Sonatas Nos 1 & 2 Waltzes Nocturnes etc

Track Listings

1. Sonata No. 2 Op.35 Grave

2. Scherzo

3. Marche FunÉBre

4. Finale. Presto

5. Sonata No. 3 Op.58 Allegro Maestoso

6. Scherzo. Molto Vivace

7. Largo

8. Finale. Presto Non Tanto

9. Valse Op. 64-1 In D Flat Major

10. Valse Op. 64-2 In C Sharp Minor

11. Valse Op. 64-3 In A Flat Major

12. Nocturne Op. 9-2 In E Flat Major

Editorial Reviews
Album Details
As Hardly Any Other Composer of the 19th Century, Frederic Chopin Committed Himself to the "Pianoforte" Whereby He Attempted to Give the Handed Down Genres, Like the Sonata and the Prelude, a New Lease on Life.

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.

Average customer rating:

Possibly the best available ..... but ...
Some of the best music I've ever heard
No bad apples in this bunch!
How to Listen to an American Quilt
My 2004 New Year's resolution was to review this CD...

Ives: Violin Sonatas Nos. 1-4

Manufacturer: Naxos American
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B00008MLVJ
Release Date: 2003-06-17

Tracks:

Andante - Allegro Vivace
Largo Cantabile
Allegro
Autumn
In The Barn
The Revival
Verse 1 (Adagio) - Verse 2 (Andante) - Verse 3 (Allegretto) - Refrain (Adagio)
Allegro
Adagio
Allegro
Largo
Allegro

Customer Reviews:

Possibly the best available ..... but ..........2005-04-02

These are possibly the best available of these fantastic violin sonatas, although I haven't heard Fulkerson/Shannon. I do believe however that these performances lack the deep understanding of Druian/Simms, especially in regard to evenness of tempi and expressiveness - I get the feeling of assertiveness without conviction - e.g. in the last movement of the #3 - I realize there is a certain element of prejudice associated with judging a new performance against an accustomed one - but I sure do wish the Druian/Simms had been transferred to CD.

Some of the best music I've ever heard.......2005-01-27

Ives wrote a great deal of experimental music, exploring more compositional techniques and ideas than any other composer of the 20th century. In that sense alone he is a remarkable figure, but too much emphasis on that perspective risks diminishing the great beauty of his music. He combined innovation almost to the point of iconoclasm with the unabashed sentiment of the 19th century.

When I listen to Ives, any American music I think of, and I'm reminded of quite a bit of music when I listen to him, whether it's Coltrane, Copland or Cobain, I hear it in Ives, as if somehow all American music after him was already contained in his work, like a seed.

Although I was already very familiar with Ives' music when I got this CD, I was more impressed with these pieces than anything I've heard since I first heard Stravinskys' "Petrushka" at the age of 16.

No bad apples in this bunch!.......2004-05-25

Sometimes comparing a composer's works is like comparing apples and oranges. A big orchestral work is a very different kind of fruit than a small chamber piece. So when a composer returns several times to the same medium, it makes it easier to get an assessment of the composer's thought process and personality. In the case of Charles Ives, these four sonatas for violin and piano offer that kind of unique possibility to observe the composer's strategy at work. Ives stands unique among composers of his generation for his attempt to meld high art goals with vernacular music. Not *folk* music, mind you, but vernacular music: marching band tunes, popular ditties like "Turkey in the Straw," Stephen Foster songs, and especially the rich realm of Protestant hymnody. Ives mixes these vernacular sources together and distills a potent moonshine all his own from the mash. I've loved these four pieces for over 30 years, ever since Paul Zukovsky and Gilbert Kalish recorded them for Nonesuch around the Ives Centennial in 1974. The performances here are every bit as fine as the Zukovsky/Kalish set, and all on one disc at a bargain price! If you find the Ives orchestral works loud and messy, and can't quite warm up to the Concord Sonata (keep trying: it's worth the effort), you may find that these Violin Sonatas will help you understand what the fuss is all about: they just could be the finest works the composer wrote.

How to Listen to an American Quilt.......2004-01-25

Charles Ives - Violin Sonatas

I undertake this review with some trepidation, as all of the previous reviews are quite thorough and thoughtful, and I'm not sure how much I have to add. But two of the other reviewers want me to chime in as well...so here it goes.

Ives is without a doubt the quintessential American composer. Though the composer was highly trained, there exists an air of the autodidact about him, perhaps influenced by his famously eccentric and experimental father George. Ives received a fairly traditional education with Horatio Parker at Yale, but even there he was unable to keep his experimental tendencies in check. (When asked to write a graduation fugue, Ives wrote it in four keys!) However, as experimental as Ives gets, he is still grounded in the American musical tradition as exemplified by Parker and his kind. All one has to do is study the harmonic language of these Violin Sonatas to see this.

The Violin Sonatas span the years 1904 to 1916, but are perhaps the most consistent musical statements in his output. The language is fairly conservative for Ives, though not as conservative as the first two symphonies. You do not find the wild collages of the Fourth Symphony or the biting dissonances of the Concord Sonata in this set. Rather, these are fascinating works that are a typical Ivesian crazy quilt of hymn tunes, popular melody, almost parlor-song harmony, and impressionistic use of dissonances that is highly beguiling and in the case of some of the slow movements, deeply moving.

Each of the four sonatas has a fairly traditional three-movement structure. Sonatas 1 and 4 are fast-slow-fast sonatas while the middle two sonatas surround a fast movement with two more contemplative movements. The materials of all the sonatas are fairly tonal. The real radical nature of these works is in the structure of the movements themselves. As has been said before, Ives uses an original procedure of "cumulative form". Snippets of melody weave in and out of the texture without making a full blown thematic statement. These melodic snippets sound vaguely familiar but are manipulated enough so that they aren't totally recognizable until the end of the movement, when the source theme is stated, often very simply. The effect is climatic and deeply moving and greatly enhanced if you know the source material. For instance, the second movement of the 4th sonata (Children's Day at the Camp Meeting) weaves around a melody that has a hint of nostalgia to it. At the end it finally coalesces into the familiar children's hymn Jesus Loves Me. The effect is more moving than I ever believed that sappy hymn could be.

Shockingly, these beautiful sonatas inspired venom among those to first listen and perform them. (After a musician berated Ives over the first sonata, he uttered his famous self-question, "Are my ears on wrong?"...the inspiration, incidentally, for my own Amazon nickname...weird ears.) These sonatas are wonderfully nostalgic works. Listening to them gives you the feeling of catching a glimpse of a lost world, Victorian America with its parlor songs, camp meetings, and vigorous popular musical culture. Listening to the Ives Sonatas is like hearing that world again, but through the prism of memory and dream. The themes waft in and out, not in the organic way that a typically Germanic sonata would, but rather in a freely associative manner. So the way to appreciate these works is to follow the form in much the same way, letting your attention flow from moment to moment until Ives brings it all together in his cumulative themes. It also helps if you have some familiarity with turn of the century Protestant hymnody, as almost all these works are based on camp meeting hymns such as Watchman Tell Us of the Night, Land of Rest, and Beulah Land. Also, a bit of familiarity with fiddle tunes and 19th century popular tunes is also helpful. However, even without this knowledge these are magical and very powerful works and repay repeated listening. They are also perhaps the best place to begin for Ives novices. They have a truly Ivesian feeling without the forbidding dissonances of some of his thornier works.

Performances on this CD are really excellent. Curt Thompson is a promising young violinist with a full, pleasing tone, and a handle on the distinctively American sound these sonatas need, and he is expertly supported by Rodney Waters. Naxos is to be credited for bringing these works out as part of their Ives cycle. They were long overdue for a complete recording.

My 2004 New Year's resolution was to review this CD..........2004-01-02

...and make it my first review of the new year.

This superb Naxos CD of the four Violin Sonatas by Charles Ives might well have been reviewed months ago by me, had it not been for one small matter. Every time I'd set out to listen to the CD, I'd get as far as the Largo cantabile (2nd) movement of the 1st Violin Sonata, only to stop and play it again. And again.

Then, a few times, I actually got as far as the 3rd movement of this work, only to hear the strains of "Watchman, Tell Us of the Night," the Lowell Mason hymn, little known these days but used to such superb effect by Ives, years later, in the opening "Prelude: Maestoso" movement of his culminating masterpiece, the 4th Symphony. There I was, stuck with the same problem: Couldn't go further; simply had to listen again. And again.

Needless to say, I finally managed to solve the problem. But it took both a conscious effort to listen to the sonatas in reverse order AND a New Year's resolution as well.

There is little that I can add to the two excellent previous reviews. Scott Morrison and Robin Friedman pretty much touched all the bases: Ives's use of "cumulative form" (a developmental "working toward a summing up" of each movement, by introducing thematic fragments which, only by the end of the movement, come together to present the full theme), his inveterate borrowing of vernacular and hymnic materials, and the total parity between the two instrumentalists. (Probably never before, and never since, have such sonatas been written where the piano part is so equally matched, both thematically and technically, to the violin part. Calling these works "violin sonatas" does an injustice to the violinist's equal partner!)

Ives was not, himself, a violinist, although his father, George Edward Ives, had been a pretty good fiddler, and I'm sure that there's more than a fair bit of sentimental tribute by Charlie to George in these works. What Ives certainly did, in these sonatas, was to "introduce a distinctly American style of violin playing [...], namely paraphrases of fiddle music" and [he] "associated the violin with spiritual exaltation and with hymn singing." (These quotations are the words of Nancy Mandel, violinist and wife and co-collaborator with Alan Mandel in performing Ives's chamber works, written nearly three decades ago for an Ives centennial symposium, "On Performing the Violin Sonatas." They're certainly better than any words I could think up for this review occasion.)

Every bit of this stylistic description by Nancy Mandel comes through in these works: Scattered throughout the total of twelve movements spread over the four sonatas, one will in fact hear idiomatic fiddling - including ragtime and country and barn dances - and spiritually exalted hymnic phrasing. And, though the four works cover more than a decade of Ives's composing career, there is not an expected sense that the later works are in any way more complex than the earlier ones; almost the exact opposite occurs, in which the later two sonatas are considerably more accessible than the two earlier ones: Ives, in his "Memos," describes the later two works as "...a kind of slump backward."

While I'm not necessarily buying into Ives's self-criticism, his observation perhaps in part explains why it is that the 1st Sonata grabs me in the gut the way that it does. The work looks back to the classical tradition, with its Lisztian piano writing in the Largo cantabile movement, at the same time that it looks forward in this movement, with some eerily gorgeous violin double-stop writing that sounds to these ears as if Ives is writing in true quarter tones. This Largo cantabile movement is simply magic. And then comes the cumulative-form thematic development toward "Watchman..." in the concluding movement: spiritual exaltation indeed! Is it any wonder that I had difficulty moving past this sonata, and on to the others?

Like Scott Morrison, I remember the much earlier Rafael Druian/John Simms LPs. Unfortunately, unlike Scott, I just barely remember them. And I'm unfamiliar with the Gregory Fulkerson/Robert Shannon CDs. So, at the same time that I am rediscovering (and loving) the sonatas, I am hearing Curt Thompson and Rodney Waters for the first time.

These young instrumentalists are simply superb. Thompson gets into the dance-like episodes with true "fiddling" style, and simply soars in the hymnic passages. Waters handles the very difficult piano part with aplomb, and is every bit the equal partner to Thompson (as he needs to be, given how Ives wrote the virtuosic piano parts). I may or may not be missing anything by not having either the Druian/Simms LPs or the Fulkerson/Shannon CDs. But Naxos - once again, as it has demonstrated in the past with its Ives contributions to its "American Classics" series - need not apologize to anyone for these performances. Moreover, unlike Fulkerson/Shannon on the full-price Bridge label, where the sonatas are spread too generously over two CDs, here they fit without a problem onto a single budget CD.

I have a collection of scores in my library, admittedly small and mostly orchestral, covering those works near and dear to me. My SECOND resolution of the New Year is to track down the score for at least the 1st Violin Sonata (if only to see how Ives wrote the violin part for the Largo cantabile movement, particularly for the quarter-tone double stops), and preferably the scores for all four. This is not only "canonical Ives"; these sonatas are among the finest 20th century works in the genre.

And, looking back over all of 2003, I think that the single classical work that received the most playing time by me was this Ives 1st Violin Sonata. What a supremely sublime piece of music it is! It's strange to find myself using this as an "excuse" for such a long delay in writing this review. But there you have it.

Bob Zeidler

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An album of collection!
Grieg performed with heart from his homeland
Excellent performances of excellent music

Grieg: Violin Sonatas Nos. 1-3

Manufacturer: Naxos
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B0000014AQ
Release Date: 1997-08-05

Tracks:

Son No.1 in F, Op.8: Allegro Con Brio
Son No.1 in F, Op.8: Allegretto Quasi Andantino
Son No.1 in F, Op.8: Allegro Molto Vivace
Son No.2 in G, Op.13: Lento Doloroso-Allegro Vivace
Son No.2 in G, Op.13: Allegretto Tranquillo
Son No.2 in G, Op.13: Allegro Animato
Son No.3 in c, Op.45: Allegro Molto Ed Appassionato
Son No.3 in c, Op.45: Allegretto Espressivo Alla Romanza
Son No.3 in c, Op.45: Allegro Animato

Customer Reviews:

An album of collection!.......2007-07-04

The intimate feature of Edvard Grieg is basically a theorem. And these violin sonatas are by far, the best available evidence. Written in three well different periods of his life, 22, 25 and 35 years old respectively, show us with eloquent persuasion how the mood of this miniaturist allowed him to carve in relief a set of encountered feelings, the ardent passion of his birthplace and a renovated romanticism.

Of course, you may find traces of Richard Nordrak and Johannes Brahmas in which concerns its formal construction, but the way he articulates and ensembles the cantabile ,lines and slender harmonic lines carve in relief an aspect, worthy to pay attention.

In the genre of chamber work, more than any other else, maybe felt the conviction and sublime inspiration, because the form is so tied with the conceptual unity opf his musical thought, that the positive impression you receive is surprising.

In the last years, (and I celebrate for it) there has been a wide interest to play the chamber works of this musician. You have a priceless contribution in this case with these two renowned interpreters around the world. Sop please, don't hesitate just for a second and go for these lovable and if I may very little known works.

Grieg performed with heart from his homeland.......2001-11-18

This is a luxury-class performance on a bargain label. Kraggerud is one of the hottest of the young generation of Norwegian musicians. He has an inate feel for the folk character of Grieg's music which he combines with incredible musical maturity and understanding, passionate drive, and blazing technique. I was privileged to hear him perform the Op. 8 Sonata live at Grieg's home, Troldhaugen. It was tremendously moving to hear a brilliant performance by a Norwegian virtuoso who was approximately the same age Grieg was when he wrote the sonata. Rarely have I heard a performer exhibit such identification with the composer's intentions. I wrote my doctoral dissertation on a manuscript study of Grieg's sonatas for violin and piano, and Henning Kraggerud understands how to make these underperformed pieces shine with full luster. Keep an eye out for this young performer -- enjoy this album, but don't miss the chance to hear him live if you can.

Excellent performances of excellent music.......1999-05-02

Grieg's violin sonatas are a wonderful mixture of drama and lyricism. Unfortunately, some musicians ignore the drama (a common problem in Grieg). This results in music that is, while certainly pretty, also boring. There is no risk of that on this particular disc. The twentysomething performers roar through these pieces with energy and dedication. Fortunately, they don't let this get out of hand, and there is still plenty of warmth and charm to be found. The technical aspects are very good- a clear recording with a good balance between the violin and piano. Interestingly, Grieg himself performed these pieces in concert numerous times and was known for a "full speed ahead" approach that probably wasn't far removed from this disc. Enjoy!

Beethoven: Piano Sonatas Nos. 13, 14 & 23 'Appassionata'

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Beethoven: Piano Sonatas Nos. 13, 14 & 23 'Appassionata'

Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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The Royal Edition - Brahms: Piano Concerto no 2
The Gershwin Collection

ASIN: B0005EZW90
Release Date: 2005-01-11

Tracks:

I. Andante - Allegro
II. Allegro Molto E Vivace
III. Adagio Con Espressione
IV. Allegro Vivace
I. Allegro Assai
II. Andante Con Moto
III. Allegro Mo Non Troppo - Presto
I. Adagio Sostenuto
II. Allergetto
III. Presto Agitato

Beethoven: Piano Sonatas Op. 2, Nos. 1, 2 & 3

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Impressive Early Beethoven Performances
Simpl;y gorgeous!
Good Job

Beethoven: Piano Sonatas Op. 2, Nos. 1, 2 & 3

Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Mendelssohn: Sonata for Piano; Prelude & Fugue; Variations Sérieuses; Rondo Capriccioso

ASIN: B000002A6H
Release Date: 1995-05-16

Tracks:

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

Customer Reviews:

Impressive Early Beethoven Performances.......2007-05-13

Perahia performs these three works beautifully. His technique and style are masterful, his tone and nuance are well crafted, and the recording engineers have done an excelent job of capturing his exciting performances. I prefer his interpretations to the drier, (almost too) scholarly pressings of Jon O'Connor.
His performance of the 2nd sonanta (A Major) may be one of the two best overall performances I have ever heard either in recording or in live settings. (Which is very often in about the past 35 years.)

Simpl;y gorgeous!.......2001-10-29

I suggest that you buy this marvelous CD before Sony drops it from the active catalogue. It is simply a gorgeous interpretation of three of Beethoven's earliest piano sonatas, written early in his life, around the time that he was studying in Vienna with Haydn between 1792 and 1794. They are, however, unlike the Haydn sonatas, anticipating Beethoven's later exhilarating work in the form and showing definite evidences of the explosive excitement that would be a part of Beethoven's later piano pieces. The slow movements in all three sonatas are lovely, but the adagio in the C major sonata is absolutely exquisite, played sensitively and poignantly by Mr. Perahia. The menuetto in F minor sonata is a humorous, rather quirky movement with an attractive trio that moves gracefully back to the major theme. The prestissimo in Sonata #1 and the allegro assai of Sonata #3 have the fire and drive and the tonal contrasts that we associate with Beethoven's later work. There are big, Romantic images and technical wizardry in these early sonatas, and I think that the music lovers must study pieces like these in order to understand the depth and genius of Beethoven's later output.
The sonatas were never, in my opinion, played more beautifully. Mr. Perahia produces a simply beautiful tone in every note of the sonatas. He has complete technical command of his instrument and his interpretations are conceived in a loving manner. I do not believe that any interpretation in music is ever "definitive," but these probably come close to being ultimate. Finally, Sony reproduces Mr. Perahia's distinctive sound well, using 20 bit technology with "high definition sound." I am technically inept and have no idea what these terms mean, but the sound is brilliant and warm. If you enjoy this recording and wish to explore more of Mr. Perahia's excellent work, I suggest you purchase his fairly recent Sony recordings of Bach, Handel, and Scarlatti. They are as superb as the Beethoven CD and a delightful addition to one's recorded music collection.

Good Job.......2000-06-21

Murray Parahia has onced again released another set of great Beethoven sonatas (Hmm, all Beethoven sonatas are great!). His playing is as always, crystal clear with great technique, finger skills and musicality. I still think he has so much more to offer than what he produced in this recording. In conclusion, a fine recording with splendid results. Above everything else, for students learning the sonatas, this is a very good source for reference since Murray Parahia is by far one of the better pianists going around at present.

Brahms: Clarinet Sonatas Nos. 1 & 2; Beethoven: Clarinet Trio

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Brahms: Clarinet Sonatas Nos. 1 & 2; Beethoven: Clarinet Trio

Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000FHYI1U
Release Date: 2006-07-18

Tracks:

I Allegro Appassioonato
II Andante Un Poco Adagio
III Allegretto Grazioso
IV Vicace
I Allegro Amabile
II Allegro Appassionato
III Andante Con Moto
I Allegro Con Brio
II ADagio
III Allegretto

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Jeno Jando Plays Early Haydn Sonatas
Delicate and satisfying
Charming
Piano Sonatas of the Highest Caliber!

Haydn: Piano Sonatas Nos. 1-10

Manufacturer: Naxos
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000058UTT
Release Date: 2001-03-20

Tracks:

Son No.1 in G, Hob.XVI/8: Allegro
Son No.1 in G, Hob.XVI/8: Menuet
Son No.1 in G, Hob.XVI/8: Andante
Son No.1 in G, Hob.XVI/8: Allegro
Son No.2 in C, Hob.XVI/7: Allegro Moderato
Son No.2 in C, Hob.XVI/7: Menuet
Son No.2 in C, Hob.XVI/7: Finale Allegro
Son No.3 in F, Hob.XVI/9: Allegro
Son No.3 in F, Hob.XVI/9: Menuet
Son No.3 in F, Hob.XVI/9: Scherzo
Son No.4 in G, Hob.XVI/G1: Allegro
Son No.4 in G, Hob.XVI/G1: Menuetto
Son No.4 in G, Hob.XVI/G1: Finale: Presto
Son No.5 in G, Hob.XVI/11: Presto
Son No.5 in G, Hob.XVI/11: Andante
Son No.5 in G, Hob.XVI/11: Menuet
Son No.6 in C, Hob.XVI/10: Moderato
Son No.6 in C, Hob.XVI/10: Menuet
Son No.6 in C, Hob.XVI/10: Finale: Presto
Son No.7 in D, Hob.XVI/D1: Tema (Moderato) With Vars
Son No.7 in D, Hob.XVI/D1: Menuet
Son No.7 in D, Hob.XVI/D1: Finale: (Allegro)
Son No.8 in A, Hob.XVI/5: Allegro
Son No.8 in A, Hob.XVI/5: Menuet
Son No.8 in A, Hob.XVI/5: Presto
Son No.9 in D, Hob.XVI/4: (Moderato)
Son No.9 in D, Hob.XVI/4: Menuet
Son No.10 in C, Hob.XVI/1: Allegro
Son No.10 in C, Hob.XVI/1: Adagio
Son No.10 in C, Hob.XVI/1: Menuet

Customer Reviews:

Jeno Jando Plays Early Haydn Sonatas.......2007-06-23

This CD is a delightful recording of the earliest keyboard sonatas attributed to Haydn. The sonatas are "attributed" to Haydn because scholars have questions about the authenticity of at least some of them. In addition, the sonatas cannot be precisely dated. They are generally thought to be composed with 1766 as an outside limit. More likely, these works were composed in the late 1750s and early 1760s.

These types of questions should not deter you from enjoying these works. They are light, flowing, graceful, and accessible. The sonatas were composed at the beginning of the classical period and exemplify the galant style that developed as a reaction to the difficulties of the contrapuntal music of the baroque era. The sonatas were originally composed for the harpsichord, but they work well on the piano as this CD shows. Jeno Jando beautifully plays these early works as part of his recording of the complete Haydn piano sonatas on Naxos. Jando has recorded prolifically for Naxos over the years. He is at his best in Haydn.

The CD includes ten sonatas, all of which are in the major key. Each work is short, ranging from under five minutes for each of the first two sonatas to about nine minutes for the sixth sonata. Sonata no. 9 consists of two movements while the first sonata consists of four very brief movements. The remaining eight sonatas are in three movements.

The works include some interesting variations in structure. The four-movement sonata no. 1 is in the pattern allegro-minuet-andante-allegro. The sonatas typically open with a fast movement, but two works, no. 6 and 9 begin moderato. One of favorites of these works, no. 7 in D major, opens with a theme and variations. The second movement of most of the works is generally a minuet which ususally, but not always, includes a trio section. In sonatas 5 and 10, a slow movement appears rather than the minuet. The finale is almost always quick and lively. But here again there are exceptions. Sonatas 5, 9, and 10 end with a minuet while sonata no. 3 ends with a scherzo. Furthermore, Haydn cannabalized among these sonata, as he would do throughout his career. The final movement of sonata no. 4 becomes the opening presto of the next work, sonata no. 5.

The circumstances for which these works were composed also is obscure. Some of the sonatas were probably written for drawing-room performance. But several of them likely were composed as teaching pieces, either for Haydn's early young pupils or for family members or courtiers at the Morin or Esterhazy courts. Whatever the case, this is music to be enjoyed rather than to be over-intellectualized.

This CD is lovely to hear and makes an excellent introduction to the early classical style for keyboard. It offers an excellent lead-in to Haydn's mature piano sonatas or to his earliest symphonies that probably date from the time of these sonatas.

Robin Friedman

Delicate and satisfying.......2006-06-13

Jando gives these sonatas a light yet pleasing touch. They certainly glide along and seem to rythmically resonate in some way - they just seem 'right'. Having heard these versions I can't imagine anyone else playing them.

Having heard several of the other volumes of Jando/Haydn, I can say that this is my favourite so far - and at least one co-worker rushed out and bought the CD after I bought it to work.

I highly recommend this disc to Haydn fans and those who would enjoy an hour of sublimely played, elegant piano sonatas.

Charming.......2005-11-20

These attractive sonatas receive beautiful performances from Jando. The previous reviewer had a quibble regarding tracks 13 and 14 being the same; but, in fact, Haydn made the finale to Sonata # 4 the opening movement of # 5.

Piano Sonatas of the Highest Caliber!.......2005-06-17

I find Jeno Janos' series of Haydn's Piano sonatas very entertaining. In fact, there is only a small handful of pianist's that have recorded these earliest sonatas and IMHO I couldn't imagine better performances! They are all short and sweet. If you enjoy early Mozart, you will certainly love these works! My only quibble is that tracks 13 and 14 are exactly the same. Maybe the engineers at Naxos should pay more attention!

Average customer rating:

A very beautiful musical companion

Corelli: Violin Sonatas Op. 5, Nos. 1-6

Manufacturer: Naxos
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Corelli: Violin Sonatas
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Buxtehude: Seven Trio Sonatas, Op. 2
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ASIN: B0006IGPZK
Release Date: 2005-02-22

Tracks:

Grave - Allegro
Allegro
Allegro
Adagio
Allegro
Grave
Allegro
Vivace
Adagio
Vivace
Adagio
Allegro
Adagio
Allegro
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Adagio
Allegro
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Adagio
Allegro
Adagio
Vivace
Adagio
Vivace
Giga: Allegro
Grave
Allegro
Allegro
Adagio
Allegro

Customer Reviews:

A very beautiful musical companion.......2007-06-07

I have been listening to this CD on my own during my lunch and tea breaks at work for the last week. I enjoy it very much and I like Lucy van Dael's very poetic interpretations of these great works. The use of an organ and harpsichord, alternatively, is very agreeable. The organ helps us remember that these works were very much in the tradition of the 17th century church sonata form.

I have the double disc of the complete sonatas recorded by Andrew Manze for Harmonia Mundi. I like that recording very much, but for some reason, I am enjoying Ms van Dael's recording more at the moment. Go figure?

I only hope that Lucy van Dael and Bob van Asperen get around to recording the rest of the sonatas for NAXOS soon.

A very beautiful and stylish CD. Warmly recommended by me.

Prokofiev: Piano Sonatas Nos. 2, 3, 5 & 9

Average customer rating:

Breathtaking!
Worth buying for a gorgeous ninth, but as for the rest...

Prokofiev: Piano Sonatas Nos. 2, 3, 5 & 9

Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B0000028XH
Release Date: 1996-01-23

Tracks:

Sonata No. 2 In D Minor, Op. 14: Sonata No. 2 in D Minor, Op. 14: Allegro, ma non troppo
Sonata No. 2 In D Minor, Op. 14: Sonata No. 2 in D Minor, Op. 14: Scherzo, Allegro marcato
Sonata No. 2 In D Minor, Op. 14: Sonata No. 2 in D Minor, Op. 14: Andante
Sonata No. 2 In D Minor, Op. 14: Sonata No. 2 in D Minor, Op. 14: Vivace
Sonata No. 3 in A Minor, Op. 28 'From Old Notebooks': Sonata No. 3 in A Minor, Op. 28 'From Old Notebooks': Allegro tempestoso
Sonata No. 5 in C Major, Op. 38: Sonata No. 5 in C Major, Op. 38: Allegro tranquillo
Sonata No. 5 in C Major, Op. 38: Andantino
Sonata No. 5 in C Major, Op. 38: Un poco allegretto
Sonata No. 9 in C Major, Op. 103: Sonata No. 9 in C Major, Op. 103: Allegretto
Sonata No. 9 in C Major, Op. 103: Allegro strepitoso
Sonata No. 9 in C Major, Op. 103: Andante tranquillo
Sonata No. 9 in C Major, Op. 103: Allegro con brio, ma non troppo presto

Customer Reviews:

Breathtaking!.......2004-01-17

This is an absolutely fantastic collection of interpretations. The nuances are so brilliantly, yet subtly, incorporated, and Bronfman's tone is amazing. My favorite is probably the second sonata ... in the first movement he produces such a fantastic, eerie sensation in the second theme. The last movement was so exciting and involved, carefully thought through in every way, yet played with a delightful abandon. I've listened to this CD over and over again and highly recommend it to anyone looking for an absolutely spectacular performance of these sonatas.

Worth buying for a gorgeous ninth, but as for the rest..........2000-06-30

This is a mixed bag. Yefim Bronfman approaches the ninth with just the right amount of naivete and humility, but he does become a bit too clangorous in his versions of the second and third. I think that the extroversion of these pieces as opposed to the quietude of the 9th leads Bronfman to lose some of the nuances that he creates in the ninth. The fifth is fine, though he plays the original version (Prokofiev revised it at the end of his careeer), which is seldom played, so it caught me off guard.

Beethoven: Piano Sonatas Nos. 13, 14, 17, 21

Average customer rating:

Wrists of steel, fingers of iron
Previously released
Great CD

Beethoven: Piano Sonatas Nos. 13, 14, 17, 21

Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B00005RRXS
Release Date: 2003-01-14

Customer Reviews:

Wrists of steel, fingers of iron.......2006-02-09

Pollini is best known for a certain cold yet precise playing that borders on "computer-like." This precision is evident in the virtuosic sections of all pieces. Absolutely no missed notes are present. The loudness of the forte's is penetrating and direct.

I thought that the first sonata on the disc, the op. 27 no. 2 is the most interesting musically. It really shows Beethoven's inventive side and how he was an innovator of his epoch. Yes, the Waldstein is done at an extremely fast tempo, but Pollini's coldness makes me wonder if any heart was put into the performance.

Previously released.......2005-03-09

Pollini is always great, but take note that three of the four sonatas (all except the Waldstein) are from previously released CDs on DG. If you already have these in your collection, the only thing new you'll be getting is the 1997 recording of the Op 53.

Great CD.......2005-01-20

Every one of sonatas on this CD is great, especially his 97's live recording of "Waldstein" which is phenomenal - fast, fury and yet extremly articulate and controlled, and is unsurpassed by any recordings of it I have ever heard. I bought this one after somehow disappointed with Brendel's Tempest recording and thought Pollini might make it up for me. Indeed, Pollini's playing showed his passion, technique precision and control without over exagerated phrases or accents (which Brendel unfortunately has sometimes). Absolutely superb playing and a great CD!

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Measure of Pleasure

1. Sonata No. 2 Op.35 Grave
2. Scherzo
3. Marche FunÉBre
4. Finale. Presto
5. Sonata No. 3 Op.58 Allegro Maestoso
6. Scherzo. Molto Vivace
7. Largo
8. Finale. Presto Non Tanto
9. Valse Op. 64-1 In D Flat Major
10. Valse Op. 64-2 In C Sharp Minor
11. Valse Op. 64-3 In A Flat Major
12. Nocturne Op. 9-2 In E Flat Major