the music more than his playing.  The set is available used at Amazon.fr for around 20 Euro or so.  I'm sure it will be re-re-reissued in France, at least, at some point.  I've yet to hear anything by Heidsieck that I didn't enjoy immensely.

[SonicMan46]

He's definitely in the top 10, though in the second half I would have to say................ The set is available used at Amazon.fr for around 20 Euro or so.  I'm sure it will be re-re-reissued in France, at least, at some point.  I've yet to hear anything by Heidsieck that I didn't enjoy immensely.

Thanks Todd for the further comments on Eric Heidsieck - will add to my 'wish list' - Dave

Edit: Last name corrected (i before e) - 

[jlaurson]

Thanks Todd for the further comments on Eric Heidseick - will add to my 'wish list' - Dave

I'm not the only one who's prone to misspelling his name, then. 

I had written (and thought!) "Heidiseck", for years. Only yesterday did I realize the blunder.

[Brian]

We should make it Hideseek for ease of remembering.

And I'm still irritated that none of Hideseek's EMI recordings are on Naxos Music Library - going to be complicated (for me) to find physical copies of them all.

EDIT: Hey the sonata cycle is $40 at BRO!

[jlaurson]

We should make it Hideseek for ease of remembering.
And I'm still irritated that none of Hideseek's EMI recordings are on Naxos Music Library - going to be complicated (for me) to find physical copies of them all.
EDIT: Hey the sonata cycle is $40 at BRO!

You can find either the 1995 or the 2006 version cheap, used, on Amazon (from the UK, for example): http://ionarts.blogspot.com/2009/05/beethoven-sonatas-survey-of-complete_24.html
Or, just to eavesdrop, a surprising amount of it on YouTube.

[Todd]

And I'm still irritated that none of Hideseek's EMI recordings are on Naxos Music Library - going to be complicated (for me) to find physical copies of them all.

I'm more irritated that all of his post-EMI recordings (ie, post '60s, or so it seems) are Japanese-only issues, including the now impossible to find second recording of 101/106 from the abandoned second cycle.  (I have the 109/110/11 disc, and I do enjoy it.)  Can't Heidsieck just use some of that vast family fortune and gather up all his recordings for a big box?  Oh, how sweet that would be.

[jlaurson]

I'm more irritated that all of his post-EMI recordings (ie, post '60s, or so it seems) are Japanese-only issues, including the now impossible to find second recording of 101/106 from the abandoned second cycle.  (I have the 109/110/11 disc, and I do enjoy it.)  Can't Heidsieck just use some of that vast family fortune and gather up all his recordings for a big box?  Oh, how sweet that would be.

If he can't even get his website out of the 90s... I wouldn't hold my breath on anything else.

[kishnevi]

Before anyone sends off their 40 dollars to BRO,  remember that Heidsieck's cycle is part of this
[asin]B000J0ZPH4[/asin]
along with the Cluytens symphony cycle,  the Hungarian Trio and Hungarian Quartet, and some other goodies, for not much more.  And I got my copy from BRO, so it may still be available there for less than on Amazon MP.

ETA: but I do need to mention it's got the cheapest packaging I've ever seen.

[jlaurson]

Edit: Korstick added -- both set and individual SACDs.


Latest, newest so far...


Beethoven Sonatas - A Survey of Complete Cycles
Part 8, 2010 Onward



INCL: R.BUCHBINDER II • H J LIM • S.GOODYEAR • F.F.GUY • L.LORTIE • P.RÖSEL

http://ionarts.blogspot.com/2013/07/beethoven-sonatas-survey-of-complete.html

[Opus106]

Lubimov has moved over to Alpha, to record Opp. 27/2, 31/2 and 53.

https://soundcloud.com/outhere-music/beethoven-moonlight-sonata

And the FF Guy will be available in a 9-CD box in the near future.

[Parsifal]

Lubimov has moved over to Alpha, to record Opp. 27/2, 31/2 and 53.

https://soundcloud.com/outhere-music/beethoven-moonlight-sonata

And the FF Guy will be available in a 9-CD box in the near future.

What did that link have to do with FF Guy?

[Opus106]

What did that link have to do with FF Guy?

Proof that the company says it will be available in the near future.

[Parsifal]

Proof that the company says it will be available in the near future.

  Maybe I'm dense.  It led me to a brochure by "Outthere music" which contained 19 pages of new releases, with no mention of FF Guy that I could find.

[Brian]

Lubimov has moved over to Alpha, to record Opp. 27/2, 31/2 and 53.

https://soundcloud.com/outhere-music/beethoven-moonlight-sonata

And the FF Guy will be available in a 9-CD box in the near future.

You left out that Gli Incogniti is recording Corelli and Cafe Zimmermann is beginning a Vivaldi series!!

And Scarpia - try page 22, bottom. Says the FFG 9CD box will be due in October.

There are some really exciting releases in there. Will be fun to hear over the rest of 2013.

[Opus106]

  Maybe I'm dense.  It led me to a brochure by "Outthere music" which contained 19 pages of new releases, with no mention of FF Guy that I could find.

There are a couple more pages beyond No. 19.

Direct link: http://issuu.com/elvanden/docs/outhere_catalogue_-_2eme_semestre_e/21?e=6026233/3651782