Beethoven's Piano Sonatas

[Cato]

I think I need to listen to Backhaus (never have).

Well worth your time!   

[JBS]

There was a hope a few years ago that Levit would become a significant pianist, but it hasn't worked out. His recent programme albums are too pretentious and the Beethoven set is rather boring.

Those program albums work well for me. I do agree with Todd's view that his LvB is perfectly fine but not outstanding. Of the 21st century pianists he listed, I only have Pienaar and Guy. Pienaar strikes me as also perfectly fine but not outstanding, but Guy is indeed les genoux d'abeille.

I have enough sets of the sonatas that I ought to work out a list similar to Todd's (but much shorter, of course*). I'm not sure who would be top tier. I do know who would be at the bottom of the list: Annie Fischer.

*working off Todd's list, it seems I have 23 complete cycles, plus Serkin, Richter, and Gilels.

[AnotherSpin]

Wait a minute!?  Have Todd and AS just agreed on something!?

What Todd writes about music is always interesting and I have no trouble learning from it.

As for agreeing on the other issues. I won't say about the nature of agreement in the abstract now, maybe another time. Anyway, more often than not Todd writes something that doesn't coincide with what I see. However, he never writes stupid things, and almost never descends into vulgar personal attacks. And for me, it's better to disagree with a clever person than to agree with a moron.

[Jo498]

Given that Levit started with the late sonatas and then returned to do the rest later, I never did a detailed review.  Like Ashkar and so many others, Levit plays well - my memory is that his playing is quite excellent in terms of execution, if not to, say, Kikuchi level - but his interpretations didn't really offer anything especially distinctive.  I remember when the late sonatas came out, they were lauded for depth or insight, or something along those lines, it's just that I didn't hear it.

I got the Levit Late Sonatas when they were new and lauded and while I have not revisited them in years, I tend to agree. Not sure, I think I listened to some of the other sonatas that were later available online (maybe different live concert recordings?) and had a similar impression. Very good, but not super special. (And I now shun Levit because he has been insufferable in the last few years, with many public statements for mainstream leftist political propaganda.)

Whereas Lucchesini mostly had a freshness that might be connected to the live situation or to the pianist's originality that made revisiting them in that summer a few years ago when I listened to lots of Beethoven sonatas very worthwhile.

[AnotherSpin]

[..] (And I now shun Levit because he has been insufferable in the last few years, with many public statements for mainstream leftist political propaganda.) [..]

Again and again we come back to the same question. Does music exist separately from ideology? Or the same question in a different way. Is music used for ideological purposes?

[Mandryka]

Well I just listened to Levit's recording of the first movement op 106 - you can hear some of the impish playing which caught my attention in the concerts. I think what he does here is pretty good actually, fresh, I'm not sure if it's original conception but it could be. A sort of good balance between playfulness and weight.

[Pohjolas Daughter]

I think I need to listen to Backhaus (never have).

Me too...along with Annie Fischer.

PD

[AnotherSpin]

Couple of years ago Presto Classical had Backhaus' complete Beethoven Piano Sonatas mono set download in FLAC for US$ 4.

[Pohjolas Daughter]

Couple of years ago Presto Classical had Backhaus' complete Beethoven Piano Sonatas mono set download in FLAC for US$ 4.

Looks like they have at least some of them (showing old Decca covers), but not at that price alas!

PD

[DavidW]

I'm going to just stream.  I almost never blind buy anymore.

[Pohjolas Daughter]

I'm going to just stream.  I almost never blind buy anymore.

It does seem like it's the safer way to go.

PD

[Florestan]

Again and again we come back to the same question. Does music exist separately from ideology? Or the same question in a different way. Is music used for ideological purposes?

A better question is: does ideology influence one's playing style? For instance, Maurizio Pollini is a communist. How does this ideological affiliation reflect in his recordings? Not at all, of course.

[Pohjolas Daughter]

Regarding Wilhelm Backhaus' mono recordings, I did find them for a decent price on Supraphon's website--for 249 CZK.  If my converter was accurate that is about  equal to $11.50 USD.

And that's presuming that they can sell these files in the US (I didn't try).  It looks like, too, that it includes mp3 files too.

https://www.supraphonline.cz/album/576483-beethoven-complete-piano-sonatas-mono-version/flac

PD

[DavidW]

Thank you everyone, please post about Beethoven piano sonatas here, for the other discussion please post here/

[George]

I think I need to listen to Backhaus (never have).

The stereo set has remarkably good sound and the playing, IMO, is nearly as good as the mono set.

[Pohjolas Daughter]

The stereo set has remarkably good sound and the playing, IMO, is nearly as good as the mono set.

Thanks for your thoughts, George.  I'll look into it. 

PD

[Holden]

Is the Backhaus mono set available via streaming anywhere? There's something on Spotify but it's provenance is not determined and as part of the caption says 'live' it makes me wonder.

I did listen to the stereo set but it didn't really grab me. A main part of the issue is dynamic range and whether this is the mastering or the pianist I don't know.

[George]

Is the Backhaus mono set available via streaming anywhere? There's something on Spotify but it's provenance is not determined and as part of the caption says 'live' it makes me wonder.

I did listen to the stereo set but it didn't really grab me. A main part of the issue is dynamic range and whether this is the mastering or the pianist I don't know.

I see at least 4 discs of the mono set there, lableled "mono version." It's a very generic cover, with a b/w sketch of Backhaus's head and only the background color differs. Here's an example:



   

[JBS]

Is the Backhaus mono set available via streaming anywhere? There's something on Spotify but it's provenance is not determined and as part of the caption says 'live' it makes me wonder.

I did listen to the stereo set but it didn't really grab me. A main part of the issue is dynamic range and whether this is the mastering or the pianist I don't know.

Could they be some of the recordings used in this Membran set?

I see at least 4 discs of the mono set there, lableled "mono version." It's a very generic cover, with a b/w sketch of Backhaus's head and only the background color differs. Here's an example:



   

[George]

Could they be some of the recordings used in this Membran set?

I don't know. It would depend on which one Membran chose to pirate.