Beethoven's Piano Sonatas

[Brian]

I've been immersing myself in James Brawn's Volumes 1-4 on MSR Classics, to write a review of them. And Brawn keeps impressing me more and more. But it's a very quiet, tame sort of being impressed. Brawn's simply very consistent, and adaptable, and avoids making mistakes. I've only found one interpretive decision to second-guess (in Appassionata's first movement) in the 16 sonatas he has recorded. And, unusually, his booklet notes give genuine insight into why he plays a piece a certain way.

Brawn feels "safe." But not in the traditional sense of "technically correct but boring and uninspired." I mean it in a more positive way: "technically correct, and although rarely unique or remarkable, always very good." As in, you can feel safe putting his CD in.

He doesn't sound much like Wilhelm Kempff, and it would be weird to compare their playing styles, but the impression Brawn gives off, to me, is similar to Kempff: not flashy, not a "big personality," but a reliable guide nevertheless.

This is, obviously, still pretty high praise. And it's weird giving such high praise when I can't point at any one performance and say "that is really, really, really great." But the cumulative effect of thinking "that's pretty darn good" 16 times must work in a similar way.

[mc ukrneal]

Thanks, George. I'm downloading and listening now. I like it. And it sounds just fine on my computer, where I listen through B&W MM-1s.

Is it 320? 256?

[Mandryka]

I've been immersing myself in James Brawn's Volumes 1-4 on MSR Classics, to write a review of them. And Brawn keeps impressing me more and more. But it's a very quiet, tame sort of being impressed. Brawn's simply very consistent, and adaptable, and avoids making mistakes. I've only found one interpretive decision to second-guess (in Appassionata's first movement) in the 16 sonatas he has recorded. And, unusually, his booklet notes give genuine insight into why he plays a piece a certain way.

Brawn feels "safe." But not in the traditional sense of "technically correct but boring and uninspired." I mean it in a more positive way: "technically correct, and although rarely unique or remarkable, always very good." As in, you can feel safe putting his CD in.

He doesn't sound much like Wilhelm Kempff, and it would be weird to compare their playing styles, but the impression Brawn gives off, to me, is similar to Kempff: not flashy, not a "big personality," but a reliable guide nevertheless.

This is, obviously, still pretty high praise. And it's weird giving such high praise when I can't point at any one performance and say "that is really, really, really great." But the cumulative effect of thinking "that's pretty darn good" 16 times must work in a similar way.

Can you suggest a sonata which particularly shows his best qualities off?

[Brian]

Can you suggest a sonata which particularly shows his best qualities off?

I think my favorites of his, so far, may be "Les Adieux" and Op. 78.

[Scion7]

[Pat B]

I just finished my second listen to Pletnev's late-1980s Virgin disc. It's eccentric in spots (most notably for me in the finale of the Moonlight, where he downplays the big sfz chords relative to everybody else) but I think it almost always works musically. In several spots I heard long lines more clearly than others. I didn't write down anything specific about the Waldstein but it might be my favorite in that work.

I wish pianists/labels would mix a less-famous work or two into these discs, but for a selection of big-name sonatas, this is pretty interesting.

[jlaurson]

It's not a huge difference, but I do prefer the mono set across the board.

Agreed, on there not being a huge difference. It's both late Backhaus and stylistically very similar. Either way, you'll find yourself subtly delighted, I should think.

[Mandryka]

I didn't write down anything specific about the Waldstein but it might be my favorite in that work.

There was a time when I felt this about the first movement at least, I'm not sure how I'd react if I heard it now. I don't much like middle period Beethoven in fact so I may not be a very good judge.

[George]

Agreed, on there not being a huge difference. It's both late Backhaus and stylistically very similar. Either way, you'll find yourself subtly delighted, I should think.

I just wish the one with the great sound (the stereo) was the one with the better performances (the mono.) 

[jlaurson]

I just wish the one with the great sound (the stereo) was the one with the better performances (the mono.) 

Well, see... there we disagree. I don't think there's a notable drop-off between the two though, granted, I've never done a direct or even approximate comparison between the two sets. Come to think of it... where *is* my stereo set of the Backhaus sonatas, darnit?!

[George]

Well, see... there we disagree. I don't think there's a notable drop-off between the two though, granted, I've never done a direct or even approximate comparison between the two sets.

I wish you would. I'd like to hear your thoughts on the matter.

I don't even know if I would say it is a drop off, but there is a slight difference of interpretation. The mono sounds less rushed in the slow movements, for example.

[Fred]

Just bought Ohlsson's complete beethoven sonatas on 7digital for $13 Australian.  Costs $124 on Prestoclassical.  Methinks someone has made a mistake!!!!

[Tannhäuser]

I like my Beethoven germanic, poetic and inspired.

Hence : Brendel and Kempff together first, and the rest is almost superfluous.

Still, I recently heard Duchâble's recording of Tempest, Waldstein and Les Adieux and it is really nice, technically spot on with a tad of french "esprit", without betraying Beethoven's dramatic dimension.

[Fred]

If you go to http://intoclassics.net/news/2015-12-28-39819 you will find the complete live beethoven sonatas in St Petersburg by Peter Laul. Bits I've heard are fantastic. If you look at the comments, one may have been left by Peter Laul!

[Holden]

Can't seem to find a download link after translating the page into English

[Fred]

DON'T TRANSLATE THE PAGE INTO ENGLISH.  You don't need to.  The download arrow is easy to find in Cyrillic

[Fred]

Actually, even when I translate I get the download arrow on the right-hand side of the page (below "Save to Yandex").  Maybe try a different browser. Anyway, good luck. I registered with Yandex years ago, so I don't know if that also affects matters. But if you sort it out, it's free. 

[Fred]

Sorry, brain is still in Christmas mode, where it will stay all year.

This is the download page.  You should see a download button on the right with an arrow

https://yadi.sk/d/IBjeQ929mXk27

[George]

DON'T TRANSLATE THE PAGE INTO ENGLISH.  You don't need to.  The download arrow is easy to find in Cyrillic

I just looked and I can't find it.

[Florestan]

Guys, I know that site for a long time (intoclassics.net). It's a treasure trove, especially if you can read Russian (I do).

You can even search for what you need. On the left of the page look for the green text Поиск (Russian for search) and then type a composer or performer name in the box below the text по всему сайту (Russian for in the whole site). Hit the Enter key. After the results are retrieved, click the links and then look for the text Ссылка (Russian for link) and go to the web address below it.


Hope this helps.

NB Not all final links are functional.

EDIT I expanded the explanation a bit.