Beethoven's Piano Sonatas

[Brian]

For those who want exceptional Beethoven recordings on fortepiano, Alexei Lubimov seems a fairly undisputable first choice. (But I'll try Penelope Crawford.)

Yep, I would dispute Lubimov. Good, a little eccentric. Crawford uses the piano's mute pedal to work magic.

On the subject of HIP Beethoven, my favorite single disc from the Brautigam series is the one with his "Waldstein".

Bavouzet may be out of Greg's price range. (FFGuy might be, too, but count me one of his admirers!)

[Karl Henning]

Well, but you ask, just in case!

[Holden]

Let's look at getting most of the sonatas but by different pianists. I would recommend these as starters. Maybe not the top draw for each sonata but certainly very good performances.

Pollini


Hungerford (the rest of his recordings are well worth getting)



Richter - as a a sample of his playing. I like virtually everything Richter does with LvB and as mentioned before get his Appassionata from the 50s/60s



Kovacevich (some may disagree here)



For full sets Annie Fischer is excellent (but expensive). The beauty of her 32 is that there are no bad performances. If you like the quirky then have a listen to Glenn Gould.

[George]

For a great introductory set, I'd enthusiastically recommend Gulda's Amadeo cycle. Plus, at only £21 at amazon.co.uk, it's a steal.

Bingo!!!

[Cosi bel do]

For full sets Annie Fischer is excellent (but expensive). The beauty of her 32 is that there are no bad performances.

Exactly, one of the best full sets.

About Richter, who is unavoidable in Beethoven, the top priority imo is the Praga releases, in the recent remasterings, plus the Brilliant radio archives (Beethoven now available separately).











Here you have among the very best Beethoven performances by Richter (and the best Hammerklavier ever) for approx. 70€.

[George]

Exactly, one of the best full sets.

About Richter, who is unavoidable in Beethoven, the top priority imo is the Praga releases, in the recent remasterings, plus the Brilliant radio archives (Beethoven now available separately).

The same Beethoven that is in the Green Brilliant Box.

[Cosi bel do]

The same Beethoven that is in the Green Brilliant Box.

Exactly. This box being oop, I was just putting the picture of the new release for those who seek advice on what their first purchases should be.

[George]

Exactly. This box being oop, I was just putting the picture of the new release for those who seek advice on what their first purchases should be.

Thanks.

My statement was meant as a question, but I left out the (?), glad you read it that way.

[Pat B]

If one is going to buy any of Richter's EMI recordings, the 14-CD Icon set (now labelled as Warner) is a good way to go. It has everything he recorded for them and can be had for about $30. BUT it only has one disc of Beethoven piano sonatas. That disc IMO is good but not the highlight of the set and does not reach the same towering heights as his Appassionata on either RCA or Melodiya. Still, it (the Icon box) is a great buy overall.

I like the Brilliant set, but be aware that the sound quality is mostly not great.

And his Hammerklavier, oh yes! I have the London concert on ica. It, the Praga mentioned by Cosi bel do, and also the one on BBC Legends, are 3 different performances, but all date from June 1975. The one I have is awesome. I haven't heard the other 2.

[jlaurson]

I have somewhat rummaged through the 130+ pages of this very informative thread. I'm in search of purchasing a few discs that cover some of the highlights of Beethoven's sonatas. I have a few MP3s of LvB sonatas from library discs I checked out, but I currently do not own any. I've heard many of them on the radio throughout the years, I enjoy a few named ones, Moonlight and Tempest mostly.
I see names on online stores that are inexpensive, Ashkenazy (London), Pollini (DG) and Brendel to name a few. I have a feeling that those might be considered "the usual suspects" and I'm sure I could benefit from traveling past the top sellers, but I'm just looking for a start up. I'm not looking for complete sets, unless they run around $25-30.
Any recommendations?

Thank you in advance! 

The usual suspects are the usual ones, because they are unusually good. Nonetheless, many fine discoveries lurk in the corners. My personal choice is Backhaus II, my primary recommendation Gulda (my near-boss' father, actually, as per last week) -- "Gulda II" (his third, confusingly). Also love Brautigam... and Gilels and Pollini... et al.

More here:

Beethoven Sonatas - A Survey of Complete Cycles
Part 1, 1935 - 1969


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

[Cosi bel do]

If one is going to buy any of Richter's EMI recordings, the 14-CD Icon set (now labelled as Warner) is a good way to go. It has everything he recorded for them and can be had for about $30. BUT it only has one disc of Beethoven piano sonatas. That disc IMO is good but not the highlight of the set and does not reach the same towering heights as his Appassionata on either RCA or Melodiya. Still, it (the Icon box) is a great buy overall.

I like the Brilliant set, but be aware that the sound quality is mostly not great.

And his Hammerklavier, oh yes! I have the London concert on ica. It, the Praga mentioned by Cosi bel do, and also the one on BBC Legends, are 3 different performances, but all date from June 1975. The one I have is awesome. I haven't heard the other 2.

The Praga concert is slightly better, probably thanks to the Petrof piano Richter loved to play in Prague.
And the sound on the Brilliant set is not that bad, compared to other concerts of the same period.

[Cosi bel do]

The usual suspects are the usual ones, because they are unusually good. Nonetheless, many fine discoveries lurk in the corners. My personal choice is Backhaus II, my primary recommendation Gulda (my near-boss' father, actually, as per last week) -- "Gulda II" (his third, confusingly). Also love Brautigam... and Gilels and Pollini... et al.

Well that's really a question of taste. Gulda imo is irritating, mechanical and full of mannerisms. In a close "fresh" approach I'd rather recommend Heidsieck.

[prémont]

Gulda imo is irritating, mechanical and full of mannerisms.
In a close "fresh" approach I'd rather recommend Heidsieck.

Even here we agree.

[Mandryka]

Well that's really a question of taste. Gulda imo is irritating, mechanical and full of mannerisms. In a close "fresh" approach I'd rather recommend Heidsieck.

And yet I think that Heidsieck is slightly irritating and full of mannerisms. Rubato's a strange thing, and like lovers' faces, what you like and dislike is so subjective that really, you have to suck everything and see. I'm no more positive about Gulda 2, though I'm not sure I'd noticed that  it's full of mannerisms. Can you point out an example or two, so I can listen?

Anyway the main thing I want to say is that no discussion of Richter's Beethoven should leave out his wonderful op 14s on BBC Legends.

[Mandryka]

Hungerford (the rest of his recordings are well worth getting)

Bruce Hungerford made an LP in honour of his teacher Karl Friedberg, with an op 111, and some Bach. This is the Beethoven recording I've enjoyed most from him. There used to a transfer on symphonyshare.

[aquablob]

The usual suspects are the usual ones, because they are unusually good.

I tend to agree. In particular, I differ with many here about Brendel's Beethoven, which I find both loyal to the score and full of life. His two Philips cycles are among my favorites, and I recently heard his Vox cycle and thoroughly enjoyed it. On the other hand, I've never been totally sold on Annie Fischer's cycle, a favorite in these parts (although I understand the appeal).

My personal choice is Backhaus II, my primary recommendation Gulda (my near-boss' father, actually, as per last week) -- "Gulda II" (his third, confusingly). Also love Brautigam... and Gilels and Pollini... et al.

Looks like we have similar taste, although I probably wouldn't place Backhaus at the top.

Well that's really a question of taste. Gulda imo is irritating, mechanical and full of mannerisms.

It most certainly is a question of taste. Gulda "II" might be my favorite! It has competition in sets by Kempff, Brendel, Brautigam, Schiff, Arrau, and Gilels. That said, I definitely haven't listened to as many cycles as some others here have.

[George]

The usual suspects are the usual ones, because they are unusually good. Nonetheless, many fine discoveries lurk in the corners. My personal choice is Backhaus II,

A superb set, not just for Backhaus's playing, which is described as one reviewer as being chiseled out of granite, but also the recorded sound, which beautifully captures the sound of his piano.

my primary recommendation Gulda (my near-boss' father, actually, as per last week) -- "Gulda II" (his third, confusingly).

The Gulda is also one of my favorites. I like his speedy, clean-shaven readings.

[Todd]

And yet I think that Heidsieck is slightly irritating and full of mannerisms.

Heidsieck's set is most definitely filled with mannerisms - it's one of the most mannered sets in existence, or at least among the 75.75 complete sets I've heard.  That written, I find it among the best cycles yet recorded.  I find Gulda far less mannered, and he, too, is among the best ever.

[Baroque Obama]

If you take the sets that I got rid of into account, too, I own all the stereo sets available and in my experience, Gilels(incomplete), Goode, Kovacevich are the best complete sets. Maybe Brautigam for the fortepiano.

I'd think of buying A.Fischer, any of the Gulda sets, Lortie and Badura-Skoda sets if I were to keep more than 10 sets, Schiff and Lewis after 15.I'd consider the likes of Heidsieck or Hungerford for the dump truck processing

There are very good individual performances such as Perahia (though he is working on Urtext edition for a new and complete set for the last few years), Lupu (8, 14 & 21), Brendel (26) Arrau (for all the named sonatas), Moravec is amazing (8, 14 & 26), Pletnev, Richter and Pollini for the late sonatas with Richter's great 23, Rubinstein's selection of the named sonatas are favorites for many people. Even Kempff for the last two sonatas are great.

[Todd]

If you take the sets that I got rid of into account, too, I own all the stereo sets available and in my experience

What do you think of Yaeko Yamane's cycle?