What were you listening to? (CLOSED)

[Dr. Dread]

      I listened to a few of these and found them to be unmoving, but maybe that's just me. Funny story though, at least it didn't cost me anything. The university has a certain number of items on lone for only four-hour stints, and this is one of them - what do they honestly expect you to do with a 14 box set in four hours?!

It's not just you, I'm sure. But it's certainly not me.

[owlice]

Oooh, Dana, keep it up! Please tell me how bad they are; perhaps that will help curb my desire and save my bank account!!

(I have Arrau in the late sonatas only, just as I used to have Kempff in the late sonatas only. But now I have the Kempff set. I don't need Arrau's. Please tell me I don't need Arrau's!! )

[Dr. Dread]

Oooh, Dana, keep it up! Please tell me how bad they are; perhaps that will help curb my desire and save my bank account!!

(I have Arrau in the late sonatas only, just as I used to have Kempff in the late sonatas only. But now I have the Kempff set. I don't need Arrau's. Please tell me I don't need Arrau's!! )

Oh, they're horrible, with all the fingernail clicking and the odd tempos. 

[Dana]

They're the worst Beethoven I've ever heard. Stay away from them at the grandest lengths possible, if you value your musical education.

[Dr. Dread]

[Opus106]

The university has a certain number of items on lone for only four-hour stints, and this is one of them - what do they honestly expect you to do with a 14 box set in four hours?!

Open, rip, return.

[Dana]

... OK, I, at least, was lying. In truth, it's been several years since I heard them. At the time, my theory teacher was using the Beethoven sonatas to teach us theory, and I was just beginning to realize why people called the op.59 quartets music from a madman, so I had high expectations - I was expecting music with thematic complexity, and exciting pathos which could turn on a single chord and make you realize that life as you knew it before that chord simply was not worth living. In retrospect, I guess Arrau wasn't romantic enough for me.

[Dr. Dread]

...I guess Arrau wasn't romantic enough for me.

   

[Florestan]

   

Seconded. 

[owlice]

Thank you, gentlemen; that's helping!

[Dr. Dread]

Thank you, gentlemen; that's helping!

Which sets do you currently own?

[George]

Well, I started it at #1 and plan on letting it play ... 

That's the way I do it. 

[Dr. Dread]

That's the way I do it. 

I go 30, 16, 2, 7, 15, 25, 26, 14, 31, 5, etc.

[karlhenning]

I go 30, 16, 2, 7, 15, 25, 26, 14, 31, 5, etc.

You mean you listen to the movements of each in order? 

[Dr. Dread]

You mean you listen to the movements of each in order? 

Actually, I prefer to randomize all the movements, the way God intended.

[George]

Is there a case for the Beethoven 32 on shuffle mode?

[Dr. Dread]

Is there a case for the Beethoven 32 on shuffle mode?

[Franco]

... OK, I, at least, was lying. In truth, it's been several years since I heard them. At the time, my theory teacher was using the Beethoven sonatas to teach us theory, and I was just beginning to realize why people called the op.59 quartets music from a madman, so I had high expectations - I was expecting music with thematic complexity, and exciting pathos which could turn on a single chord and make you realize that life as you knew it before that chord simply was not worth living. In retrospect, I guess Arrau wasn't romantic enough for me.

Arrau's interpretation is more classical than romantic with the sonatas, but I like that approach.  He is not without poetry, however - and I find this set to be one of the most balanced and consistent of the ones I have.  

The next sets I'm looking at are Stephen Bishop Kovacevich, Bernard Pommier's on Erato and I am awaiting delivery of the John O'Conor.

[Scarpia]

Arrau's interpretation is more classical than romantic with the sonatas, but I like that approach.  He is not without poetry, however - and I find this set to be one of the most balanced and consistent of the ones I have.  

The next sets I'm looking at are Stephen Bishop Kovacevich, Bernard Pommier's on Erato and I am awaiting delivery of the John O'Conor.

I have the Pommier (they were on some mad sale and I couldn't resist).  They are serviceable for the early sonatas, but became less and less satisfying for the later ones.  I like O'Conor a lot (as well as Arrau and Barenboim/EMI).

[Dr. Dread]