The Most Important LvB Piano Sonata Cycle Comparison in the History of the World

[prémont]

[Concerning the 8 bars missing from the finale of Appasionata in Kempff's mono CD release]

That is present on every digital release of the mono cycle, only the LPs are correct. I verified that with my first pressing CD mono cycle box set when I received the Wilhelm Kempff Edition box.

The Documents [Membran] release of Kempff's mono set doesn't leave those eight bars out. Maybe / maybe not this can be seen as an indication that Documents used the LPs as source material. Usually (never proven as far as I know) Membran is supposed to use preexisting CDs as their source.

[grocklin]

In the other thread Todd said he wants a second cycle from Francois-Frederic Guy. I liked the first cycle (and most the cycles that Todd recommends), but what are you looking for in a second?

[Todd]

In the other thread Todd said he wants a second cycle from Francois-Frederic Guy. I liked the first cycle (and most the cycles that Todd recommends), but what are you looking for in a second?

Interpretive evolution.  FFG recorded the LvB Cello Sonatas twice, going from extraordinarily great with Gastinel to possibly greatest ever with Phillips.  He's recorded the LvB piano concertos twice, with both sets being rather excellent.  He's recorded Op 106 thrice.  I just want to hear what and older, wiser FFG can do.  Great things, I would think.

[Jo498]

I think you can't infer that. Another plausible reason is that they want to stick to Beethoven and Nietzsche has had too little persuasion power.

Weingarter should have persuasive power as one of the most important conductors of the early 20th century if the orchestration worked well. Even disregarding a piece like Mussorgsky's Pictures where the Ravel orchestration is more popular than the original, there are quite a few recordings of e.g. orchestrations of Schubert's "Grand Duo" or the Brahms/Schönberg piano quartet.
There is all kind of far more outlandish stuff recorded, but in 90 years nobody picked up Weingartner/Beethoven op.106?
It's a devastating verdict, if there is any such thing!

[Henk]

Weingarter should have persuasive power as one of the most important conductors of the early 20th century if the orchestration worked well. Even disregarding a piece like Mussorgsky's Pictures where the Ravel orchestration is more popular than the original, there are quite a few recordings of e.g. orchestrations of Schubert's "Grand Duo" or the Brahms/Schönberg piano quartet.
There is all kind of far more outlandish stuff recorded, but in 90 years nobody picked up Weingartner/Beethoven op.106?
It's a devastating verdict, if there is any such thing!

Nietzsches uses op.106 as an example.

[grocklin]

I like his interpretations a lot but he's definitely not the cleanest/most transparent of the top bunch. Maybe the least. But he makes it up in other ways.

I like his concerto cycle but I think I like Martin Helmchen's even more from around the same time. He should do a sonata cycle.

What do you think of Sudbin's sonatas recording?

[Todd]

I like his concerto cycle but I think I like Martin Helmchen's even more from around the same time. He should do a sonata cycle.

My experience with Helmchen thus far is that I prefer him as concerto soloist or accompanist, not solo.  If he records a complete cycle, I will listen to it.

What do you think of Sudbin's sonatas recording?

I'm not a big Sudbin fan and have not listened to his solo Beethoven.  As with Helmchen, if he records a complete cycle, I will listen to it.  I rarely buy solo LvB piano sonata discs except from pianists I really favor, such as Schuch.