Sonatas for Piano & Cello 1

On this CD:

1. Sonata for cello & piano No. 2 in G minor, Op. 5/2
Composed by Ludwig van Beethoven
Performed by Randall Hodgkinson, Jonathan Miller

2. Sonata for cello & piano No. 3 in A major, Op. 69
Composed by Ludwig van Beethoven
Performed by Randall Hodgkinson, Jonathan Miller

3. Sonata for cello & piano No. 4 in C major, Op. 102/1
Composed by Ludwig van Beethoven
Performed by Randall Hodgkinson, Jonathan Miller

Tracks:

Allegro
Adagio
Allegro Molto
Allegretto Innocentemente
Presto
Allegretto Moderato
Adagio
Finale: Presto
Allegro
Allegro Di Molto
Allegro Moderato
Adagio
Finale: Presto

Tracks:

Moderato
Adagio
Finale: Presto
Moderato
Menuetto-Trio-Menuetto Da Capo
Rondo: Presto
Allegro
Adagio
Finale: Presto
Allegro Moderato
Menuet
Finale: Presto
Allegro Con Brio
Largo E Sostenuto
Finale: Presto Ma Non Troppo

Customer Reviews:

Where's the fire?.......2007-06-23

Marc-Andre Hamelin's twofer of Haydn piano sonatas details most of the master's later sonatas in stylisitic performances that sometimes get a bit too dramatic and use too much pedal. Hamelin is a world-class player recorded well here who has some affinity for this music. My principal question when listening to these is, "Where's the fire?" Hamelin uses tempo more attuned to the keyboard music of Antonio Vivaldi, had he written any, than the witty and relaxed Josef Haydn. For all his fine quailties, Hamelin simply plays too fast too often, as if he's trying to set some sort of world speed record.

I recommend anyone looking to invest in a two-CD set of Hadyn sonatas to first sample the classic set by Alfred Brendel that's been around more than 20 years. He is more mature and more temperate playing than what's provided by this viruoso. Brendel is expert in this repertoire and always adheres to Haydn's style and temperament. Some other famous players have done well with these sonatas, also. Sviatoslav Richter loved Haydn and recorded many of the sonatas on concert and studio recordings over his career. Virtuoso colorist keyboard virtuoso Mikhail Pletnev recorded a handful of the sonatas including one of the best versions of the "English" sonata ever recorded. Try his recordings on Virgin and compare them to Hamelin, who is a fine player but is intemperate.

The Fastest Haydn Sonatas Ever Recorded in the Guiness Book of Records.......2007-06-19

I've to second AllOverWith's review of Hamelin's Haydn and I have nothing much to add that has not been said.

Four positive, five-star reviews had prompted me to listen again - just to the entire first-movement of the last C major Sonata. I thought I could be wrong - that there could still be something that I could savour from the recording. Maybe something that I've not expected.

At such breakneck speed, I thought I was just treated to a whirlwind of notes, smacked together in a fraction of a second; it made little sense to my mind's ear, even less so to speak of a nuanced interpretation.

If the whole point of this other set of Haydn sonatas in the market is to prove something that prior recordings haven't, Hamelin has certainly done it - purely in terms of speed. If anything else there's probably little that has not been already said.

Initially I gave five out of five stars unintentionally and wanted to leave it as it is, but thought it would be construed as either contrary to my views or an overly deliberate attempt at sarcasm.

So I gave two stars for the interpretation and an additional star for those who value pyrotechnics and how fast these pieces could go.

Evocative of absolutely nothing save Hamelin's fingers........2007-06-18

Okay, time to bring the hyperbole down a notch. It seems that no matter what Hamelin does he's lauded to the skies, which strikes me as a fair assessment of the soullessness of the age. Look at the guy -- he's an accountant! And this is not piano playing, it's note-tabulating. These performances of the Haydn piano sonatas feel like butterflies pinned to a board of cork. Facile technique for the sake of facile technique. Sometimes that can work, like in the Medtner sonatas, where just playing the notes correctly will suffice -- since no one else can do it -- but here, in Haydn, it feels almost contemptuous. Hamelin seems to take on faith that there is no depth, nothing of importance to be found in these pages, that these are antiques that he's only dusting off to show how his nimble sausage-fingers can make ANYTHING interesting. Wrong.

Haydn was well known for having a story in mind for almost every piece he wrote. His sonatas are far from all-purpose baroque filigree like Scarlatti; they are miniature dramas. Though we'll never know those stories, what's important is that the impression be given of Haydn's personality ( a doddering yet youthful-spirited old man, occasionally getting mildly excited by memories, then becoming mildly depressed at his current situation, but remaining generally optimistic. ) I defy you to find anything less personal than the impression Hamelin gives on this CD. He literally sucks the breath out of these pieces, vampirizes them, reduces them to "sewing-machine music," to quote Gould on Bach. The arrogance with which he jumps from Scriabinite tripe to Haydn as if it's all the same to him, as if he doesn't even have to make the effort to immerse himself in an entirely different mindset, is off-putting in the extreme.

You can't take a bullet train if you want to see the countryside, and Ronald Brautigam on BIS gets so much more out of this music that it's ludicrous to even compare the two. This thing puts me to sleep.

Hamelin Does it Again!.......2007-06-18

Marc-Andre Hamelin is, arguably, the finest pianist performing today. His choice of repertoire is unfailingly interesting. This CD, as many other reviewers have indicated, might seem to be a surprise at first - Hamelin and Haydn? - yet this apparent difficulty resolves itself easily. Haydn was one of the giants of music. His influence on Beethoven is profound. He continued to grow as a musician and composer right up until he died. His piano sonatas are unfairly overshadowed by Mozart's essays in the form. Yet, I would agree with the late Glenn Gould that Haydn writes more effectively and interestingly for the instrument. Unlike Mozart, who was considered a virtuoso and had something to lose by learning from a rival, Haydn did not hesitate to learn from the new virtuosity that Clementi was bringing to the instrument and a number of these (especially the later sonatas) are brusing knuckle dusters. It is ironic that nothing I have heard from Hamelin in years displays his exceptional gifts so well as these CDs of Haydn sonatas. The clarity, brio, precision and taste are extraordinary. These are the finest recordings of Haydn sonatas that I have ever heard. And this is a superior value. Hyperion has given you two CDs for the price of one. I hope that Mr. Hamelin records more Haydn. Buy this, you will not be sorry.

Hamelin on Haydn.......2007-05-25

While I greatly enjoyed this superb album that will likely sell itself -bear in mind that even Hamelin Rzewsky, Catoire and Ornstein explorations are Hyperion best sellers- let me after the conclusion of this years American Idol cycle be another (former) European providing something of a reality check.

Two of my fellow Amazonians shed tears at a presumed neglect of Haydn piano sonatas: Hogwash! Apart from Pollini, I know of no significant pianist who did/does not have Haydn on her/his repertoire. Due to "authentic pressure" the fabulous Bach boys are still sorely neglected, but such is not the fate of papa Haydn.

The director Ferdinand Leitner has gone out of his way to declare Haydn the greatest of all composers and with good reason. Just consider the fact that Haydn produced a lot of his output while running the significant Esterhazy estate in the boonies and yet found time to write excellent music for many (special) occasions. And of course there are other matters like invention of the string quartet and his major influence on the evolution of the symphony.

About a decade ago I bought McCabe's survey of all surviving Haydn piano sonatas. That survey put Haydn second after only Beethoven on my list most significant piano sonata writers in history. This importance is reflected in the catalog, just mentioning a selective few there are great Haydn recordings by Horowtiz, Richter, Michelangeli, Frager, Gould, Brendel, Richter, Pogorelich and Eschenbach and Andsness.

As such, I cannot consider Hamelin's generous offering a sole cry in the middle of the desert. Yet, Hamelin and Haydn are a great match, and the Canadian plays these works with great sense of style, superb wit and his unmatched technique. In all, a great cd.

The final word? No.
While this is a nice collection with better known works like nos. 50 and 52 and somewhat lesser known gems, there are plenty of alternatives. Let's take one from the second category, no. 40, and compare Hamelin with fellow pyrotechnician Pogorelich. Not only is the latter better recorded, but "stunning" versus Hamelin's "excellent". The same is true for Hamelin and Eschenbach in no. 37. What I also miss a little is a sense of probing under the surface of the masterworks. Compare here with the odd couple Gould and Horowitz in nos. 50 & 52. In all its seeming simplicity there is an awful lot going on. In his April 1 perspectives concert/lecture at Zankel Hall Aimard showed the links between Haydn's keyboard writing and the best of 20th century jazz improvisation. From this perspective, Hamelin is at times a little too smooth and slightly superficial.

Yet the glass is about 92% full. Stunning pianism and a very generous offering of some of the greatest piano sonatas in the repertoire.

Average customer rating:

Mozart-A prisoner of his own time.
Good music and good value
Five and a half hours of joy for not much bucks
FINALLY
Neglected recording

Mozart: Piano Sonatas

Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Similar Items:

Mozart: The Violin Sonatas
Brahms: Works for Solo Piano
Schubert: The Piano Sonatas
Mozart: Violin Concertos
Mozart: The Six String Quintets

ASIN: B00002DEH1
Release Date: 1999-11-09

Tracks:

Piano Sonata In C Major, K. 46d: 1. Allegro
Piano Sonata In C Major, K. 46d: 2. Menuetto I - II
Piano Sonata In F Major, K. 46e: 1. Allegro
Piano Sonata In F Major, K. 46e: 2. Menuetto
Piano Sonata In C Major, K. 279: 1. Allegro
Piano Sonata In C Major, K. 279: 2. Andante
Piano Sonata In C Major, K. 279: 3. Allegro
Piano Sonata In F Major, K. 280: 1. Allegro assai
Piano Sonata In F Major, K. 280: 2. Adagio
Piano Sonata In F Major, K. 280: 3. Presto
Piano Sonata In B Flat Major, K. 281: 1. Allegro
Piano Sonata In B Flat Major, K. 281: 2. Andante amoroso
Piano Sonata In B Flat Major, K. 281: 3. Rondeau. Allegro
Piano Sonata In E Flat Major, K. 282: 1. Adagio
Piano Sonata In E Flat Major, K. 282: 2. Menuetto I - II
Piano Sonata In E Flat Major, K. 282: 3. Allegro

Tracks:

Piano Sonata In G Major, K. 283: 1. Allegro
Piano Sonata In G Major, K. 283: 2. Andante
Piano Sonata In G Major, K. 283: 3. Presto
Piano Sonata In D Major, K. 284: 1. Allegro
Piano Sonata In D Major, K. 284: 2. Rondo en Polonaise. Andante
Piano Sonata In D Major, K. 284: 3. Andante - Thema - Variations I-XII
Piano Sonata In C Major, K. 309: 1. Allegro con spirito
Piano Sonata In C Major, K. 309: 2. Andante un poco adagio
Piano Sonata In C Major, K. 309: 3. Rondeau. Allegretto grazioso
Piano Sonata In D Major, K. 311: 1. Allegro con spirito
Piano Sonata In D Major, K. 311: 2. Andante con espressione
Piano Sonata In D Major, K. 311: 3. Rondo. Allegro

Tracks:

Piano Sonata In A Minor, K. 310: 1. Allegro maestoso
Piano Sonata In A Minor, K. 310: 2. Andante cantabile con espressione
Piano Sonata In A Minor, K. 310: 3. Presto
Piano Sonata In C Major, K. 330: 1. Allegro moderato
Piano Sonata In C Major, K. 330: 2. Andante cantabile
Piano Sonata In C Major, K. 330: 3. Allegretto
Piano Sonata In A Major, K. 331: 1. Andante grazioso - Thema - Variations I - VI
Piano Sonata In A Major, K. 331: 2. Menuetto - Trio
Piano Sonata In A Major, K. 331: 3. Alla turca. Allegretto

Tracks:

Piano Sonata In F Major, K. 332: 1. Allegro
Piano Sonata In F Major, K. 332: 2. Adagio
Piano Sonata In F Major, K. 332: 3. Allegro assai
Piano Sonata In B Flat Major, K. 333: 1. Allegro
Piano Sonata In B Flat Major, K. 333: 2. Andante cantabile
Piano Sonata In B Flat Major, K. 333: 3. Allegretto grazioso
Fantasia In C Minor, K. 475: Adagio - Allegro - Andantino - Piu allegro - Primo tempo
Piano Sonata In C Minor, K. 457: 1. Molto allegro
Piano Sonata In C Minor, K. 457: 2. Adagio
Piano Sonata In C Minor, K. 457: 3. Allegro assai

Tracks:

Piano Sonata In F Major, K. 533: 1. Allegro (K. 533)
Piano Sonata In F Major, K. 533: 2. Andante (K. 533)
Piano Sonata In F Major, K. 533: 3. Rondo. Allegretto (K. 494)
Piano Sonata In C Major, K. 545: 1. Allegro
Piano Sonata In C Major, K. 545: 2. Andante
Piano Sonata In C Major, K. 545: 3. Rondo. Allegretto
Piano Sonata In B Flat Major, K. 570: 1. Allegro
Piano Sonata In B Flat Major, K. 570: 2. Adagio
Piano Sonata In B Flat Major, K. 570: 3. Allegretto
Piano Sonata In D Major, K. 576: 1. Allegro
Piano Sonata In D Major, K. 576: 2. Adagio
Piano Sonata In D Major, K. 576: 3. Allegretto

Customer Reviews:

Mozart-A prisoner of his own time........2006-09-08

If you were to clump all of the composers of the classical era together, mix them up, and listen to them willy-nilly in a blind hearing test, you'll never be able to tell the difference between them... until you hear Mozart. Mozart's era was not rich in harmony. To me, Haydn wrote the same symphony over and over. Stamitz and Gossec... love 'em, but they were also prisoners of this classical harmony. But Mozart was able to put his fingerprint on all of his music. You can pick his music out blindly with ease because it is unmistakingly Mozart. That's why we have a mostly Mozart festival and not a mostly Kraus (who?) festival.

As this cd shows, Mozart's music was sublime. But even he struggled with using this "harmony of the day". If you were to study the catalogues of Mozart's symphonies, sonatas, and chamber music, let's face it; you would hear a lot of turkies before you made it to the peacocks. We would have to wait until Chopin until the harmonies fattened up a little.

Having said that, you have to completely hail Mozart for taking what was available to him in his day and creating some of the most sublime music with it. It would be like for the next ten years all the world had available to eat was peas, and 200 years from now one man became immortal for the many interesting ways he was able to manipulate peas into a meal.

Good music and good value.......2006-08-28

Bought this for my son who is learning to play piano. Lots of good music, not too expensive.

Five and a half hours of joy for not much bucks.......2005-11-11

This is just about the best money I've ever spent on music. I love Eschenbach's interpretations: tenderness and emotional intimacy in spades---and dazzling effects without self-consciousness or "athletic" display of technique. I would say that he "lets Mozart be Mozart," except that these interpretations have so much personality that Eschenbach's own life-energy must be coming through. I just think that his own personality complements Mozart's perfectly.

FINALLY.......2004-08-05

I've searched the world over for a box set of all of Mozart's piano sonatas that I liked. The first one I heard was the Glenn Gould version, which in retrospect was not so smart. I like his playing but he hums into the mic during the recording. Real smart.

Anyways, Eschenbach plays these with all the virtuosity and feeling they demand. My favorite piano sonata is Mozart's 12th and he plays it flawlessly; the only thing remotely lacking is that he doesn't quite dig in as much as Alicia de la Roccha does when she plays it on the Allegro movement, but he more than makes up for it with his playing on the Adagio movement.

If it's not your cup of tea it might be worthwhile getting the de la Roccha box set, but personally I think the Eschenbach recording is the best out of all of them.

Neglected recording.......2003-02-03

As I remember, Eschenbach's DGG recording of the Mozart sonatas didn't make a big splash when it was released. Maybe another set of these familiar works wasn't what the reviewers wanted to hear at that time. However, repeated listenings over the past three decades have borne out that these are indeed fine performances, with certain among my favorites. The recording is rather close-up, which suits Eschenbach's generally crisp and bold style. Haven't heard the CDs, but the LPs had the typical DGG bass-shyness of the period. However, lack of thunderous bass is hardly fatal to Mozart piano works.

Listeners may want to investigate a new set by Elizabeth Rich being released on Connoisseur Society. The first two CDs are outstanding, with that company's beautiful recorded sound to boot.

Now an afterthought: In connection with the review I posted in February 2003, I am happy to report that the bass-shyness I noted on the LPs is NOT a problem on the CDs. Apparently good, solid bass was present on the original tapes, but DGG cut it back, as they did on many of their piano recordings of that era.

So I would recommend Eschenbach's CD set heartily. Further, Elizabeth Rich's set on Connoisseur Society is now complete, and no one will regret owning that one as well. (Unfortunately, it's at full price, expensive even on the Web.)

After the other reviewer's comments about the notes, I decided to read them and, yes, they are indeed kind of ditzy. I suspect that the translator is at least partly at fault.

Great Recordings Of The Century - Brahms: Violin Sonatas nos 1 - 3 / Perlman, Ashkenazy

Average customer rating:

Brahms Violin Sonatas
these are really good sonatas
Brahms
Finest Brahms
Perlman and Ashkenazy do it again

Great Recordings Of The Century - Brahms: Violin Sonatas nos 1 - 3 / Perlman, Ashkenazy
Itzhak Perlman , and Vladimir Ashkenazy
Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Mozart: The Violin Sonatas
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ASIN: B00000I7VT
Release Date: 1999-03-09

Tracks:

Violin Sonata No.1 In G, Op.78: I: Vivace ma non troppo
Violin Sonata No.1 In G, Op.78: II: Adagio
Violin Sonata No.1 In G, Op.78: III: Allegro molto moderato
Violin Sonata No.2 In A, Op.100: I: Allegro amibile
Violin Sonata No.2 In A, Op.100: II: Andante tranquillo - Vivace
Violin Sonata No.2 In A, Op.100: II: Allegretto grazioso (quasi andante)
Violin Sonata No.3 In D Minor, Op.108: I: Allegro
Violin Sonata No.3 In D Minor, Op.108: II: Adagio
Violin Sonata No.3 In D Minor, Op.108: III: Un poco presto e con sentimento
Violin Sonata No.3 In D Minor, Op.108: IV: Presto agitato

Amazon.com essential recording

Itzhak Perlman is the greatest living exponent of the Romantic, sentimental style of violin playing. As in his reading of the Brahms concerto, he shows sovereign mastery in these accounts, which are characterized by intense emotion and heated expression (Perlman's warm vibrato and carefully placed portamentos quickly give him away), but are also gripping in the quiet, meditative pages. The first two sonatas' relationship to songs could easily be guessed from the way Perlman plays them in a single, seamless line, marked by soaring climaxes and tender, haunting pianissimos. The treatment sometimes does seem a bit premeditated, but it is so compelling as to sweep aside any criticism. In this 1983 recording (sonically superior to Perlman's later remake with pianist Daniel Barenboim, for Sony), the violin sounds slightly forward, though not unpleasantly so. Warm, supportive, lyrical playing from Vladmir Ashkenazy rounds out a marvelous offering. --Ted Libbey

Customer Reviews:

Brahms Violin Sonatas.......2007-01-11

Good but not top flight. This is an old recording--sounds a little tired.

these are really good sonatas.......2005-10-10

These three sonatas are in my opinion some of the best compositions of Brahms. They are wonderfully tunefull and each sets a distinct mood (although all three are somewhat melancholic). The interaction of the violin and piano is just fantastic and Perlman and Ashkenazy pull it off well. Sound quality is great as well.

Brahms.......2005-10-07

I bought this for my college age daughter's music class and I am enjoying it as well. Violin music, of any sort, is enjoyable to listen to and this one is a wonderful addition to a music library.

Finest Brahms.......2002-05-22

I've always enjoyed Brahms' chamber works more than his symphonies. Somehow his intent comes off more clearly; the desperation and anger and melancholy of the music is more exposed, as if juggling an entire orchestra in the composition could dull the edges of these emotions. Of course the quality of any piece is tied with the quality of the performers (who invariably stamp then with their own personalities), and here we have a brilliant union: Perlman and Ashkenazy play flawlessly. Perlman's tonality is clear and sonorous, but never treacly; it still maintains the edge that these pieces require. From the sweet lilting melodies of the first sonata to simmering violence of the third, it is a commanding performance. The piano part in these works is equally demanding, and Ashkenazy is more than a match for Perlman's virtuosity.

If you're looking for the third sonata specifically, Vengerov and Barenboim turn in a more stirring (but somewhat looser) performance on the Teldec label. I actually prefer that version as it's more intense, more intimate. But if you're looking for a complete collection of these wonderful sonatas, you simply can't go wrong with Perlman and Ashkenazy.

Perlman and Ashkenazy do it again.......2001-07-24

The combination of these two great artists continually results in some of the finest music making ever. The two seem to almost share a mind while performing so perfectly in tune with each other they come across. I don't think Brahms has ever sounded so beautiful and alive as this recording manages to sound.

Beethoven: Complete Piano Sonatas / Daniel Barenboim

Average customer rating:

Barenboim's Beethvoen
One of the very best ever
dead in the water
Sublime expression nourished by a colossal vision!
Performed with great enthusiasm

Beethoven: Complete Piano Sonatas / Daniel Barenboim

Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Mozart:The Complete Piano Sonatas and Variations
Beethoven - The Complete String Quartets / Alban Berg Quartet
Beethoven: The Complete Symphonies and Piano Concertos
Schubert: The Piano Sonatas
Chopin: The Piano Works

ASIN: B00000C2KP
Release Date: 1998-10-20

Tracks:

Sonata No.1 In F Minor, Op.2 No.1: Allegro
Sonata No.1 In F Minor, Op.2 No.1: Adagio
Sonata No.1 In F Minor, Op.2 No.1: Menuetto: Allegretto
Sonata No.1 In F Minor, Op.2 No.1: Prestissimo
Sonata No.2 In A Major, Op.2 No.2: Allegro vivace
Sonata No.2 In A Major, Op.2 No.2: Largo appassionato
Sonata No.2 In A Major, Op.2 No.2: Scherzo: Allegretto
Sonata No.2 In A Major, Op.2 No.2: Rondo: Grazioso
Sonata No.3 In C Major, Op.2 No.3: Allegro con brio
Sonata No.3 In C Major, Op.2 No.3: Adagio
Sonata No.3 In C Major, Op.2 No.3: Scherzo: Allegro
Sonata No.3 In C Major, Op.2 No.3: Allegro assai

Tracks:

Sonata No.5 In C Minor, Op.10 No.1: Allegro molto e con brio
Sonata No.5 In C Minor, Op.10 No.1: Adagio molto
Sonata No.5 In C Minor, Op.10 No.1: Finale: Prestissimo
Sonata No.6 In F Major, Op.10 No.2: Allegro
Sonata No.6 In F Major, Op.10 No.2: Allegretto
Sonata No.6 In F Major, Op.10 No.2: Presto
Sonata No.7 In D Major, Op.10 No.3: Presto
Sonata No.7 In D Major, Op.10 No.3: Largo e mesto
Sonata No.7 In D Major, Op.10 No.3: Menuetto: Allegro
Sonata No.7 In D Major, Op.10 No.3: Rondo: Allegro
Sonata No.22 In F Major, Op.54: In tempo di Menuetto
Sonata No.22 In F Major, Op.54: Allegretto - Piu allegro

Tracks:

Sonata No.4 In E Flat Major, Op7: Allegro molto e con brio
Sonata No.4 In E Flat Major, Op7: Largo con gran espressione
Sonata No.4 In E Flat Major, Op7: Allegro
Sonata No.4 In E Flat Major, Op7: Rondo: Poco allegretto e grazioso
Sonata No.9 In E Major, Op.14 No.1: Allegro
Sonata No.9 In E Major, Op.14 No.1: Allegretto
Sonata No.9 In E Major, Op.14 No.1: Rondo: Allegro comodo
Sonata No.10 In G Major, Op.14 No.2: Allegro
Sonata No.10 In G Major, Op.14 No.2: Andante
Sonata No.10 In G Major, Op.14 No.2: Scherzo: Allegro assai

Tracks:

Sonata No.11 In B Flat Major, Op.22: Allegro con brio
Sonata No.11 In B Flat Major, Op.22: Adagio con molta espressione
Sonata No.11 In B Flat Major, Op.22: Menuetto
Sonata No.11 In B Flat Major, Op.22: Rondo: Allegretto
Sonata No.12 In A Flat Major, Op.26: Andante von variazioni
Sonata No.12 In A Flat Major, Op.26: Scherzo: Allegro molto
Sonata No.12 In A Flat Major, Op.26: Marcia funebre sulla morte d'un Eroe: Maestoso andante
Sonata No.12 In A Flat Major, Op.26: Allegro
Sonata No.13 In E Flat Major, Op.27 No.1: Andante - Allegro
Sonata No.13 In E Flat Major, Op.27 No.1: Allegro molto e vivace
Sonata No.13 In E Flat Major, Op.27 No.1: Adagio con espressione - Allegro vivace

Tracks:

SONATA NO.8 IN C MINOR, OP.13 'PATHETIQUE': Grave - Allegro molto e con brio
SONATA NO.8 IN C MINOR, OP.13 'PATHETIQUE': Adagio cantabile
SONATA NO.8 IN C MINOR, OP.13 'PATHETIQUE': Rondo: Allegro
Sonata No.14 InC Sharp Minor, Op.27 No.2 'Moonlight': Adagio sostenuto
Sonata No.14 InC Sharp Minor, Op.27 No.2 'Moonlight': Allegretto
Sonata No.14 InC Sharp Minor, Op.27 No.2 'Moonlight': Presto agitato - Adagio - Presto agitato
SONATA NO.23 IN F MINOR, OP.57 'APPASSIONATA': Allegro assai - Piu allegro
SONATA NO.23 IN F MINOR, OP.57 'APPASSIONATA': Andante con moto
SONATA NO.23 IN F MINOR, OP.57 'APPASSIONATA': Allegro ma non troppo - Presto

Tracks:

Sonata No.15 In D Major, Op.28 'Pastoral': Allegro
Sonata No.15 In D Major, Op.28 'Pastoral': Andante
Sonata No.15 In D Major, Op.28 'Pastoral': Scherzo: Allegro vivace
Sonata No.15 In D Major, Op.28 'Pastoral': Rondo: Allegro ma non troppo
Sonata No.21 In C Major, Op.53 'Waldstein': Allegro con brio
Sonata No.21 In C Major, Op.53 'Waldstein': Introduzione (Adagio molto) - Rondo (Allegretto moderato - Prestissimo)
Sonata No.19 In G Minor, Op.49 No.1: Andante
Sonata No.19 In G Minor, Op.49 No.1: Rondo: Allegro
Sonata No.20 In G Major, Op.49 No.2: Allegro ma non troppo
Sonata No.20 In G Major, Op.49 No.2: Tempo di menuetto

Tracks:

Sonata No. 16 In G Major, Op. 31 No. 1: Allegro vivace
Sonata No. 16 In G Major, Op. 31 No. 1: Adagio grazioso
Sonata No. 16 In G Major, Op. 31 No. 1: Rondo: Allegretto - Adagio - Presto
Sonata No. 17 In D Minor, Op. 31 No. 2 'The Tempest': Largo - Allegro
Sonata No. 17 In D Minor, Op. 31 No. 2 'The Tempest': Adagio
Sonata No. 17 In D Minor, Op. 31 No. 2 'The Tempest': Allegretto
Sonata No.18 In E Flat Major, Op.31 No.3: Allegro
Sonata No.18 In E Flat Major, Op.31 No.3: Scherzo: Allegretto vivace
Sonata No.18 In E Flat Major, Op.31 No.3: Menuetto: Moderato grazioso
Sonata No.18 In E Flat Major, Op.31 No.3: Presto con fuoco

Tracks:

Sonata No.24 In F Sharp Major, Op.78: Adagio cantabile - Allegro ma non troppo
Sonata No.24 In F Sharp Major, Op.78: Allegro vivace
Sonata No.25 in G major, Op.79: Presto alla tedesca
Sonata No.25 in G major, Op.79: Andante
Sonata No.25 in G major, Op.79: Vivace
Sonata No.26 In E Flat Major, Op.81a 'Les Adieux': Das Lebewohl (Les Adieux): Adagio - Allegro
Sonata No.26 In E Flat Major, Op.81a 'Les Adieux': Abwesenheit (L'Absence): Andante espressivo
Sonata No.26 In E Flat Major, Op.81a 'Les Adieux': Wiedersehn (Le Retour): Vivacissimamente - Poco andante - Tempo 1
Sonata No.27 In E Minor, Op.90: Mit Lebhaftigkeit und durchaus mit Empfindung und Ausdruck
Sonata No.27 In E Minor, Op.90: Nicht zu geschwind und sehr singbar vorzutragen

Tracks:

Sonata No.28 In A Major, Op.101: Allegretto ma non troppo
Sonata No.28 In A Major, Op.101: Vivace alla Marcia
Sonata No.28 In A Major, Op.101: Adagio, ma non troppo, con affetto - Tempo del primo pezzo - Allegro
Sonata No.29 In B Flat Major, Op.106 'Hammerklavier': Allegro
Sonata No.29 In B Flat Major, Op.106 'Hammerklavier': Scherzo: Assai vivace - Presto - Tempo 1
Sonata No.29 In B Flat Major, Op.106 'Hammerklavier': Adagio sostenuto
Sonata No.29 In B Flat Major, Op.106 'Hammerklavier': Largo - Allegro - Prestissimo - Allegro risoluto (Fuga a tre voci, con alcune licenze)

Tracks:

Sonata No.30 In E Major, Op.109: Vivace, ma non troppo - Adagio espressivo - Tempo 1
Sonata No.30 In E Major, Op.109: Prestissimo
Sonata No.30 In E Major, Op.109: Tema: Andante molto cantabile e espressivo - Variazioni 1-6
Sonata No.31 In A Flat Major, Op.110: Moderato cantabile, molto espressivo
Sonata No.31 In A Flat Major, Op.110: Allegro molto
Sonata No.31 In A Flat Major, Op.110: Adagio ma non troppo
Sonata No.31 In A Flat Major, Op.110: Fuga: Allegro ma non troppo - L'istesso tempo di arioso - L'istesso tempo della Fuga - Meno allegro
Sonata No.32 in C minor, op.111: Maestoso - Allegro con brio ed appassionato
Sonata No.32 in C minor, op.111: Arietta: Adagio molto semplice e cantabile - Variazioni

Customer Reviews:

Barenboim's Beethvoen.......2007-06-27

I heard Bachaus play all Beethoven recitals at Carnegie Hall, in NYC. At that time he was the acknowledged master of the Beethvoen Sonata. With Barenboim, the old order changeth, yielding place to new. These recordings have fire, tempestuousness and passion, all emotions that belong in Beethoven.

One of the very best ever.......2007-02-15

This set has to be experienced. The clarity of these performances is beyond belief. If it's not the best set of Beethoven Sonatas, it is certainly among the very best. Take for example the first movement of Sonata number 21. It is so easy to have a performer play all the notes just as Beethoven wrote them and yet leave the listener in a morass of confusion without the slightest idea of what he had in mind. Not here. The ideas pour forth in a white light that has to be experienced. It really has to be experienced!! I love these performances. I will play them until I die. Oh...and the recordings are technically excellent. At least when played through Levinson electronics and Maggies....superb!

dead in the water.......2007-01-12

Sorry, I just don't like Barenboim's renditions. Beethoven is my favourite composer, depending on my mood that is, and nothing moves me as his music can. But I just don't get Barenboim's renditions... doesn't do a thing for me. Something of Beethoven's depth and richness gets totally "lost in translation".

Better off finding a better performance of these if you really want to be "blown away". My favorite "Beethoven" conductor would have to be Herbert von Karajan; and as for individual pianists my all time favorite is Maurizio Pollini, whose performances are exquisite, in both technique and expression! If you are a music lover you should really check his work out if you haven't already. My favorite Beethoven CD by him is "Die Spaten Klaviersonaten" (Beethoven) by Deutsche Grammophon in their "legendary recordings" series. It is a real gem! (the sound quality is excellent also)

Sublime expression nourished by a colossal vision!.......2006-03-23

Thanks to this immense and untiring activity in the field of the orchestral direction, his vision as pianist has enriched himself quite a lot: Barenboim performs these well known Sonatas with a splendid architectural construction; according Schnabel `s tradition.

And that is a very remarkable good point in this musical moment where the pianist technique is eclipsing and even annulling the personal approach in the most of pianists all over the world. Honesty, conviction, vision and commitment dress those interpretations loaded of expression and personality.

In the great tradition of the great Beethovenian keyboard giants of the past, Daniel explores and plays every little bar with that well felt intensity of someone who in Beethoven `s there is much more than simple music. In Beethoven the music is not a goal by itself; but a revelation superior to any philosophy; all his musical legacy possess values that are placed of the standards. There is not art without second intention and that is precisely what Barenboim has made with this fabulous cycle of Beethoven Sonatas.

If you really want to listen remarkable performances far beyond of the trivial conventionalisms, go for this record.

Performed with great enthusiasm.......2004-05-16

This is classic early Barenboim (he was just 24 when he started recording this set in 1966). He is very enthusiastic and expressive (if you don't like him, he "takes liberties" and "shows off"). The slow movements are veerrry slow, and the fast ones really rip. Pianissimo is extremely soft, and fortissimo rattles the windows! [My wife insists that I wear headphones for late-night listening.]

Tracks:

Piano Sonata No. 8 In C Minor, Op. 13 (Pathetique): 1. Grave - Allegro di molto e con brio
Piano Sonata No. 8 In C Minor, Op. 13 (Pathetique): 2. Adagio cantabile
Piano Sonata No. 8 In C Minor, Op. 13 (Pathetique): 3. Rondo (Allegro)
Piano Sonata No. 23 In F Minor, Op. 57 (Appassionata): 1. Allegro assai
Piano Sonata No. 23 In F Minor, Op. 57 (Appassionata): 2. Andante con moto -
Piano Sonata No. 23 In F Minor, Op. 57 (Appassionata): 3. Allegro ma non troppo
Piano Sonata No. 14 In C Sharp Minor, Op. 27 No. 2 (Moonlight): 1. Adagio sostenuto -
Piano Sonata No. 14 In C Sharp Minor, Op. 27 No. 2 (Moonlight): 2. Allegretto
Piano Sonata No. 14 In C Sharp Minor, Op. 27 No. 2 (Moonlight): 3. Presto agitato

Customer Reviews:

The best...simply!.......2007-06-09

What more can I say....
I dont really know much about classical, and I wont pretend that I do, but to me, this is perfection!
Excellent service to as item arrived in good time!

This is not Arrau, this is Beethoven himself.......2006-07-19

First of all I would like to say, I have to disagree with a reviewer that says Arrau plays "too slow" this I can handle although I consider his speed is fine... but mostly when he says something like "he gives a romantic touch to these sonatas that were dedicated to men".

That is a huge blasphemy and here's why: Beethoven was a passionate man, I guess every Beethoven fan and student knows that, and if you still don't believe it just listen to his piano, violin and cello trios to see how much passion and romance there is involved. So it doesn't matter if he dedicated these sonatar (or any of his works) to a woman, a man or an alien, it is quite clear that whoever it was intended to, Beethoven would have probably execute it with passion and romance.

The execution of the Appassionata sonata is the ultimate execution. I need more words from other universe to describe how you can easly breeze into the composer's mind and actually feel what he felt and thought when he composed this piece. The 3rd movement is to me the best around and the best I've heard (from dozens of dozens), especially the last two minutes when it's clear the composer went drive mad. With other performers you will see that in these two minutes (when the piece reachis its climax) they will normally slow down which obviously a clear mistake and not what Beethoven intended). The last two minutes are to be played with madness, more madness, anger, more anger and all the passion you can put into those 88 keys. You can't slow down the climax of the piece ! That's why it is called Appassionata ! Such a beautiful piece.

The moonlight execution is the best I've heard too (with the exception of the 1st movement). Each one of the three movements take you to a mind state where you can feel how and what Beethoven felt about countess Giuletta Giucardi: love, joy and then hate, respectively. Just like the appasionata, the 3rd movement's performance is stunning. By the time you reach half of it, your mind will think you're listening to Beethoven.

Patetique is a good execution. I haven't really heard a notable performance, probably due to the fact of being one of Beethoven's earlier -more Mozartian/classisist- works. Still it is very good, and the movement that impresses me the most is the second.

Do your self a favor and get this CD. You will trash any other Beethoven Piano sonatas CD, and you will eventually look forward to buy the 32 piano sonata box set by Claudio Arrau -to listen to the man himself playing all his works-, which I proudly own and just like this disc, it is worth every single penny.

A very passionate and serious-minded Beethoven........2004-01-01

Claudio Arrau is not always an easy pianist to listen to. His playing is sometimes very irritating and at times can seem boring. Not everyone will agree with his Beethoven playing, and his playing in general, but many will be fascinated by his complex intellectuality. His Beethoven playing, particularly the sonatas, are some of his best and most interesting work. If anyone was to own one recording of Arrau's playing, I would surely suggest a Beethoven recording. His interpretations of these three popular sonatas are unorthodox but are given very passionate and interesting performances. Anyone studying or interested in these sonatas should listen to Arrau, the Appassionata especially is given an excellent performance.

This CD is highly recommended, it's an excellent lesson in Arrau's Beethoven playing.

Must-have if you like Beethoven.......2003-12-09

This is a disc you should buy immediately if you don't have Arrau's complete Beethoven sonatas set already. Arrau gives truly superb renditions of these three sonatas: the Pathetique is stormy and dramatic in its outer movements and intensely peaceful at the center, his Moonlight sheds a new light on this too often played sonata, but the real prize of the disc is the Appassionata, where Arrau plays with more angriness and drama than anyone I've yet heard. Hear how he assaults the chords of the third movement! These three sonatas, especially the last, are Arrau's territory and it shows in all aspects. You'd best get the whole set but for a good introduction this single disc is indispensable.

Exquisite, elegant, measured, and great........2003-11-18

It's wonderful to return to these works after an absence of 30 years. Familiar, but ... consider the andante con moto of No 23 in F Minor, Op 57... it begins quietly, measured pace, the low notes of the keyboard,
certain in its course, building slowly, then it moves into the middle range, so beautiful, so much beauty, bell like tone of the notes, exquisite touch of the pianist, as if reasoning with us, listen to me, listen to me, a sense of urgency, sensual urgency builds, playfulness, but the inexorable drive to climax, back to the beginning for the resolution, a pause, then ....
If there is anything more beautiful in the piano repertoire, show it to me.
Played by a musicians artist. A bargain.

Average customer rating:

High praise for Perlman and Barinboim
Mozart at its best
Wonderful to re-listen to these works.
Simply Amazing!
Perlman and Barenboim

Mozart: The Violin Sonatas

Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Similar Items:

Mozart: Piano Sonatas
Beethoven: The Violin Sonatas
Mozart: Violin Concertos
Mozart: Complete String Trios & Duos
Mozart: The Six String Quintets

ASIN: B00004SA87
Release Date: 2003-10-28

Tracks:

Sonata In G Major K. 301
Sonata In E Flat Major K. 302
Sonata In C Major K. 303
Sonata In A Major K. 305
Sonata In C Major K. 296
Sonata In E Minor K. 304
Sonata In D Major K. 306
Sonata In B Flat Major K. 378
Sonata In G Major K.379
Sonata In F Major K. 376
Sonata In E Flat Major K. 380
Sonata In B Flat Major K. 454
Sonata In E Flat Major K. 481
Sonata In A Major K. 526
Sonata In F Major K. 547

Customer Reviews:

High praise for Perlman and Barinboim.......2007-01-12

Best four CD's in my collection. Great material and wonderful performanc.!

Mozart at its best.......2006-08-28

This CD is an excellent introduction to Mozart's violin sonata's. Both artists are superb and play so very well together. I would highly recommend it.

Wonderful to re-listen to these works. .......2006-01-17

Many years ago, I owned, on vinyl, Mozart's Violin Sonatas. I don't remember the artists; however, I DO remember enjoying them immensely. Therefore, when the opportunity came with this recording to restore the complete Violin Sonatas by Mozart to my CD collection, I "jumped" at the chance. After all, this is Mozart's two-hundredth fifieth birthday; plus the recording is at a ridiculously low price, and MOST OF ALL, the recording features the esteemed musical team of Perlman and Barenboim--WHAT could be better than that? Please be advised, that my expectations have been fully realized and in actuality, they have been surpassed-the music is far more beautiful than I remember with Perlman and Barenboim making an exquisite musical team playing Mozart's gorgeous Violin Sonatas beautifully and sensitively!

If you love Mozart and want to hear some beautiful works played by masters of their respective instruments(at an unbelievable price) buy this CD collection. You will love it! The sound is great too belying the age of the recordings. They sound, to me, as if they were recorded very recently. In other words, great transfers to the CD format!

Simply Amazing!.......2005-04-10

This is a simply amazing recording. I was actually first introduced to some of these pieces that had been transcribed into clarinet duets. They are excellent for that medium, but they are absolutely brilliant in their original form as violin sonatas!

Perlman's playing is wonderful. At times it seems (to my untrained ear) that he may use a bit too much vibrato (or perhaps it's just too fast), though I'm not familiar with classical violin playing conventions, so this may be the proper way. Nonetheless, his tone is still rich and full and his technique is flawless. The pianist's playing is clear and accurate, and the two musicians make a perfect team (both technically and stylistically).

I'm not quite sure how these pieces fit into Mozarts body of work (stylistically, chronologically), but to me, they seem to have a youthful energy and vibrance that I've not heard in his later clarinet works. You will really enjoy them!

Perlman and Barenboim.......2005-03-17

...are incredible. I'm sure there is no one that would oppose this statement about Itzhak Perlman, but some say that Barenboim Beethovenizes Mozart. As a pianist myself, I strongly disagree. These recordings are very good. Sound quality is very nice. Highly recommended.

Mozart:The Complete Piano Sonatas and Variations

Average customer rating:

like sparkling mineral water
Soulless Rendition
Lovely
Top notch performances
Very good, but a bit misleading?

Mozart:The Complete Piano Sonatas and Variations

Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Beethoven: Complete Piano Sonatas / Daniel Barenboim
Mozart: The Complete Piano Concertos
Beethoven: The Complete Symphonies and Piano Concertos
Mozart: The Violin Sonatas
Beethoven - The Complete String Quartets / Alban Berg Quartet

ASIN: B00004YA0U
Release Date: 2000-11-07

Tracks:

I: Allegro
II: Andante
III: Allegro
I: Allegro Assai
II: Adagio
III: Presto
I: Allegro Moderato
II: Andante Amoroso
III: Rondeau: Allegro
I: Adagio
II: Menuetto I - Menuetto II
III: Allegro
I: Allegro
II: Andante
III: Presto

Tracks:

I: Allegro
II: Rondeau En Polonaise: Andante
III: Tema (Andante) Con Variazioni (I-XII)
I: Allegro Con Spirito
II: Andante Un Poco Adagio
III: Rondeau: Allegretto Grazioso
I: Allegro Maestoso
II: Andante Cantabile Con Espressione
III: Presto

Tracks:

I: Allegro Con Spirito
II: Andantino Con Espressione
III: Rondeau: Allegro
I: Allegro Moderato
II: Andante Cantabile
III: Allegretto
I: Tema (Andante Grazioso) Con Variazioni (I-VI)
II: Menuetto - Trio
III: Alla Turca: Allegretto
I: Allegro
II: Adagio
III: Allegro Assai

Tracks:

I: Allegro
II: Andante Cantabile
III: Allegretto Grazioso
Adagio - Allegro - Andantino - Piu Allegro - Tempo I
I: Molto Allegro
II: Adagio
III: Allegro Assai

Tracks:

I: Allegro
II: Andante Cantabile
III: Allegretto
I: Allegro
II: Andante
III: Rondo
I: Allegro
II: Adagio
III: Allegretto
I: Allegro
II: Adagio
III: Allegretto

Tracks:

Tema ('Laat Ons Juichen'): Allegretto
Variation 1
Variation 2
Variation 3
Variation 4
Variation 5
Variation 6
Variation 7: Adagio
Variation 8: Tempo I
Tema (Air): Allegro
Variation 1
Variation 2
Variation 3
Variation 4
Variation 5: Adagio
Variation 6: Tempo I
Variation 7
Tema (Menuetto): Andante
Variation 1
Variation 2
Variation 3
Variation 4
Variation 5: Adagio
Variation 6: Allegretto
Tema (Menuet)
Variation 1
Variation 2
Variation 3
Variation 4
Variation 5
Variation 6
Variation 7
Variation 8
Variation 9
Variation 10
Variation 11: Adagio
Variation 12: Allegro
Tema (Air): Allegretto
Variation 1
Variation 2
Variation 3
Variation 4
Variation 5
Variation 6
Variation 7
Variation 8: Tempo Di Menuetto
Variation 9
Variation 10: Allegretto
Variation 11
Variation 12: Molto Adagio
Allegretto

Tracks:

Tema
Variation 1
Variation 2
Variation 3
Variation 4
Variation 5
Variation 6
Variation 7
Variation 8
Variation 9
Variation 10
Variation 11: Adagio
Variation 12: Allegro
Tema
Variation 1
Variation 2
Variation 3
Variation 4
Variation 5
Variation 6
Variation 7
Variation 8
Variation 9
Variation 10
Variation 11: Adagio
Variation 12: Presto
Tema: Andante
Variation 1
Variation 2
Variation 3
Variation 4
Variation 5
Variation 6
Variation 7
Variation 8: Adagio
Variation 9: Allegro
Tempo Di Tema
Tema
Variation 1
Variation 2
Variation 3
Variation 4
Variation 5
Variation 6
Variation 7: Adagio
Variation 8: Allegro
Tema
Variation 1
Variation 2
Variation 3
Variation 4
Variation 5
Variation 6

Tracks:

Tema: Allegretto
Variation 1
Variation 2
Variation 3
Variation 4
Variation 5
Variation 6
Variation 7
Variation 8
Variation 9: Adagio
Variation 10: Allegro
(Tempo I)
Tema: Allegretto
Variation 1
Variation 2
Variation 3
Variation 4
Variation 5
Variation 6
Variation 7
Variation 8
Variation 9
Variation 10
Variation 11: Adagio
Variation 12: Allegro
(Tempo I)
Tema: Allegretto
Variation 1
Variation 2
Variation 3
Variation 4
Variation 5
Variation 6
Tema
Variation 1
Variation 2
Variation 3
Variation 4
Variation 5
Variation 6
Variation 7
Variation 8: Adagio
Variation 9: Allegro
(Tempo I)
Tema
Variation 1
Variation 2
Variation 3
Variation 4
Variation 5
Variation 6
Variation 7: Adagio
Variation 8: Allegro
(Tempo I)

Customer Reviews:

like sparkling mineral water.......2006-12-22

It is something near to a cleansing experience to listen through the Mozart piano repertoire as performed by Daniel Barenboim.

For starters, Mozart achieves his sparest, cleanest, most limpid lines when writing for solo piano. Then comes Daniel Barenboim, whose reading of Mozart is crisply and unemotionally classical. Not for him the drawn-out keyboard soliloquy. On the contrary, Barenboim gives us Mozart, only Mozart, and nothing but Mozart, clean and shimmering as sparkling mineral water.

This is not to say that Barenboim as pianist is unfeeling. On the contrary, the Fantasia in C Minor - to choose just one example with almost random lack of care - is quite moving. But not with a flourish. Rather, with almost sinewy restraint. The presentation represents a fine grasp of the master composer, nurtured with discipline across the length and breadth of the voluminous sonatas.

Indeed, the sheer volume of the Mozart piano sonatas is intimidating. It is astonishing to imagine one man having mastered it as Barenboim has. EMI Classics has done us the favor of collecting these two gentlemen's asynchronic collaboration in one set, affordable at that.

If Mozart is a musician for the ages and Barenboim a performer who left a formidable imprint on the twentieth century, their collaboration as represented in these recordings is a watershed that will need to be referenced by students of classical piano for at least another hundred years, or until people can only remember as far back as the Dixie Chicks.

Buy Barenboim on Mozart before that happens, and so stick your thumb in the dike against the evil day.

Soulless Rendition.......2005-10-16

I have several artists' renditions of Mozart's piano sonatas in my library. Daniel Barenboim's is the worst. His technique is timid. His rendition is soulless and perfunctory. I regret purchasing this collection. The best rendition I have is the collection of Glenn Gould. If you like Mozart's piano sonatas played the way Mozart intended, give Barenboim a pass and listen to Gould.

Lovely.......2005-03-17

As a pianist myself, I love Barenboim's playing. He does not play Mozart too Beethoven like. His performances are usually VERY good, and this is one example. Also includes the complete variations, which are very nice. The sound quality is excellent. Very highly recommended.

"The sonatas of Mozart are unique: too easy for children, too difficult for adults. Children are given Mozart to play because of the quantity of notes; grown ups avoid him because of the quality of notes." - Artur Schnabel

Top notch performances.......2004-06-17

Daniel Barenboim played this whole set with an interesting approach to WAM . The notations about classical , beethovenian style are always hazardous.
When you are a musician you must avoid in the cliche , and you should feel the music as a whole and the playing must be the consequence of a overlong process that begins in your soul , then your inner mood , your intellect and finally your fingers. I remark the aspect when you are in front of Mozart, Beethoven Wagner, Bruckner, Bach , Schubert and Bartok , because these composers are in a highest level than the others and the music itself is merely a device for expressing deeper issues.
That's why this set is superb. Barenboim plays a Mozart rich in expresiveness , he gives to Mozart presence .
Barenboim plays music as Vegh or Furtwangler did it , always seeking the landscape far beyond the score . That's why they are so original in their performances . The rapture is not a device for exhibite his skills , it''s the final product of a long process.
Acquire this set. It's an unvaluable treasure.

Very good, but a bit misleading?.......2004-05-15

Barenboim playing Mozart has his critics, who say he's "too Beethovian" when performing Mozart's piano sonatas and piano concertos. I disagree; I love his style. Others might not.

Tracks:

Sonate fur Klavier und Violoncello e-moll Op. 38: 1. Allegro non troppo
Sonate fur Klavier und Violoncello e-moll Op. 38: 2. Allegretto quasi Menuetto
Sonate fur Klavier und Violoncello e-moll Op. 38: 3. Allegro
Sonate fur Klavier und Violoncello F-dur Op. 99: 1. Allegro vivace
Sonate fur Klavier und Violoncello F-dur Op. 99: 2. Adagio affettuoso
Sonate fur Klavier und Violoncello F-dur Op. 99: 3. Allegro passionato
Sonate fur Klavier und Violoncello F-dur Op. 99: 4. Allegro molto

Customer Reviews:

a beautiful expression of a musical dialogue in the great Romantic fashion..........2007-05-20

Two of classical musics most remarkable artists meet at the full blossoming of thier careers: Mstislav Rostropovich who plays out the sadness of these pieces in his natural Russian style, and Rudolf Serkin who plays flawlessly.

These sonatas for cello and piano make for a beautiful expression of a musical dialogue in the great Romantic fashion, and I am not even a very big fan of Brahms.

Good, but not great........2005-01-22

While this recording is performed well, after listening to Jacqueline Dupré's rendition of this piece it is hard to rate this performance with the full five stars. Dupré takes the music to another level with even richer tones and smoother legatos. Another difference when comparing these two recordings is the coordination between the cellist and the accompanist. Dupré played with her husband, the pianist and conductor Daniel Barenboim. Those two connect at a much deeper level than the pair in Rostropovich's recording, who at times are clearly not together. However, this review is by no means intended as an affront on Rostropovich's clearly masterful abilities as a cellist. It is just that in the comparison of the two recordings, I feel that Ms. Dupré's passionate and more liberal style of play better suits this particular piece.

Beautiful, just beautiful!.......2004-01-16

I have never cared much for Brahm's music. Yet, I play this cd over and over again. The music is glorious and because of this recording, I have started to sample more of his works. This is a cd truly worth owning.

THIS ONE WILL GROW ON YOU.......2003-08-15

The balance is not quite right, with the cello too prominent, but once I got used to that the performances started to take me over. Here we have two of the greatest classical interpreters of their time taking us into the special world of Brahms, and they had me thinking about the composer in a way I have not done in years. Most books and articles I have read about him have a lot to say about Beethoven, but I really doubt whether Brahms's music would have been much different if Beethoven had never lived. Both consciously and by instinct, Brahms was the guardian of the great German musical tradition embodied above all in Bach -- a tradition where pure 'absolute' music expressed itself through an intellectual apparatus of polyphonic and structural devices. Since Bach's time Haydn and Mozart had perfected for instrumental music a compositional system usually called the 'sonata' style. Beethoven had naturally picked this up, but what he forced on to it was a special dimension of highly personalised expression, and it is precisely this way of treating it that Brahms turned his back on. With him we are back, in his own deeply original way, to music using the composer to express ITself.

I seem to find that Brahms gets more instinctive understanding from performers than Beethoven does, and I believe quite simply that that is because he understands himself better than Beethoven does himself. Teetering on the verge of incoherence at times was all part of Beethoven's unique greatness, and it is not disrespectful -- quite the reverse -- to say so. I have heard far more good performances than bad ones of these two wonderful sonatas, and the special meaning these particular accounts have for me is not something that I felt at first hearing. When a pianist of very special and unusual gifts is aged 80 or so and has retained his technique and evenness of touch, when he has spent a lifetime developing an austere and uncompromising vision of the instrumental music that we normally think of as being the 'greatest', when he studies completely afresh the works he is to perform with the greatest cellist of the next generation, there is a good chance we are going to get something very special, and I do not believe I am imagining it. This is a totally unique artistic combination offering a very special -- not eccentric in any way but still very special -- insight into a composer that many of us know by heart without really getting our minds round the phenomenon he represents. This record is a milestone in my musical pilgrimage and maybe it will be in yours.

When the Rich Russian Sound Meets the Soulful German...........2001-04-11

From the very first note of the e minor sonata, one can notice how perfectly the warmth and control in Rostropovich's sound match the cogitating works of Brahms. In such maturiy and wisdom gained over many a decade, there are things to learn from this recording. The full and rich, yet sensitive tone draws the listener through every movement with assuarance and thrill, and the complete control -- especially apparent in the unhurried tempi -- of both of these maestros should be especially admired. Of course, control and maturity do not mean lack of passion and vigour by any means; the series of robust broken chords of the first movement of the E minor sonata, and the passionate third movement of the F major sonata are no less powerful than any younger perfomers' recordings, if not greater. This is a recording to be enjoyed and studied by all.

Beethoven: The Piano Sonatas, Vol. 4: Sonatas Opp. 26, 27 & 28

Average customer rating:

Beethoven: The Piano Sonatas, Vol. 4: Sonatas Opp. 26, 27 & 28

Manufacturer: Ecm Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music
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ASIN: B000PC6G6A
Release Date: 2007-05-22

Tracks:

Andante Con Variazioni
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Allegro
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Allegretto
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Andante
Scherzo. Allegro Vivace
Rondo. Allegro Ma Non Troppo

Beethoven: Favourite Piano Sonatas / Vladimir Ashkenazy

Average customer rating:

Beethoven: Favourite Piano Sonatas / Vladimir Ashkenazy
All the essentials on two discs
Pure genius, in composition and in performance
Impeccable - scholarly yet perfected performances
Excellent Double CD

Beethoven: Favourite Piano Sonatas / Vladimir Ashkenazy

Manufacturer: Decca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

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ASIN: B0000041LE
Release Date: 1997-08-26

Tracks:

Piano Sonata No. 14 In C Sharp Minor, Op. 27 No. 2 'Moonlight': I. Adagio sostenuto
Piano Sonata No. 14 In C Sharp Minor, Op. 27 No. 2 'Moonlight': II. Allegretto & Trio
Piano Sonata No. 14 In C Sharp Minor, Op. 27 No. 2 'Moonlight': III. Presto agitato
Piano Sonata No. 26 In E Flat Major, Op. 81a 'Les Adieux': I Adagio - Allegro
Piano Sonata No. 26 In E Flat Major, Op. 81a 'Les Adieux': II Andante espressivo
Piano Sonata No. 26 In E Flat Major, Op. 81a 'Les Adieux': III Vivacissimamente
Piano Sonata No. 17 In D Minor, Op. 31 No. 2 'Tempest': I Largo - Allegro
Piano Sonata No. 17 In D Minor, Op. 31 No. 2 'Tempest': II Adagio
Piano Sonata No. 17 In D Minor, Op. 31 No. 2 'Tempest': III Allegretto
Piano Sonata No. 8 In C Minor, Op. 13 'Pathetique': I Grave - Allegro di molto e con brio
Piano Sonata No. 8 In C Minor, Op. 13 'Pathetique': II Adagio cantabile
Piano Sonata No. 8 In C Minor, Op. 13 'Pathetique': III Rondo: Allegro

Tracks:

Piano Sonata No. 23 In F Minor, Op. 57 'Appassionata': I Allegro assai
Piano Sonata No. 23 In F Minor, Op. 57 'Appassionata': II Andante con moto
Piano Sonata No. 23 In F Minor, Op. 57 'Appassionata': III Allegro ma non troppo
Piano Sonata No. 15 In D Major, Op. 28 'Pastoral': I Allegro
Piano Sonata No. 15 In D Major, Op. 28 'Pastoral': II Andante
Piano Sonata No. 15 In D Major, Op. 28 'Pastoral': III Scherzo & Trio: Allegro vivace
Piano Sonata No. 15 In D Major, Op. 28 'Pastoral': IV Rondo: Allegro ma non troppo
Piano Sonata No. 21 In C Major, Op. 53 'Waldstein': I Allegro con brio
Piano Sonata No. 21 In C Major, Op. 53 'Waldstein': II Introduzione: Molto adagio
Piano Sonata No. 21 In C Major, Op. 53 'Waldstein': III Rondo: Allegretto moderato - Prestissimo

Customer Reviews:

Beethoven: Favourite Piano Sonatas / Vladimir Ashkenazy.......2007-07-09

Good technique and good sound. The CD contains the most known sonatas and it was a hard task to deliver them in a fresh yet traditional form.

All the essentials on two discs.......2007-05-29

Other reviewers have written sufficiently on the quality of this purchase; I don't need to add to it, only concur with them that this is a fabulous and inexpensive package. My only criticism is of the sound quality...and maybe the performance of the 14th. It's a minor issue though. No other package that I know of gives the buyer all the essential sonatas on two discs of such high quality. A great buy.

Pure genius, in composition and in performance.......2007-05-20

Disclaimer: I'm not an expert on classical music, much less on classical music performances, so my reviews represent a newcomer's take on classical CDs. Take that for what it's worth.

This recording of Beethoven's sonatas was the first classical CD I ever bought, and it remains my favorite. The compositions are heart-rending. The performance is excellent. This is an album equally great both for classically-uninitiated and for longtime veterans.

Ashkenazy's performance makes heavy use of dynamics, from near-inaudible pianissimos to shattering fortissimos. Some people may dislike this--it's not an album to pop into your walkman and ignore--but I found that it gave the sonatas a richer emotional resonance. As the piano goes from a quiet, singing tone to harsh clanging, so one's heart follows. This CD (or rather, CDs) is a must-buy.

Impeccable - scholarly yet perfected performances.......2006-08-08

I've listened to Ashkenazy's renditions of these pieces for quite some time of this disk, and I was extremely impressed with his force. He does not skimp on volume when volume is needed (the brutal chords in the third movement of Moonlight is what I was really looking for). I've also used his rendition of the Pathetique as a guide for my own learning of the piece. The man's technique is absolutely beyond belief, his clarity, his voicing, his touch, it fits so perfectly with these fine works by Beethoven. The Hammerklavier is sadly missing, but that is to be expected because of its length. Overall, these are powerful recordings and I highly recommend them. I hope to reach such a pinnacle of artistry some day in my own playing.

Excellent Double CD .......2006-04-25

This double CD is exquisite. Vladimir Ashkenazy plays Beethoven with sensitivity and dynamic intensity. The quality of the CD is excellent, the playing sublime, and the value outstanding.

This double CD has quickly become one of my favorites. I originally heard it on the local NPR classical stations, bought the CD here, and love it!

I just can't think of a single deficiency in the CD. I think this is just an excellent CD at any price; at the price here, it is a real bargain.

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