Deutsche Grammophon Beethoven's 250th anniversary

[Michael]

Perhaps downloading the rarities and making your own CD might be feasible?

I have filled two CDs from YouTube - but don't tell anyone.

I believe the YouTube version is (for once) completely legitimate as it was put up at the same time as the Rarities appeared on Amazon.

It is provided to YouTube by Universal Music Group - so it's a nice advertisement for the new complete Beethoven edition.

[Michael]

Some new information here about DGG events:

https://www.udiscovermusic.com/class...2020-campaign/


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[Chris]

From looking at Amazon, it appears that the rarities are only available as a download which doesn't interest me (and you I would say.)

No, but I have been listening to them on YouTube, and you weren't kidding - there is a lot there that I have never heard or heard of before. There are actually some on there that I don't think have ever been recorded but that I have played before, because they are in my book of Henle Beethoven piano pieces, like the Andante WoO 211 and the Menuett WoO 217.

[Michael]

No, but I have been listening to them on YouTube, and you weren't kidding - there is a lot there that I have never heard or heard of before. There are actually some on there that I don't think have ever been recorded but that I have played before, because they are in my book of Henle Beethoven piano pieces, like the Andante WoO 211 and the Menuett WoO 217.

There are certainly some pieces here that have never been recorded but why do DGG claim that the first one on YouTube, the Minuet in C major WoO 218 played by Lang Lang, is a "world premiere?"

I have it on a CD bought back in 2007 where it is listed as Biamonti 74.
(Vol 85 of the Amado/Cascade set.)

Somebody didn't check their Biamontis against their WoOs or Hesses or Groves. There should be just one list to rule them all!

[Chris]

One thing I don't care for in these rarity recordings is that most of them are on fortepiano. This is appropriate and interesting, I suppose, but it's not my preference for solo piano music.

Also, I noticed that the recording of Wellingtons Sieg is the one by Steven Beck that I mentioned earlier. So no new take on that one after all.

Also, the violin versions of Op. 107, but once again not all of them! I don't think these have ever gotten a proper CD release! And I quite like these recordings too

In terms of completeness of the WoO catalog, I don't see the following:

WoO 12 - Not by Beethoven, I know, but come on...
WoO 99 No. 12 - Only a fragment of 4 bars remain, but just for completeness...
WoO 105, the C major version - Maybe this will be on the full set?

[Michael]

Also, the violin versions of Op. 107, but once again not all of them! I don't think these have ever gotten a proper CD release! And I quite like these recordings too

In terms of completeness of the WoO catalog, I don't see the following:

WoO 12 - Not by Beethoven, I know, but come on...
WoO 99 No. 12 - Only a fragment of 4 bars remain, but just for completeness...
WoO 105, the C major version - Maybe this will be on the full set?

Again that infamous Amado blue box set of 2007 had a lot of useful works - including many of the violin versions of Op 107 and (I think without checking) 105 - but as you say, not enough. I think I prefer them to the flute versions.

The three duets for clarinet and bassoon WoO27 were totally ignored in the 1997 DGG complete edition. I don't see them among the rarities in this set and I doubt if they're included in the main set. They are widely differing opinions about their authenticity but they have remained popular.

However, works with opus or WoO that are definitely not by Beethoven - well, I can do fine without them.

[Chris]

Again that infamous Amado blue box set of 2007 had a lot of useful works - including many of the violin versions of Op 107 and (I think without checking) 105 - but as you say, not enough. I think I prefer them to the flute versions.

Op. 105 has all been recorded recorded on the violin at least a couple of times, but it seems that Op. 107 is either never recorded on the violin or is only partly recorded on the violin. I don't get it It's too bad, because I think I prefer them on the violin as well.

The three duets for clarinet and bassoon WoO27 were totally ignored in the 1997 DGG complete edition. I don't see them among the rarities in this set and I doubt if they're included in the main set.

I never noticed that, but I do have them on some CD, so they have at least been recorded and released once.

However, works with opus or WoO that are definitely not by Beethoven - well, I can do fine without them.

For some reason I am always extra curious about those works. Why did they get opus numbers? Why did anyone think they were by Beethoven? There is usually some interesting story there, or Beethoven approved the arrangement, or something that makes them worth tracking down. Or maybe I'm just justifying it to satisfy my love of checking things off of lists

[Michael]

For some reason I am always extra curious about those works. Why did they get opus numbers? Why did anyone think they were by Beethoven? There is usually some interesting story there, or Beethoven approved the arrangement, or something that makes them worth tracking down. Or maybe I'm just justifying it to satisfy my love of checking things off of lists

And I thought I was a completist!
However, I see what you mean. I already have a lot of doubtful works and even a few that were discovered to be written by other composers.
I even trot out the Jena symphony now and again!
But I don't want any more of them.

[Michael]

Warner classics have another "complete works" in the works. It's on Amazon for 100 euro.
Along with DGG and Brilliant that makes three so far.

The Warner set looks good with the following performers:

Artemis Quartet, Daniel Barenboim, Rudolf Buchbinder, Renaud Capuçon, Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, Carlo Maria Giulini, Bernard Haitink, Nikolaus Harnoncourt, Otto Klemperer, Stephen Kovacevich, Yo-Yo Ma, Yehudi Menuhin, Itzhak Perlman, Jacqueline du Pré, András Schiff, János Starker

https://www.jpc.de/jpcng/classic/det...449364?lang=en

Oh, and BBC Radio 3 will be playing nothing but Beethoven for a whole year.
Well, not really ……………

http://www.classical-music.com/news/bbc-radio-3-launches-year-beethoven-new-season-programming

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[Michael]

The Brilliant Complete Beethovenhas now entered the fray with a special 250th birthday edition.
So now there are four complete editions out there - the above, the DGG and the Warner Classics -
and an unidentified edition in a wooden box costing about the same as the DGG. I have a feeling this is the infamous Blue Box from 2007 which is still floating around.

Anybody buying all four? ;





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[Chris]

Well, I've finished listening to the YouTube rarities playlist. Very nice, although I already have a lot of those pieces and even some of those exact recordings. It's great that DGG put that out there for everyone who doesn't buy the entire box set to enjoy!

[Michael]

Well, I've finished listening to the YouTube rarities playlist. Very nice, although I already have a lot of those pieces and even some of those exact recordings. It's great that DGG put that out there for everyone who doesn't buy the entire box set to enjoy!

It's hard to believe they did that - especially when the "Rarities" are being put forward as one of the attractions of the new set!

[Michael]

If anybody wants or needs a complete collection, Warner Classics has a very tempting offer at £100. The line-up is impressive:

Symphonies: Nikolaus Harnoncourt “The best of all Beethovens” (The Sunday Times)
Piano Concertos: Andras Schiff
Piano Sonatas: Stephen Kovacevich
Piano Trios: Zukerman/Jacqueline du Pre/Barenboim
String Quartets: Artemis Quartet
Fidelio/Missa Solemnis: Otto Klemperer

https://www.prestomusic.com/classica...complete-works




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[Fidelio]

Received the new set over the weekend. Although the presentation is not as good as the previous DG set, the accompanying book and notes are excellent. I guess this is down to the Beethovenhaus being involved with the project.

[Michael]

Received the new set over the weekend. Although the presentation is not as good as the previous DG set, the accompanying book and notes are excellent. I guess this is down to the Beethovenhaus being involved with the project.

Very nice indeed! Enjoy!