Beethoven's Piano Sonatas

[Ataraxia]

Who has the best 21st century cycle thus far?

[George]

Who has the best 21st century cycle thus far?

Christopher Nolan. 

[Todd]

Who has the best 21st century cycle thus far?

1.) Andrea Lucchesini.  Alas, it is OOP.

2.) Francois Frederic Guy.  Almost certainly, based on the first two of three volumes.  Alas, it is not done.

3.) Daniel Barenboim on DVD.  Alas, it is on DVD.

4.) Tie: Peter Takacs or Stewart Goodyear.  (Jean Efflam Bavouzet will probably also tie them.)

[Brian]

Not a cult.  A reasonable reaction to her awful playing.  I mean she's really bad.  As in Anne Oland bad.  Compare her playing to Stewart Goodyear, Jean Efflam Bavouzet, Francois Frederic Guy, or even Christian Leotta (to name just other LvB releases from this year) and her awfulness is clear.

I actually didn't think her Op 10 was that bad. Is it really not that bad, or am I getting too used to this crap? So far the "lowlights" for me have been Moonlight, Op 31/3, and any of the late sonatas, with the lowest point being Op 79/ii.

[Ataraxia]

Christopher Nolan. 

1.) Andrea Lucchesini.  Alas, it is OOP.

2.) Francois Frederic Guy.  Almost certainly, based on the first two of three volumes.  Alas, it is not done.

3.) Daniel Barenboim on DVD.  Alas, it is on DVD.

4.) Tie: Peter Takacs or Stewart Goodyear.  (Jean Efflam Bavouzet will probably also tie them.)

Alas.

[Brian]

I actually didn't think her Op 10 was that bad. Is it really not that bad, or am I getting too used to this crap?

Never mind. Moved on to Brautigam and Bavouzet, and her Op 10 is pretty bad after all.

[Lilas Pastia]

I started listening to the 32 played by Eric Heidsieck. First hearing was devoted to sonatas 20, 21, 23, and 25. This is early seventies vintage, in clear, wide-ranging sound. Born 1936, he studied with Cortot and took lessons from Kempff.

Heidsieck plays vigorously and with a big dynamic range. I didn't detect much effort toward colouring his sound. He seems to be interested in the melodic and rythmic  structure of the works. Some strong underlinings here and there suggest he is no mere note-spinner. The sound in fortes can be quite percussive, something Lortie always avoids, to the detriment of the music's personality IMO - Beethoven didn't strive to sound 'beautiful'.


My first impression is that this is big, bold Beethoven plying of uncommon intelligence and integrity.

[Todd]

I started listening to the 32 played by Eric Heidsieck...

My first impression is that this is big, bold Beethoven plying of uncommon intelligence and integrity.

Heidsieck's cycle is one of the best.  He's an underappreciated pianist.  I've yet to hear anything less than compelling from him - LvB, Mozart, Debussy, Faure. 

[Brian]

Annie Oland's on Naxos Music Library. If I want to fully understand why her cycle somehow rates below Lim's on the Todd-O-Meter, without investing too much time in it, which sonata(s) should I sample?

[Karl Henning]

(* chortle *)

[George]

If I want to fully understand why her cycle somehow rates below Lim's on the Todd-O-Meter, without investing too much time in it, which sonata(s) should I sample?

You mean this wasn't enough info?

Annie Oland's on Naxos Music Library.

[Todd]

Annie Oland's on Naxos Music Library. If I want to fully understand why her cycle somehow rates below Lim's on the Todd-O-Meter, without investing too much time in it, which sonata(s) should I sample?

First off, it's Anne, not Annie, and second, try these:

2/2 (the Largo, especially)
27/1
27/2  (really bad)
28
57
106
109

The first disc Øland recorded, which was a mixed recital, was the most successful and not terrible, but everything went downhill from there.  In general, her tone is ugly, her delivery stiff, and her slow movements tend to be just plain unpleasant to listen to.

I'm almost tempted to do a Lim v Øland comparison, but I don't know if I could sit through it.  I still have one Lim disc to hear, and I've been sitting on it for about a month.  It's been a tough set to sit through.

[Ataraxia]

I'm almost tempted to do a Lim v Øland comparison, but I don't know if I could sit through it.  I still have one Lim disc to hear, and I've been sitting on it for about a month.  It's been a tough set to sit through.

You have suffered enough.

[jwinter]

 Quote from: MN Dave on Today at 02:38:49 PM

You have suffered enough.

   
No, he hasn't!     

Bad reviews (by which I mean reviews of bad recordings) are always such fun to read. 

And besides, in the past couple of years I've picked up both Heidsieck's excellent cycle (based largely on Todd's review) and recently Lim's cycle (largely ignoring Todd's opinion, thinking "aw, how bad could it be?  It's cheap!").  I should know better...

[Brian]

Oh god, the finale of Oland's Op 27/2 is absolutely killing me. Thing is, though, while Oland is foursquare, drab, and dull, Lim is willfully, delibarately awful. It's the difference between, say, Kilmer's Batman and Adam West's Batman.

Bad reviews (by which I mean reviews of bad recordings) are always such fun to read. 

Why do you think I'm braving the Lim box?  I'm working for MusicWeb... hoping to get through the thing (or as much as I can stand) and have a review submitted by the end of August.

[Todd]

Oh god, the finale of Oland's Op 27/2 is absolutely killing me.

Told ya.

(I think it patently unfair to compare Adam West to HJ Lim in any way!)

[Brian]

Told ya.

(I think it patently unfair to compare Adam West to HJ Lim in any way!)

Now HJ Lim's 109 finale is burying me and leaving some organic waste matter on the grave. Holy christ this is the worst.

(And true... my review compares HJ Lim to a different Adam... Adam Sandler.)

[jwinter]

 Quote from: Brian on Today at 03:40:07 PM

Oh god, the finale of Oland's Op 27/2 is absolutely killing me. Thing is, though, while Oland is foursquare, drab, and dull, Lim is willfully, delibarately awful. It's the difference between, say, Kilmer's Batman and Adam West's Batman.

Why do you think I'm braving the Lim box?  I'm working for MusicWeb... hoping to get through the thing (or as much as I can stand) and have a review submitted by the end of August.

   
Look forward to reading your review! 

However, if you're implying that Adam West's "wilfully, deliberately awful" acting is in any way a bad thing, I shall have to ask you to step outside.....

[Ataraxia]

+1

[Fafner]

Oh god, the finale of Oland's Op 27/2 is absolutely killing me. Thing is, though, while Oland is foursquare, drab, and dull, Lim is willfully, delibarately awful. It's the difference between, say, Kilmer's Batman and Adam West's Batman.

Why do you think I'm braving the Lim box?  I'm working for MusicWeb... hoping to get through the thing (or as much as I can stand) and have a review submitted by the end of August.

Well, I've listened to the limited sample available of the set, and they sound fun, in an outlandish sort of way.  And to be honest, the self-important, contemptuous tone with which the recordings are discussed around here makes me quite anxious hear them.  After all, the recordings you self-appointed luminaries approve all sound the same anyway.  Time to hear something a bit different.  Too bad I missed initial offer from amazon.co.uk.  But I'll be looking for a good price on this set. 

BTW, what is MusicWeb?