Customer Reviews

Beethoven: Piano Sonatas

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4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

It's wonderful to return to these works after an absence of 30 years. Familiar, but ... consider the andante con moto of No 23 in F Minor, Op 57... it begins quietly, measured pace, the low notes of the keyboard,
certain in its course, building slowly, then it moves into the middle range, so beautiful, so much beauty, bell like tone of the notes, exquisite touch of the pianist, as if reasoning with us, listen to me, listen to me, a sense of urgency, sensual urgency builds, playfulness, but the inexorable drive to climax, back to the beginning for the resolution, a pause, then ....
If there is anything more beautiful in the piano repertoire, show it to me.
Played by a musicians artist. A bargain.

These are some of the finest Beethoven sonata recordings available. Arrau gives truly superb renditions of these three sonatas: the Pathetique is stormy and dramatic in its outer movements and intensely peaceful at the center, his Moonlight sheds a new light on this too often played sonata, but the real prize of the disc is the Appassionata, where Arrau plays with more angriness and drama than anyone I've yet heard. Hear how he assaults the chords of the third movement! These three sonatas, especially the last, are Arrau's territory and it shows in all aspects. You'd best get the whole set but for a good introduction this single disc is indispensable.

First of all I would like to say, I have to disagree with a reviewer that says Arrau plays "too slow" this I can handle although I consider his speed is fine... but mostly when he says something like "he gives a romantic touch to these sonatas that were dedicated to men".

That is a huge blasphemy and here's why: Beethoven was a passionate man, I guess every Beethoven fan and student knows that, and if you still don't believe it just listen to his piano, violin and cello trios to see how much passion and romance there is involved. So it doesn't matter if he dedicated these sonatar (or any of his works) to a woman, a man or an alien, it is quite clear that whoever it was intended to, Beethoven would have probably execute it with passion and romance.

The execution of the Appassionata sonata is the ultimate execution. I need more words from other universe to describe how you can easly breeze into the composer's mind and actually feel what he felt and thought when he composed this piece. The 3rd movement is to me the best around and the best I've heard (from dozens of dozens), especially the last two minutes when it's clear the composer went drive mad. With other performers you will see that in these two minutes (when the piece reachis its climax) they will normally slow down which obviously a clear mistake and not what Beethoven intended). The last two minutes are to be played with madness, more madness, anger, more anger and all the passion you can put into those 88 keys. You can't slow down the climax of the piece ! That's why it is called Appassionata ! Such a beautiful piece.

The moonlight execution is the best I've heard too (with the exception of the 1st movement). Each one of the three movements take you to a mind state where you can feel how and what Beethoven felt about countess Giuletta Giucardi: love, joy and then hate, respectively. Just like the appasionata, the 3rd movement's performance is stunning. By the time you reach half of it, your mind will think you're listening to Beethoven.

Patetique is a good execution. I haven't really heard a notable performance, probably due to the fact of being one of Beethoven's earlier -more Mozartian/classisist- works. Still it is very good, and the movement that impresses me the most is the second.

Do your self a favor and get this CD. You will trash any other Beethoven Piano sonatas CD, and you will eventually look forward to buy the 32 piano sonata box set by Claudio Arrau -to listen to the man himself playing all his works-, which I proudly own and just like this disc, it is worth every single penny.

Arrau's 1960's Complete Beethoven Piano Sonata Cycle is amongst the best and most enduring recordings projects ever undertaken by Arrau, alongside his Complete Beethoven Piano Sonata Urtext Edition, based on the original manuscripts, published in Frankfurt by C.F. Peters in the 1970s. Arrau's entire 1960s cycle of Beethoven sonata recordings not only compete superbly with the very best interpretations, but has simply become indispensable. The three sonatas in this particular release are only a sample. Another equally superb Beethoven sonata sample from Arrau has been missing from the catalogue (Philips Concert Classics 426 068-2PCC)

Claudio Arrau is not always an easy pianist to listen to. His playing is sometimes very irritating and at times can seem boring. Not everyone will agree with his Beethoven playing, and his playing in general, but many will be fascinated by his complex intellectuality. His Beethoven playing, particularly the sonatas, are some of his best and most interesting work. If anyone was to own one recording of Arrau's playing, I would surely suggest a Beethoven recording. His interpretations of these three popular sonatas are unorthodox but are given very passionate and interesting performances. Anyone studying or interested in these sonatas should listen to Arrau, the Appassionata especially is given an excellent performance.

This CD is highly recommended, it's an excellent lesson in Arrau's Beethoven playing.

Claudio Arrau's interpretation is as passionately and true as Beethoven himself would have liked. The "Apassionatta" and the "Moonlight" are as thrilling as they should be. One of Arrau's greatest recordings.

Arrau's 1960's Complete Beethoven Piano Sonata Cycle is amongst the best and most enduring recordings projects ever undertaken by Arrau, alongside his Complete Beethoven Piano Sonata Urtext Edition, based on the original manuscripts, published in Frankfurt by C.F. Peters in the 1970s. Arrau's entire 1960s cycle of Beethoven sonata recordings not only compete superbly with the very best interpretations, but has simply become indispensable. The three sonatas in this particular release are only a sample. Another equally superb Beethoven sonata sample from Arrau has been missing from the catalogue (Philips Concert Classics 426 068-2PCC)

This is an excellent recording of the three most well-known and well-loved piano sonatas by Ludwig van Beethoven. As an aspiring Beethoven expert (I'm a college student and just recently began really discovering Beethoven), I wanted to hear a masterful, even "definitive" if you will, recording of these sonatas. I listened straight through the entire album, enjoying every minute of it. I smiled as I recognized a piece that I finally got to hear in its proper context, and the whole time I was in awe of Beethoven's work coming through Claudio Arrau. The Pathetique and Moonlight sonatas were especially wonderful to hear, since I've heard parts of them hundreds of times in other arrangements--from Trans-siberian Orchestra to Dance Dance Revolution and other music video games to Schroeder of the Peanuts gang at his piano. Nothing compared to hearing Claudio Arrau play the pieces as Beethoven intended: it was magical. Delightful, masterful, beautiful, fun, timeless...you will love Beethoven's three great piano sonatas.

Terrible sound quality - very disappointed. Muffled sound but I could live with that. It is the incessant 'clicking'/static electronic noise that is unbearable. I requested money back from the vendor. It was not expensive, but I can't bear to hear it.

It may be a Phillips problem since in the same shipment I had the same problem with another Phillips CD. I like Claudio but I can't enjoy this CD due to the clicking/static. I purchased Emil Gilel's box 9-CD set of LvB's sonatas and the sound was great. I recommend passing on this one.

What more can I say....
I dont really know much about classical, and I wont pretend that I do, but to me, this is perfection!
Excellent service to as item arrived in good time!