Hello

[Rod]

Originally posted by Frankli:
Virtually every note in 1 to 5 different interpretations. The three biggest omissions, are, I think, op. 134, the reworking of the violin concerto, and the early piano quartets. Do you have those played on the fp, or are you aware of any existing recordings?

There aren't any for these pieces as far as I am aware, if there were I would have them that's for certain, because they would all sound fantastic on authentic instruments.

I am not sure 'every note' has been recorded on the fortepiano Frank, I am looking in vain for the 'Eroica' variations in particular, but there are dozens of smaller pieces that have no authentic recording.

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"If I were but of noble birth..." - Rod Corkin

[Frankli]

Originally posted by Rod:
I am not sure 'every note' has been recorded on the fortepiano Frank, I am looking in vain for the 'Eroica' variations in particular, but there are dozens of smaller pieces that have no authentic recording.

Ah yes, how could I forget op. 35. And opus 107, seldom heard but elegant music.
But for the rest, going through the list, it looks like it's mostly trifles; would fit on 1 cd.

[Rod]

Originally posted by Frankli:
Ah yes, how could I forget op. 35. And opus 107, seldom heard but elegant music.
But for the rest, going through the list, it looks like it's mostly trifles; would fit on 1 cd.

And you have all of the folksong arrangements? I have 3 authentic CDs of these but there are many more songs in the DG compete edition set. And then there are the piano transcriptions of the dances and minuets. You have all this? I could go on..

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"If I were but of noble birth..." - Rod Corkin

[PDG]

Originally posted by Rod:
And you have all of the folksong arrangements? I have 3 authentic CDs of these but there are many more songs in the DG compete edition set. And then there are the piano transcriptions of the dances and minuets. You have all this? I could go on..

I am not a fan of the folksong arrangements. It is too easy to be lulled into assuming that the melodies are by Beethoven which are even then obscured by the warblings of ten-a-penny "vocalists".

[PDG]

Originally posted by Frankli:
Ah yes, how could I forget op. 35. And opus 107, seldom heard but elegant music.
But for the rest, going through the list, it looks like it's mostly trifles; would fit on 1 cd.

Maybe one CD-Rom! Opus 34 is a particular favourite of mine, where each variation is in a progresively different style & key. I first heard this work on an LP which also featured the Rondos Opus 51, and the spooky Allegretto, WoO.53.

[Rod]

Originally posted by PDG:
I am not a fan of the folksong arrangements. It is too easy to be lulled into assuming that the melodies are by Beethoven which are even then obscured by the warblings of ten-a-penny "vocalists".

I have to disagree, there songs I presented here met with universal praise, from all four or five respondents! I really don't know what you've been listening to.

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"If I were but of noble birth..." - Rod Corkin

[Rod]

Originally posted by PDG:
Maybe one CD-Rom! Opus 34 is a particular favourite of mine, where each variation is in a progresively different style & key. I first heard this work on an LP which also featured the Rondos Opus 51, and the spooky Allegretto, WoO.53.

I have an authentic op34, one of my more recent aquisitions, by Melvyn Tan usuing his 1814 Streicher copy. A reasonable effort, means I don't have to listen to my Brendel or Gould recordings any more (especially the Gould, which in addition to his vocalisms has the most awful sound I have ever heard fron any piano of any kind). Though it is bundled with a whole load of Schubert filler (impromptus and 'movements musicaux'), and as such does not represent the best value for money.

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"If I were but of noble birth..." - Rod Corkin


[This message has been edited by Rod (edited 09-24-2006).]

[Frankli]

Originally posted by Rod:
And you have all of the folksong arrangements? I have 3 authentic CDs of these but there are many more songs in the DG compete edition set. And then there are the piano transcriptions of the dances and minuets. You have all this? I could go on..

You are right; I had not thought of the arrangements. I have only one cd using an old piano. I must say: having the other 6 is not my biggest priority. Some more dances would be nice though.

[Frankli]

Originally posted by Rod:
I have an authentic op34, one of my more recend aquisitions, by Melvyn Tan usuing his 1814 Streicher copy. A reasonable effort, means I don't have to listen to my Brendel or Gould recordings any more (especially the Gould, which in addition to his vocalisms has the most awful sound I have ever heard fron any piano of any kind).

I find this effort by Gould, together with the Prometheus variations and the early bagatelles, his least worst Beethoven.
The "spooky" allegretto that PDG talks about was recorded by Trudelies Leonhardt (yes, the sister of), together with the neo-Baroque WoO 80, WoO 53, the rondo op. 51/2, and some other pieces on a Seidner 1815.

[Rod]

Originally posted by Frankli:
You are right; I had not thought of the arrangements. I have only one cd using an old piano. I must say: having the other 6 is not my biggest priority. Some more dances would be nice though.

Then there are the lieder, I have about 30 authentic versions of these songs, but Beethoven composed about 80. I was listening today to Vol1 of the lieder from the complete DG set, sung by Fischer-Dieskau with accompaniment by...Jorg Demus! F-D has a nice tone, when he doesn't go over the top, but he can't sing in English or Italian whatsoever.

I think Beethoven's songs are fantastic. As I've said before I bet I could put a CD together of the best of these 80 that would a far more pleasurable listening experience than a CD of the best of Schubert's many 100s. I challenge anyone!


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"If I were but of noble birth..." - Rod Corkin


[This message has been edited by Rod (edited 09-24-2006).]

[Rod]

Originally posted by Frankli:
I find this effort by Gould, together with the Prometheus variations and the early bagatelles, his least worst Beethoven.
The "spooky" allegretto that PDG talks about was recorded by Trudelies Leonhardt (yes, the sister of), together with the neo-Baroque WoO 80, WoO 53, the rondo op. 51/2, and some other pieces on a Seidner 1815.

I appreciate your comment about Gould, that was the only recording of his I bought.

Yes I know of the Leonhardt Beethoven fp recordings. I had one myself. She plays everything, without exception, at one quarter tempo. The worst interpretations of Beethoven I think I have ever heard. A pity because the piano sounded quite a good one from my recollection.

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"If I were but of noble birth..." - Rod Corkin

[Frankli]

Originally posted by Rod:
Then there are the lieder, I have about 30 authentic versions of these songs, but Beethoven composed about 80. I was listening today to Vol1 of the lieder from the complete DG set, sung by Fischer-Dieskau with accompaniment by...Jorg Demus! F-D has a nice tone, when he doesn't go over the top, but he can't sing in English or Italian whatsoever.

Oh well. Sometimes he overacts a bit, but he IS some kind of standard nevertheless.

I think Beethoven's songs are fantastic. As I've said before I bet I could put a CD together of the best of these 80 that would a far more pleasurable listening experience than a CD of the best of Schubert's many 100s. I challenge anyone!

Yes, some of the Beethoven songs are great. But if you only liked Schubert, you'd love many of his songs!
I hope that a guy like Prégardien will record more Beetsongs than the few that he did sofar.

[Frankli]

Originally posted by Rod:
Yes I know of the Leonhardt Beethoven fp recordings. I had one myself. She plays everything, without exception, at one quarter tempo. The worst interpretations of Beethoven I think I have ever heard. A pity because the piano sounded quite a good one from my recollection.
[/B]

The piano sounds ok. She plays everything on that one, also Schubert.
Her performances are not very spectacular, and sometimes she seems to miss the point because of that, while at other times it works out fine. So, I have mixed feelings. The same with her Schubert.
I have heard worse.