Daniel Barenboim's Beethoven Sonatas DVD

[Zhiliang]

Hi,

I saw this set of Beethoven Sonatas played live in Berlin by Barenboim on EMI that comes with an extra DVD that has a masterclass with Daniel Barenboim on certain Beethoven sonatas.



Anyone bought this and is this any good?

Also i am looking for a digital recording with great sound on Beethoven piano sonata No. 11 Op. 22. Any good recomendations?

Thanks a lot.

[Todd]

Yes, it's excellent - the best of his three cycles.  Some of the videography isn't the greatest, though.


As to a digital Op 22, I've long been partial to Jean Bernard Pommier.  His cycle overall isn't that great, but he nails this sonata.  Sound is superb, too.  Alfred Brendel also does very well here, particularly in his second recording, which though analog sounds superb.  His third, digital recording is also very good.  I'll have to peruse my collection some more later to see which others are especially noteworthy.

[MishaK]

I just received it for Christmas. I have barely started watching it, but IMHO the Waldstein alone is worth the price of admission. How that final movement just comes into being out of the last bars of the middle movement has to be heard.

[Todd]

Perusing my collection more for Op 22, I'd add Ikuyo Nakamichi's recording to the list.  The sound is top flight - indeed, her cycle is among the best sounding yet recorded.  Akiyoshi Sako's recording is also excellent, though the sound isn't quite as good.  John O'Conor makes for a nice, safe choice, poetic as one could wish for.  For less orthodox approaches, Russell Sherman and Ronald Brautigam warrant attention.  The former is very heavy-handed interpretively, but he's compelling.  The latter presses things a bit, making the music perhaps more aggressive (or maybe just assertive) than may be preferred, but he still makes for a good listen. 

Of course, analog offers much too: Heidsieck, Gulda (Amadeo), Nat, Backhaus, and above all Michelangeli (Lugano, 1981) all offer some important insights.  Sound varies, of course, but sound is not all there is.

[Zhiliang]

Thanks so much for the recommendations, i just went to get the Michelangeli one as its very hard to even find a recording of this piece in the store at where i am (singapore). Will try the online websites though. Thanks for the advice.