I have been sitting on the fence on this box for a long time. While I would like to have a Beethoven Piano Sonatas box in the SACD format, I am also concerned about the relative lack of energy and impulse for some of the passages that need high impact ...
Now on the turntable, record 2 from "Handel - Works for Harpsichord" performed by Luciano Sgrizzi on MHS.
Have been listening to some Beethoven's Piano Sonatas 8, Op.13; 14, Op.27/2; 21, Op.53 by Radu Lupu from this excellent set: I thoroughly enjoyed these performances.
I haven't been able to jump onto the ''authentic instruments'' bandwagon yet. I've listened to a few when they were hugely popular during the nineties (Mozart, Beethoven), but I always felt the performances to be analytically interesting rather than emotionally involving. Maybe one day...
I usually don't like the fortepiano sound at all, but Brautigam's Beethoven cycle is an exception. I have Brautigam's complete set and love it, great playing and one of the better cycles regardless of instrument.
With Beznosiuk (flute), Kelly (harp) & Bond (bassoon). Recorded 9/86 & 1/87, Henry Wood Hall, London. Producer: Peter Wadland. Engineers: Simon Eadon & John Dunkerley. The flute & harp Concerto (K. 299) is one of my favorite Mozart works. Got this Wed. for 95 cents.
Recorded 1/7-10/91 at Curtis Hall, The Curtis Institute of Music, Philadelphia. Producer/Engineer: Max Wilcox. At the time the pianist was 98. The playing may be a bit on the careful side, but is enjoyable. A couple of interesting bits: 1) H was only about 5' tall. 2) Before moving to the US in 1940 he lived in Milan & became a close friend of the Toscanini family. Issued by Elektra Nonesuch in 1992. Also a 95-cent purchase.
I bought this box a couple of months ago and like it and your assessment is fair. I have no doubt that Beethoven himself would have loved a modern grand piano, but we have a plethora of recordings of these works on a Steinway or something similiar and it's interesting at the very least to hear it on a style of piano as Beethoven would have played himself while perhaps dreaming of the pianoforte. I also like to hear recordings of other piano makers, such as Fazioli or Bösendorfer. More the merrier as for as I am concerned.
Putting some Ludwig van on the TT... My favorite performance of the Piano Sonatas 31 and 32, played by Wilhelm Kempff on this 1960 album from DG.
Recent listening: Bach: Christmas Oratorio, BWV 248 - Jacobs/Academie Alte Musik Berlin Listening to this recording, purchased earlier in the year, for the first time. I don't buy many Harmonia Mundi recordings but this one was available for a cheap price so I thought I'd give it a shot. Liking this very much so far.
Bach, J.S. The Six (count 'em) Cello Suites Mischa Maisky 1985/2015 DG Galleria 482 2820 (2 cd set) A dirt cheap buy for £4.16 including mailing for this two cd set which seems intended for the Italian market judging by the SIAE sticker on the jewel case rear and an engaging performance.
CD 2, Symphonies 2 & 4. This is actually from the 40 CD Beethoven The Masterworks box, which arrived yesterday.
Now streaming on Amazon, a first listen to "Medieval Christmas" performed by The Orlando Consort on Harmonia Mundi France. Quote from Amazon customer toomanytornadoes - "soothing, very ancient sounding and possessing the ability to lift one into another place and time. The modern world melts away..." This actually sums up why I enjoy listening to this kind of music.
Earle Brown: Event Synergy for two ensembles (1967-68) The San Francisco Contemporary Music Players conducted by Earle Brown and Stephen I. Mosko
The melting away of the modern world is all well and good if that's soothing to you but you do realize, right?, that life in Medieval Europe was anything but soothing for most of the people most of the time. Hobbes' description of the state of nature where life was "...nasty, brutish and short..." is very apt.
