Classical Corner Classical Music Corner (thread #23)

Kempff's Beethoven has taken a long time to grow on me. Even now, when I compare him side by side to other pianists in different LvB sonatas, he rarely is my favorite (Opus 78 and 79 being the exceptions to this.)

However, when I listen to his mono set straight through I very much enjoy his very individual take on the 32 sonatas. No one plays these works like he does.

 

I'd also recommend Perahia's set but the Brendel/Marriner ASMF set is also lovely.

 

There are only a few where I prefer him. I am all over the place with my faves of the LVB Piano Sonatas.

 

You make a good point.

(Luckily, I don't have to sell either one anyway)

When I think special Mozart concerto recordings, I think of Moravec, Szell, Haskil and Casadesus. None of them recorded the full set, but I think (like the symphonies) a full set isn't necessary anyway.

 

I hear ya!

I need to keep a Word Document to keep track of my favorites. Here's a copy of my current list:
Fischer = Annie Fischer
Favorites are listed in order, a "/" indicates a tie.

Beethoven: Piano Sonatas

Early

1. Op 2/1 – Fischer/Schnabel --- Gulda, Ciccolini, Kovacevich, Backhaus, Barenboim, Nat, Serkin, Goode , Richter (Live Moscow, 1979)
2. Op 2/2 – Fischer/Schnabel/Hungerford – Casadesus, Gulda, Goode, Gilels, Barenboim, Backhaus, Nat
3. Op 2/3 – Goode/Gulda – Gilels, Kempff(m), Backhaus, Barenboim, Solomon(Pearl) Kovacevich, Solomon, Nat
4. Op 7 – Richter – Barenboim, Nat, Gulda, Kempff(m), Hungerford, Gilels, Backhaus, Goode
5. Op 10/1 – Kovacevich – Fischer, Gulda, Gilels, Hungerford, Nat, Yudina, Kempff(m), Goode, Backhaus
6. Op 10/2 – Kovacevich – Fischer, Backhaus, Hungerford, Gulda, Schnabel, Goode, Serkin, Kempff (m)
7. Op 10/3 – Schnabel – Kovacevich, Gilels, Fischer, Richter,
Kempff(m)/Backhaus /Gulda
8. Op 13 - “Pathetique” - Moravec – Richter(Melodiya), Serkin(m), Serkin(st), Fischer, Gilels, Nat, Kovacevich, Gulda, Backhaus, Schnabel
9. Op 14/1 – Gulda – Fischer, Backhaus, Gieseking, Kovacevich, Schnabel
10. Op 14/2 – Barenboim – Richter, Gulda, Ciccolini, Backhaus, Kempff(m), Goode
11. Op 22 – Goode/Barenboim – Gulda, Serkin, Gilels, Kempff(m), Richter, Nat, Backhaus
12. Op 26 – Richter – Barenboim, Yudina, Gilels, Gulda, Goode, Backhaus, Nat
13. Op 27/1 – Fischer – Gilels, Gulda, Goode, Solomon, Schnabel, Hungerford, Serkin
14. Op 27/2 – “Moonlight” Lupu/Fischer/Roberts – Gilels/Rubinstein/Serkin(m), Moravec, Gulda, Serkin (st), Solomon, Hungerford, Backhaus, Nat
15. Op 28 – “Pastoral” Kovacevich – Gulda, Kempff(st), Schnabel

Middle Period Sonatas

16. Op 31/1 – Fischer – Gulda, Kempff(m), Gilels, Goode, Yudina, Roberts, Backhaus, Nat
17. Op 31/2 – “Tempest” Fischer – Richter, Gilels, Gulda, Schnabel, Nat, Goode, Backhaus, Roberts, Haskil
18. Op 31/3 – Fischer – Goode, Kovacevich(gpotc), Kempff(m), Backhaus, Haskil
19. Op 49/1 – Gulda – Richter, Hungerford, Fischer, Schnabel, Goode, Barenboim
20. Op 49/2 – Gulda – Schnabel, Hungerford, Ciccolini, Kempff(m), Goode, O’Conor, Backhaus, Nat
21. Op 53 – “Waldstein” Serkin (m)/Hofmann (Casimir) - Fischer/Gilels, Horowitz, Schnabel, Hungerford, Backhaus, Nat, Gieseking, Kempff(m)
22. Op 54 – Fischer – Richter, Solomon, Kempff(m), Yudina
23. Op 57 – “Appassionata” Fischer – Arrau/Richter, Roberts, Goode, Horowitz,
Serkin(m), Nat, Kempff(m)
24. Op 78 – Barenboim/Kempff(m)/Serkin(m) – Schnabel, O’Conor
25. Op 79 – Goode/Kempff(m) – Schnabel, Gilels, Barenboim, Gulda
26. Op 81a – “Les Adieux” Gilels/Fischer – Barenboim/Moravec/Serkin (m), Roberts, Rubinstein, Schnabel, Kovacevich

Late Sonatas

27. Op 90 – Fischer – Barenboim/Kempff(m)/Gilels, Gulda, Richter, Backhaus, Yudina
28. Op 101 – Fischer – Kempff(st), Pollini, Yudina, Goode, Gilels, Barenboim
29. “Hammerklavier” Pollini – Gulda, Fischer, Solomon, Serkin, Yudina, Barenboim, Nat, Backhaus, Kempff(m), Gilels
30. Op 109 – Fischer/Pollini/Serkin(m) – Gulda, Schnabel, Barenboim, Richter, Backhaus, Serkin(st), Gilels, Nat, Kempff(m), Ciccolini
31. Op 110 – Serkin(st,1960) - Fischer/Kempff(st)/Gilels/Roberts , Pollini, Nat, Schnabel, Barenboim, Richter, Backhaus, Hungerford
32. Op 111 – Yudina(studio) - Fischer/Kempff(st)/Gulda, Pollini/Barenboim/Richter/Schnabel/Serkin(st), Nat, Backhaus, Hungerford

 

True. I also am all over the place with the Mozart PCs. I probably have a different favorite in each one!!!!

 

I agree with many of your choices.

 

Glad to hear it! (I knew you had good taste)

I suddenly had a craving for some Mozart concerti and this seemed like a logical choice:



amazon link to some cheap copies

I find Kempff's style to be perfect for Mozart and this set is no exception. Great sound too, considering the recordings age.

 

Let's see, $2.98 shipped with Amazon Prime. Thank you for posting the link! I almost didn't click on it because I just stocked up on Mozart Piano Concertos. Then I scanned the wonderful post with multiple recommendations for every Beethoven Piano Sonata. This was a humbling read which reminded me that I have many years of listening ahead of me. I probably will never get my act together to do a similar list but you never know. So I guess the more versions of the Mozart the better, they are adding up.

Are there any opinions out there regarding the huge Heifitz Jackets box coming out? Is there anybody out there going to buy it? Any reasoning to stay away or pounce on it now before it sells for two grand like the Gould? My Heifitz collection consists of the RCA Living Stereo SACD's and three Naxos Historical cd's.

 

Nice! You're welcome.

 

I like Perahia, Uchida, Anda, and Brendel's first set on Philips. And Casadesus, though that's not a complete set.

I think it's more interesting to buy different versions of #20-27, then 15-19 and #9, than a box set.

Here are two cheapies by Brendel (4 CDs total): http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-list...w?ie=UTF8&qid=1299799688&sr=1-1&condition=new

http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-list...w?ie=UTF8&qid=1299799688&sr=1-2&condition=new

 

Boy this IS tempting.....kinda on the fence.
Like to hold out for COMPLETE Piano Concerto's or are we talking a over the top price?

 

It's your choice, but three of us have already stated that we don't think a complete set of the Mozart concertos is necessary.

 

Here's some good Mozart by Gulda. PCs #20 & 21 are among my favorites, and this one comes with 25 and 27, too. http://www.amazon.com/Mozart-Great-...=sr_1_5?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1299800091&sr=1-5

Here's Uchida's box set: http://www.amazon.com/Mozart-Piano-...=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1299800248&sr=1-1. They're favorites, too. Or you could simply buy her original CDs, which are apportioned in order across CDs, at least in 20-27 -- i.e., PCs 20 & 21 on the same disc, 22 & 23 on the same disc, and so forth. Nobody else did that. Her version of 22 is by far my favorite. 20 & 21 are up there, too. If I really, truly, could only have one set by one artist, this might be it.

 

Wow, I didn't even know that existed.

I have a ton of Mozart concerto recordings, so I need to pass. But thanks for the info!

 

I used to play Gulda all the time in the car because it was one of the few CDs that had 20 and 21 on the same disc. And I listened to my cassette of Anda in the car, too. And I would talk to them, asking them which I should play, "Geeeeeeeeza or Guuuuuuuuulda?" That's what I did getting in the car in the morning. Aren't you glad to know.

 

UGGGGGGG you made me break open my

I better slow it down or my Wife is gonna be selling my collection to you Guys!
Cuz I'll be dead in the snowbank behind the house!!

 

Perahia

 

I am, actually.

 

Thank you guys for the recommendations! I've decided to start 'slowly' and buy the piano concertos 8,23,24 (Mozart) performed by Kempff & Leitner from the Originals series for starters. I suppose you're right, I don't really need a complete set.

I also ordered Richters Piano Concerto no.20 (Mozart) (combined with Beethovens 3rd) from the Originals. I really like those series, they're inexpensive and it feels you can hardly go wrong with any of them.

 

Performance-wise, i am with you, 100%. But usually the earlier masterings are better, I have found.

 

here's the cover of the Carlos Kleiber Beethoven 5 lp i was playing last night:not the
same as the DG Originals cd cover.inside the cd booklet they show the other cover as
the original lp cover.i believe i've seen other examples of alternate covers for DG albums.
mine says "Printed in West Germany",by the way.

 

I have had the CD version since 1995....cheap to find.
Neither cover is all that exciting!

But it has won a lot of awards!!

http://www.prestoclassical.co.uk/r/DG/4474002

 

Late to the party, as usual, but here are a couple of other groups to consider, courtesy of a father and son. Rudolf Serkin's mono recordings of various of the later concerti for Columbia in the '50s are a bracing antidote to the "Dresden china" view of Mozart; Serkin really brings out the strength in these works. His son Peter recorded his own commendable series of selected concerti for RCA in stereo. Neither is a "complete" cycle in any sense, but both series are well worth having.

You also should not miss Artur Rubinstein in no. 23. He recorded the work more than once, beginning in the 78 era; as a practical matter, you'll probably do best to get the Living Stereo account under Wallenstein.

 

playing an older lp for the 1st time:Concert Favorites of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Anthony Colllins.Capitol-EMI G7107.the inner sleeve has
the slogan "Recordings of Distinction since 1898" & pictures of an orcestra recording
at Abbey Road & of the main EMI plant at Hayes, Middlesex.this is an American lp with
the rainbow label & the familar Capitol logo next to a larger "EMI" over a globe.i'm
on the 2nd side now & my ears have adjusted to the "narrow" & somewhat bright mono.