Beethoven Complete Sonatas for Piano & Violin [Box set]

Andrew Dawes, Jane Coop | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 3, 2001)
• Original Release Date: October 3, 2001
• Number of Discs: 3
• Format: Box set
• Note on Boxed Sets: During shipping, discs in boxed sets occasionally become dislodged without damage. Please examine and play these discs. If you are not completely satisfied, we'll refund or replace your purchase.
• ASIN: B000062SSE
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #232,262 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Extraordinary musicianship, November 29, 2007

By 

D. DEGEORGE (Ellicott City, MD USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Beethoven Complete Sonatas for Piano & Violin (Audio CD)

This may very well be the best complete set of Beethoven Piano & Violin Sonatas available; and that is saying a lot, considering that the competition includes Perlman & Ashkenazy, and Francescatti & Casadesus among many other superstars throughout the history of recordings.

There are many admirable qualities I can cite: dead-on intonation (with very few exceptions), elegant phrasing, and wonderful ensemble between the two equal artists. Yet there are many performances that satisfy these criteria. The musicianship on these discs goes well beyond mere excellence, showing true inspiration. There is instance after instance of phrases being delivered so beautifully and sensitively that I am quite simply overawed. I did not realize that these sonatas could be so achingly beautiful.

A key word that comes to mind is "natural." These performances have an air of rightness that managed to win me over in spite of a lifetime of being accustomed to other recordings; but "natural" does not imply merely routine, tasteful readings; they are also infused with new insights and, where appropriate, great excitement. And even though violinist Dawes uses more staccato than I am used to, his playing also exhibits some of the most sensitive legato I have ever heard; some of the slow passages could easily make one weep. Dawes uses all the subtle violinistic techniques at his disposal to provide contrast, variety, and overall interest, all within the bounds of good taste; and pianist Jane Coop is with her musical partner all the way. As with all new interpretations, some listeners will find occasional phrases that may rub them the wrong way, but it is easily worth it in order to get the benefit of all that is new and wonderful to be discovered here.

In keeping with the word "natural" I also have to mention the recorded sound. First, I have only the slightest cavil: there is just a bit more reverberation than usual (which helps to explain why Dawes's slight bias toward staccato works so well). I noticed it but was not bothered by it because it in no way diminishes clarity. Quite the contrary, I hear more detail in these recordings than ever before. The sound of the violin is never harsh or raw, even though it lacks the super-sweetness that we've heard on many Philips recordings, for example. And the piano sound is just extraordinary, its full range brought most realistically into my listening room. The balance between the violin and piano could not be better.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Beethoven, March 21, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: Beethoven Complete Sonatas for Piano & Violin (Audio CD)

This really is great playing. Listening to the discs, you get the sense that the two musicians truly enjoy playing with each other. They create a dialogue that reminds us how powerful Beethoven's musical ideas are and how relevant those ideas are to our lives today. The playing is passionate and filled with personality and you never get the sense that there is one "star" on the disc. There's an equality to their ideas and to their sound. When the piano has the most important ideas, that's what we hear; when the violin sound should overpower the piano, it does.

These are truly exciting performances, and for the price (25 bucks for 3 CDs!) they can't be beaten. Actually, for any price these can't be beaten.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Brilliant, March 21, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: Beethoven Complete Sonatas for Piano & Violin (Audio CD)

I've heard Andrew Dawes and Jane Coop play these Sonatas live, and the three CDs in this set live up to that experience.

Every time I've heard these two, they sound fresh and new and spontaneous. This recording sounds spontaneous too, like the music is being written while it's being played. Sometimes it really does sound like a conversation between the violin and the piano, and at other times it sounds like one unique hybrid instrument with the most incredible sound.

I'm happy to have these discs in my collection.