Beethoven's Piano Sonatas

[George]

Originally, I had the idea of starting a thread about creating a new box set of Beethoven's 32 sonatas by 32 different pianists.

I posted a list of my favorites in each (below) and tried to whittle it down unsuccessfully.

I decided it was too narrow a topic, so I have changed the topic to simply be "Beethoven's 32 Sonatas" so that we can have a thread to discuss anything in regards to these incredible works. Feel free to post reviews, your favorites, questions, etc. 


Early

1. Op 2/1 – Fischer/Schnabel --- Gulda, Kovacevich, Backhaus, Barenboim, Nat, Serkin

2. Op 2/2 – Fischer/Schnabel/Hungerford – Casadesus, Gulda, Gilels, Barenboim, Backhaus, Nat

3. Op 2/3 – 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), Backhaus

6. Op 10/2 – Kovacevich – Fischer, Backhaus, Hungerford, Gulda, Schnabel, Serkin, Kempff (m)

7. Op 10/3 – Schnabel – Kovacevich, Gilels, Fischer, Richter, Kempff(m)/Backhaus /Gulda

8. "Pathetique"  Moravec–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,  Backhaus,  Kempff(m),  Goode

11. Op 22 – 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, 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,  Barenboim 

20. Op 49/2 – Gulda – Schnabel,  Hungerford,  Kempff(m),  Goode,  O'Conor,  Backhaus, Nat

21. Op 53 – "Waldstein" Serkin (m) - Fischer/Gilels, Horowitz, Schnabel, 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, 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)

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

[George]

If I were to try and choose a different pianist for each of the 32, this is what I would come up with (I know, I cheated a bit, Schnabel, Serkin, Kovacevich and Kempff were used twice. To be fair, only the Schnabel was from the same set, as the other three were from different labels/times. Also, these duplicates appear in different periods as well.):


Early Sonatas

1. Op 2/1 – Schnabel

2. Op 2/2 – Hungerford 

3. Op 2/3 – Solomon (Pearl)

4. Op 7 – Nat

5. Op 10/1 – Kovacevich

6. Op 10/2 – Backhaus

7. Op 10/3 – Gilels

8. "Pathetique"  Moravec

9. Op 14/1 – Gieseking

10. Op 14/2 – Barenboim

11. Op 22 – Serkin

12. Op 26 – Richter

13. Op 27/1 –Solomon

14. Op 27/2 – "Moonlight" - Lupu

15. Op 28 – "Pastoral" - Kempff(st)


   
Middle Period Sonatas

16. Op 31/1 – Goode

17. Op 31/2 – Haskil

18. Op 31/3 – Kovacevich(Philips)

19. Op 49/1 – Gulda

20. Op 49/2 – O'Conor

21. Op 53 – "Waldstein" - Horowitz (Sony)

22. Op 54 – Fischer

23. Op 57 – "Appassionata" – Arrau

24. Op 78 – Barenboim

25. Op 79 – Schnabel

26. Op 81a – "Les Adieux" - Roberts



Late Sonatas

27. Op 90 – Kempff(m)

28. Op 101 – Yudina

29. "Hammerklavier"   Pollini

30. Op 109 – Grimaud (live)

31. Op 110 – Serkin(st,1960)

32. Op 111 – Badura-Skoda (Live)

[aquablob]

This is crazy... I certainly have my favorites for particular sonatas, but I definitely don't have 32 pianists in the Beethoven piano sonatas!

[Mark]

This is George's specialism. One in which I expect Todd shares.

Bit like me with Rachmaninov's All-night Vigil: if I so desired, I could choose a different performance for each of the 15 parts. And still have four performances left untouched.

[prémont]

This is George's specialism. One in which I expect Todd shares.

So do I, but I find it very difficult - not to say impossible, to name a single favorite in each Sonata. The truth is rarely unambiguous. On the contrary I enjoy all these different interpretations, which throw light upon each other.

[George]

This is crazy... I certainly have my favorites for particular sonatas, but I definitely don't have 32 pianists in the Beethoven piano sonatas!

Neither do I....yet. 

[Todd]

I've got more than 32 pianists in each work, and I wouldn't even try this, especially since some of the pianists would show up multiple times.

[val]

For now my choice would be (but with some doubts):

opus 2/1: Schnabel or Arrau

opus 2/2: Arrau or Brendel (VOX)

opus 2/3: Richer (Prague)

opus 7: Michelangeli

opus 10/1: Brendel

opus 10/2: Kempff (1951) or Arrau

opus 10/3: Schnabel (here without any doubt!)

opus 13: Serkin

opus 14/1 and 2: Schnabel

opus 22: Arrau

opus 26: Backhaus or Gulda

opus 27/1: Kempff

opus 27/2: Kempff, Serkin or Arrau

opus 28: Backhaus, Brendel, Kempff

opus 31/1: Gulda, Brendel

opus 31/2: Brendel, Backhaus, Gulda

opus 31/3: Kempff, Haskil

opus 49/1 and 2: Brendel (VOX)

opus 53: Arrau, Schnabel

opus 54: Backhaus

opus 57: Backhaus, Richter (RCA), Richter (Prague)

opus 78: Kempff

opus 79: Gulda, Backhaus

opus 81 A: Serkin

opus 90: Solomon

opus 101: Arrau, Richter (Prague)

opus 106: Gilels, Brendel (VOX), Richter (Prague), Arrau

opus 109: Serkin, Gulda

opus 110: Gulda, Solomon, Schnabel, Backhaus

opus 111: Gulda, Solomon

[marvinbrown]

Just like the title says, if you could create a new box set of Beethoven's 32 sonatas by 32 different pianists, who would they be and which works would they play?

(I will whittle this list down tomorrow, as I don't have time right now. It's a list I have been compiling of my favorites, in order, left to right. Fischer is Annie Fischer)


Early

1. Op 2/1 – Fischer/Schnabel --- Gulda, Kovacevich, Backhaus, Barenboim, Nat, Serkin

2. Op 2/2 – Fischer/Schnabel/Hungerford – Casadesus, Gulda, Gilels, Barenboim, Backhaus, Nat

3. Op 2/3 – 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), Backhaus

6. Op 10/2 – Kovacevich – Fischer, Backhaus, Hungerford, Gulda, Schnabel, Serkin, Kempff (m)

7. Op 10/3 – Schnabel – Kovacevich, Gilels, Fischer, Richter, Kempff(m)/Backhaus /Gulda

8. "Pathetique"  Moravec–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,  Backhaus,  Kempff(m),  Goode

11. Op 22 – 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, 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,  Barenboim 

20. Op 49/2 – Gulda – Schnabel,  Hungerford,  Kempff(m),  Goode,  O'Conor,  Backhaus, Nat

21. Op 53 – "Waldstein" Serkin (m) - Fischer/Gilels, Horowitz, Schnabel, 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, 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)

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

  George, what can I say..you are a true Beethoven Specialist.  I can not think of anybody on this forum that knows the Beethoven sonatas quite as well as you do.  I have read your previous threads on the old GMG forum where you have compared all the various recordings of the sonatas ranking them according to ENJOYMENT  (this is the sort of ranking method that we need more of on the GMG forum) I followed your advice and picked up the GULDA BOXSET last March....I ABSOLUTELY LOVED IT!!!!!

marvin

[George]

  George, what can I say..you are a true Beethoven Specialist.  I can not think of anybody on this forum that knows the Beethoven sonatas quite as well as you do.  I have read your previous threads on the old GMG forum where you have compared all the various recordings of the sonatas ranking them according to ENJOYMENT  (this is the sort of ranking method that we need more of on the GMG forum) I followed your advice and picked up the GULDA BOXSET last March....I ABSOLUTELY LOVED IT!!!!!

marvin

I'm very glad to hear you enjoyed the Gulda, it certainly is an incredible bargain! 

[George]

I've decided to expand the scope of this thread to simply be Beethoven's Piano Sonatas. I will change the thread title.

This way, we'll have one place to discuss them in a more general way.

I plan to start listening to my Goode cycle (and some other single and double discs, including Eschenbach's EMI 2fer) for the first time and will post my thoughts here. 

[George]

This is crazy... I certainly have my favorites for particular sonatas, but I definitely don't have 32 pianists in the Beethoven piano sonatas!

I know, I have since changed the topic. I hope that will open up the discussion. 

[George]

So do I, but I find it very difficult - not to say impossible, to name a single favorite in each Sonata. The truth is rarely unambiguous. On the contrary I enjoy all these different interpretations, which throw light upon each other.

You make a great point. I have since widened the focus of this thread so that I hope you and others with post your thoughts about the sonatas.

[George]

For now my choice would be (but with some doubts):

opus 2/1: Schnabel or Arrau

opus 2/2: Arrau or Brendel (VOX)....


....opus 111: Gulda, Solomon

Thanks for posting this, Val! 

I take it Brendel's listings are only VOX where indicated and the others are Philips?

[aquablob]

George, you really don't like Gieseking in Opp. 109 and 110, huh? 

[George]

George, you really don't like Gieseking in Opp. 109 and 110, huh? 

I do, actually, he's just not among my favorites. There is a nice tenderness about his playing. However, I think that the sound limitations hinder the impact of the performance, especially in louder passages. Also in Op. 110, he rushes though the central movement, ruining it for me. 

[MishaK]

Middle Period Sonatas

...

19. Op 49/1 – Gulda

20. Op 49/2 – O'Conor

IIRC, these two were written by Beethoven much earlier and only published fairly late. But stylistically they should be considered "early" sonatas. Correct me if I'm wrong.

[Gurn Blanston]

IIRC, these two were written by Beethoven much earlier and only published fairly late. But stylistically they should be considered "early" sonatas. Correct me if I'm wrong.

You aren't wrong...

[Holden]

OK, here's my list based on what I have and have heard. There will be a number of repetitions as I don't have 32 pianists doing the PS

Op 2/1 Richter
Op 2/2 Richter-Haaser
Op2/3 Richter
Op 7 Brendel (VOX)
Op 10/1 Schnabel
Op 10/2 Hungerford
Op 10/3 Argerich (bet that one's a surprise!)
Op 13 Richter
Op 14/1 Barenboim EMI
Op 14/2 Richter
Op 22 Kempff
Op 26 Richter
Op 27/1 Fischer
Op 27/2 Solomon
Op 28 Sokolov
Op 31/1 Renard
Op 31/2 Hungerford
Op 31/3 Rubinstein
Op 49/1 Fischer
Op49/2 Gilels
Op 53 Tomsic
Op 54 Fischer
Op 57 Richter or Rubinstein '45
Op 78 Gulda
Op 79 Schnabel
Op 81a Gilels
Op 90 Moravec
Op 101 Fischer
Op 106 Solomon
Op 109 Levy
Op 110 Hungerford
Op 111 Arrau (DVD)

Fischer is Annie

[BorisG]

I am surpised there is not much mention of Gould.  ???I like him for the earlies and the Hammer. Sprinkeled throughout the remaining, Lortie, Gulda, Kovacevich, Kempff, Gilels, Brendel.