Beethoven Piano Sonatas

[Guy Berger]

My parents got me a box of Daniel Barenboim performing the 32 Beethoven piano sonatas (EMI) and I finally cracked it open this weekend. I'm the kind of guy who would always peek ahead to the ending in novels, so I naturally started with the last 5 sonatas. These pieces are amazing -- anyone who is interested in music should hear them. Some thoughts on each one:

#28) Op. 101 -- The fugue in the finale is really something. Beethoven had some other famous fugues (the Grosse Fuge for string quartet, the finale of the Hammerklavier) and those tend to be heavy, challenging pieces of music; they're the musical equivalent of Coltrane's late work in terms of density and intensity of ideas. But the #28 finale mixes contrapuntal complexity with Beethoven's wit and humor. (At least, I find it humorous.)

#29) Op. 106 "Hammerklavier" -- This thing is massive, a monument to a composer's genius. I'm trying to wrap my head around the gargantuan 22 minute slow movement but am not quite there. The opening section is a piece in itself. And the 12 minute finale is one of the wildest, craziest fugues I've ever heard. It's like Bach on Crack. Wow.

Numbers 30-32 retreat from the scale of the Hammerklavier. But this is some of the most personal, moving music I've heard.

#30) Op. 109 -- The theme and variations movement finale is unbelievable. The theme is simply, beautiful and unaffected, the variations all fascinating.

(You can listen to a recording of this piece on NPR.)

#31) Op. 110 -- A sad, even depressing slow movement. Then the finale begins with a calm but upbeat fugue. The slow, depressing music returns. But then a series of chords, each one louder than the previous one, bring back the fugue. The fugue starts dark but then suddenly brightens up. The final mood is one of joy and serenity.

#32) Op. 111 -- The opening movement is very Beethovenian, lots of loud chords and drama. The closing movement is another 20 minutes of theme and variations. See the comments for #30.

Edited February 16, 2004 by Guy Berger

[Peter Johnson]

Guy--

I'm fascinated by your Beethoven/Bach parallels. Indeed, they're there. The Sonatas and Bach's Well Tempered Clavier volumes are my favorite pieces to just sit down and play. The slow movement of the Hammerklavier is indeed phenomenal. Try to let yourself get completely absorbed in it...the reward will be worth it.

I've not heard the Barenboim recordings. How is the technique and the sound?

[Spontooneous]

Guy,

Like you, I started with the last sonatas. It was one of the most overwhelming musical experiences of my life. That was 25 years ago. I still think about at least one of those last four sonatas every day!

Frankly, it took me too many years to appreciate the sonatas that came earlier. I hope you never have the same problem. Don't let anything (not even the brilliance of Op. 53 and Op. 57) distract you from the great things happening in the early and middle sonatas.

Right now I'm especially fond of the Op. 10 set, and the easily overlooked Op. 78.

If you want to hear more of the Bach influence, you're ready for the Diabelli Variations.

[mikeweil]

Frankly, it took me too many years to appreciate the sonatas that came earlier. I hope you never have the same problem. Don't let anything (not even the brilliance of Op. 53 and Op. 57) distract you from the great things happening in the early and middle sonatas.

I was lucky to start intentional listening to Beethoven's piano music more or less in the order in which he composed them (although my mother played the records with later sonatas a lot during my childhood), and on on period pianos. Some of the routine sounding figures make more sense on the characteristic sound of old Viennese pianos - the modern instrument tends to sound too neutral whereas the old pianos have a strong bold lyricism not unlike Monk's piano stylings. I experience that most often with so-called "lesser" composers of the 18th century that tend to sound repetitive or even dull on modern piano.

Listening to the music in the order he composed them makes it a lot easier to appreciate his amazing progress.

[Guy Berger]

I've not heard the Barenboim recordings. How is the technique and the sound?

The sound is fine -- some background hiss (this was recorded in the late 60s). I can't say much about the technique (this is the first time I've heard most of these pieces), but overall I'm satisfied. The Hammerklavier finale is not as tight as Richter's live recording. Barenboim's interpretations are somewhat "romantic"-sounding.

Guy

[Muskrat Ramble]

this is the first time I've heard most of these pieces

You're a lucky man! What wonderful music to discover. Beethoven never ceases to amaze me. I recently finished listening to all his symphonies again (Harnoncourt leading the COE on Teldec--brief review here) and once again found new things to appreciate, admire, and be moved by.

Re: period instruments: in my experience, music up through the Classical/early Romantic periods almost always sounds better on period instruments and with period stylistic approaches. Modern instruments and performance practices too easily obscure the fine, crisp textures and rhythmic drive of those earlier musics. Baroque music in particular can sound too "clogged up" if played on modern instruments using heavy vibrato, etc. Leave the lush sonorities and romantic approach for Mahler and Zemlinsky

[Guy Berger]

So I finally made it through all the sonatas. Aside from the final five, my favorites are the Pathetique, the Pastoral (nice mellow vibe to this one), the Tempest, and the Waldstein. But almost every sonata is at least very good.

It's interesting how the first few sonatas (op. 2, 7, 49) are somewhat limited in expressive content and focus a lot on technical flash, but by the remarkable Op. 10 trilogy Beethoven's personality is firmly stamped on the music. And by Op. 22, every sonata is a totally unique creation.

Guy

Edited May 3, 2004 by Guy Berger

[Chuck Nessa]

Interesting you bring this up tonight. I have been playing Beethoven cds while cataloging my LVB cds today.

I have complete sonata sets by Schnabel ('30s), Kempff ('50s), Brendel ('60s) and others by tons of players including Solomon, Rosen, Richter, etc.

This is a life long enchantment. I do not think it will end.

If you are interested in more Beethoven, I suggest moving on to the string quartets.

[jazzbo]

I've been listening to the early Liszt transcriptions for piano of some Beethoven symphonies lately. . . . Wonderful stuff!

[Chalupa]

I have both of the complete cycles by Schnabel and Kempff. It is definitely recommended that you check out both of these players interpretations if you haven't heard them. Schnabel, for many, is(was) the "voice" of Beethoven. Kempff takes some liberties w/ tempo that provide some beautiful results.

Has anyone heard Richard Goode's cycle??

Also, I know Maurizio Pollini performed the complete cycle in NYC a few years ago. Did he ever record them???

[Claude]

Pollini has recorded many sonatas for Deutsche Grammophon, but he has not yet completed the cycle.

Pollini-Beethoven site by Deutsche Grammophon

Check the "RELATED RELEASES" link for a complete listing.

[Simon Weil]

I have complete sonata sets by Schnabel ('30s), Kempff ('50s), Brendel ('60s) and others by tons of players including Solomon, Rosen, Richter, etc.

I'm not really a classical person, but I've got a Solomon 2CD of the late sonatas which I really love.

There's just something about his touch.

Simon Weil

[B. Goren.]

My parents got me a box of Daniel Barenboim performing the 32 Beethoven piano sonatas (EMI).

Many pianists consider Beethoven sonatas and the Well Tempered Clavier as their bible. To the best of knowledge, Barenboim recorded Beethoven sonatas 2 or even 3 timed in his career. Which recording do you have, the early or the late one???

BTW, I have the complete sonatas by Wilhelm Kempff, another great pianist.

Edited May 5, 2004 by B. Goren.

[alankin]

Has anyone seen any of the Andante CD sets? I saw a few on sale and was wondering what people thought. Three or four CDs with supposedly excellent transfers, a booklet with essays, sometimes multiple versions of the same piece by different performers.

Edited May 8, 2004 by alankin

[mikeweil]

And the 12 minute finale is one of the wildest, craziest fugues I've ever heard. It's like Bach on Crack. Wow.

No wonder - all pianist/composers after Bach had their daily dose of the Well-Tempered-Clavier.

Schumann had it always handy on top of the piano, it is reported. I once heard Andreas Staier play the solo cadenza from Schumann's Piano Concerto in straight tempo, non rubato, and then you can hear it. Only then. If most pianist would play more straight time (Mendelssohn was reported to require this from his students), you would hear more Bach than ever.

[Guy Berger]

If you are interested in more Beethoven, I suggest moving on to the string quartets.

I discovered the Quartets about a year ago... they are incredible. I'm currently digging into Schubert's final 4 quartets. The G Major is a monstah.

Guy

[alankin]

If you are interested in more Beethoven, I suggest moving on to the string quartets.

What groups do you recommend?

[Guy Berger]

If you are interested in more Beethoven, I suggest moving on to the string quartets.

What groups do you recommend?

Alan,

The Quartetto Italiano box (10 CDs) on Philips is quite cheap and I think the performances are outstanding. (Though I'm not familiar with other recordings, just live performances -- they could very well be botching these badly.) They have the virtuosity to pull off the more technical passages but give the music the emotional depth it needs.

If you don't want the whole set, you can get the late quartets on 2 Philips Duos; but you'd be missing out on the middle and (to a lesser degree) early quartets.

Guy

[Guy Berger]

I'm listening to Op. 111's Arietta. The whole movement contains plenty of goosebump-inducing moments, but the section where the long trill stops and the music rebuilds itself from silence has to be the most goosebump-inducing of them all. I also love the quiet ending to this piece -- it's like an ending to a wonderful novel.

Guy

[Guy Berger]

Up.

I'm listening to the second movement of the overlooked sonata #22, Op. 53. This is one of Beethoven's wackiest movements, I love the accelerating, out of control ending!!

Guy

[Peter Friedman]

I am also a lover of Beethoven's piano sonatas. I have the complete set by Kempff as well as individual sonatas by Emil Gilels, Richard Goode, Arthur Rubinstein, Murray Perahia.

Just listened to a wonderful performance of Sonata No.18, Op.31, No.3 by Richard Goode.

[Ron S]

For anyone looking to pick up one of the truly classic complete sets of Beethoven's piano sonatas, Amazon.UK has the 1950's Kempff set on Deutsche Grammophon for the ridiculously low price of 17 pounds (about $32.50) exluding VAT, which those outside the UK don't pay (the 2.97 pounds VAT is automatically deducted during checkout). This set is universally praised for both musicianship and sound quality, and received the hightest ratings of a rosette in the Penguin Guide and 3 discs in the Gramophone Guide. It also seems to be generally preferred to Kempff's stereo 1960's set. With shipping to the US costing about 3 pounds, the total shipped cost is about $38.00, less than half of what the set generally goes for in the US. Needless to say, I ordered a set. If you're interested, go here.

[Steve Gray]

Another thumbs up for the Kempff 50's set.

This is my 'Saturday and Sunday morning' music, the first thing I play on the weekends.

I just rotate through the disks, although I also regularly play the Schnabel set.

[brownie]

Some of the best interpretations of those sonatas are to be found on the recently released anthology by the late French pianist Yves Nat who died in August 1956.

The budget-priced 15CD set has some of the most natural piano playing ever!

Yves Nat may be a little forgotten by now but his interpretations throughout the set are amazingly beautiful.

[king ubu]

For anyone looking to pick up one of the truly classic complete sets of Beethoven's piano sonatas, Amazon.UK has the 1950's Kempff set on Deutsche Grammophon for the ridiculously low price of 17 pounds (about $32.50) exluding VAT, which those outside the UK don't pay (the 2.97 pounds VAT is automatically deducted during checkout). This set is universally praised for both musicianship and sound quality, and received the hightest ratings of a rosette in the Penguin Guide and 3 discs in the Gramophone Guide. It also seems to be generally preferred to Kempff's stereo 1960's set. With shipping to the US costing about 3 pounds, the total shipped cost is about $38.00, less than half of what the set generally goes for in the US. Needless to say, I ordered a set. If you're interested, go here.

Thanks, ordered one... not that I expect to find time to listen before... 2010? but this will be a welcome opportunity to get a foot into another vastly unknown territory, and the price is more than right, too!