CD Recommendations

[Zon]

Hello fellow Beethovians!
I am new to the world of Beethoven and wanted to get recommendations on piano sonata CDs.
Any help would be appreciated. Thank you.


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'How can I, a musician, say to people "I am deaf!" I shall, if I can, defy this fate, even though there will be times when I shall be the unhappiest of God's creatures ... I live only in music ... frequently working on three or four pieces simultaneously.' - Ludwig van Beethoven

[This message has been edited by Zon (edited 10-01-2001).]

[Franz_Liszt]

Hello Zon,

I would recommend any Beethoven Sonatas played by Alfred Brendel. His Beethoven is absolutely perfect. He records with the company Philips. He has a ten CD box set out, with the complete cycle of Beethoven's 32 Piano Sonatas. Alfred Brendel has recorded the complete Sonatas three times. There are many other pianist also that are great. Emil Gilels also has wonderful recordings of the Sonatas.

For starters though, if you just want one CD, buy the CD "Favorite Piano Sonatas" played by Brendel. The recording company is Philips.

[Zon]

Thank you! Thank You! Thank You! I found it on Amazon. The reviews for this were less than positive Im afraid (not that it matters to me, but the reviews were all similar) I will, however, research this recording further.

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'How can I, a musician, say to people "I am deaf!" I shall, if I can, defy this fate, even though there will be times when I shall be the unhappiest of God's creatures ... I live only in music ... frequently working on three or four pieces simultaneously.' - Ludwig van Beethoven

[Rod]

Originally posted by Zon:
Hello fellow Beethovians!
I am new to the world of Beethoven and wanted to get recommendations on piano sonata CDs.
Any help would be appreciated. Thank you.

If you want a complete boxed set of the sonatas, in the absence of any available set I can recommend, I suggest you buy the cheapest set you can find. High price is no sign of quality in this field.

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

[Chris]

Well, speaking as somebody who owns the Brendel set in question, I can tell you that it is absolutely fabulous. I would not hesitate to suggest it to you above any other set of the piano sonatas.

[Zon]

Thanks guys or girls ;-) Brendel it is !!!

[Joy]

Alfred Brendel's complete piano sonatas are indeed wonderful. I also have an 11 CD box of complete piano sonatas by Bernard Roberts which, I believe, is equally fantastic. So take your pick or have both!!

[Peter]

Of course complete sets are convenient but not the best musically speaking as you can usually find someone who plays an individual piece better (this applies to the symphonies equally) - I don't have the complete Brendel, but I do have him playing the late sonatas and that is quite wonderful.

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'Man know thyself'

[PDG]

Originally posted by Joy:
Alfred Brendel's complete piano sonatas are indeed wonderful. I also have an 11 CD box of complete piano sonatas by Bernard Roberts which, I believe, is equally fantastic. So take your pick or have both!!

The Roberts set on Nimbus should be in every collection: 11 DDD discs for around £22 represents one of the soundest investments imaginable. The same can be said for the Nimbus Quartets set, and the Nimbus Symphonies/ Missa Solemnis/ Overtures set.

[Joy]

Originally posted by PDG:
The Roberts set on Nimbus should be in every collection: 11 DDD discs for around £22 represents one of the soundest investments imaginable. The same can be said for the Nimbus Quartets set, and the Nimbus Symphonies/ Missa Solemnis/ Overtures set.

I have the Missa Solemnis recorded in Germany, conductor Michael Gielen, which is quite good, but I think I'll look for the Nimbus recording. Thanks!

[chopithoven]

I recommend the recording "The last 5 piano sonatas, nos.28-32" by Vladimir Ashkenazy, on Decca. I especcially enjoyed the Hammerklavier which is energically played by the pianist, and the 32nd sonata that, no matter who plays it, is such a perfect sonata that can be enjoyed even reproduced by a midi sequencer!

[Peter]

Originally posted by chopithoven:
and the 32nd sonata that, no matter who plays it, is such a perfect sonata that can be enjoyed even reproduced by a midi sequencer!

WHAT!!!!!!!!!! The 32nd isn't the only perfect sonata Beethoven wrote and I don't see how perfection means it doesn't matter who plays it - the fact that it is perfect means it matters all the more!

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'Man know thyself'

[Rod]

Originally posted by Peter:
WHAT!!!!!!!!!! The 32nd isn't the only perfect sonata Beethoven wrote and I don't see how perfection means it doesn't matter who plays it - the fact that it is perfect means it matters all the more!

I don't think op111 sounds good in anyones hands, I've only heard one recording do justice to the first movement, by Paul Badura-Skoda using a 1820 Graf (a few of you will know it!). I don't think you can achive the full tension of the piece on a modern piano, whose attack is not sharp enough and the tone too thick and dull in the mid range and bass.

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

[Claudie MICAULT]

Between Guilels and Brendel I would choose Guilels. Personnally I really enjoy opus 111.
Naturally one must hear it a lot of time before to understand it totally... and well played. I hear it a lot because my man has it in his concerts programs, and I have a student who have made his examination in ECOLE NORMALE DE PARIS and in MUSIKHOCHSCHULE in SAARBRÜCKEN last year.(with "félicitations du jury" both time.). I know the score by heart : it is a good sonata. But difficult to play and to understand : B. knew what he was doing, really.

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Claudie

[chopithoven]

For Peter and Rod who contradicted me (you can see that I don't know how to post areply to a single message):
I didn't say that the 32nd was the only perfect sonata beethoven wrote, I said it is a perfect sonata, and of course that many other beethoven sonatas are perfect, but my favourite is the 32nd. I still think it sounds well even played by a sequencer, especially the first movement, since it is quite a mechanical piece.
I see that my reply caused a debate here!

PS: I would like you two to recommend me a version of the opus 111 that you enjoy