# Beethoven - Best Performances / Recordings



## speekless (Jun 4, 2019)

What are your absolute favorite recordings/performances of Beethoven? Preferably as true as possible to original, but if you have any out of the ordinary suggestions, they're also welcome!


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## flamencosketches (Jan 4, 2019)

I'll speak only on the piano music. Artur Schnabel is the great genius of all Beethoven interpreters. His Piano Sonatas cycle is a major achievement of humanity. 

It's not always the right time to inundate oneself with such power, so for the rest of the time we have Wilhelm Kempff, who is almost just as good, but more down to earth. Kind of shows the other side of these works. Another new favorite who may rank right up there with Kempff is Alfred Brendel. His Beethoven is amazing, particularly the early sonatas. 

Honorable mention to Claudio Arrau. I've hardly heard any of his Beethoven but it's all great. Very different style from Kempff and Brendel.

As for the piano concertos, I've only heard a few recordings that really hit home for me, and that's Glenn Gould's cycle with the Columbia SO and the NYPO, and then Mitsuko Uchida's recordings of the 3rd and 4th with the Royal Concertgebouw. There are still many I've yet to hear but I didn't much care for some of the others I heard, including Emil Gilels with George Szell and the Cleveland Symphony (I LOVE all of these players so my lack of interest in the recording made no sense). 

I'll leave the rest up to the pros. Happy Beethovening.


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## MarkW (Feb 16, 2015)

This is an extraodinarily subjective question and anything anyone says will likely be instantly contradicted. Some favorites: Piano concertos: Fleischer/Szell set. Piano Cto. No. 4: Schnabel with CSO/Frederick Stock (old, with non Hi-Fi sound.) Violin Cto: Menuhin/Furtwangler/Philharmonia on EMI. (Surprisingly good sound for its era.) Missa Solemnis: Klemperer et al on EMI. 
Eroica: Toscanini 1949 Carnegie Hall recording. Symphony No. 7: Fricsay; No.8: Schmidt-Isserstedt/VPO; No. 9: Current varorite Munch/BSO. Quartets: good performances too numerous to mention, but I have individual favorites quartet by quartet. Same with piano sonatas. Leonore Overture No. 3: Schmidt-Isserstedt/VPO.


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## KenOC (Mar 7, 2011)

Although I’m probably older than most here, my preferences lean toward the more recent. After all, those old guys are long dead and don’t need our royalties! So, concentrating on cycles for the most part…

Symphonies – Gardiner
String quartets – Takacs SQ
Piano Sonatas – Schiff
Piano Concertos – Kovacevich/Davis for 1-4, Szell/Fleischer for 5 (OK, so I’m not consistent)
Missa Solemnis – Gardiners 2014 recording, the best ever!


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## Olias (Nov 18, 2010)

I second the suggestion of the Takacs SQ cycle for the string quartets.

For the symphonies I actually have three different cycles that I enjoy equally

























For the violin concerto its Hilary Hahn all the way (also the CD pairs it with a great recording of Bernstein's VC)









For all five piano concertos and several sonatas on period instruments, I love the Lubin cycle


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## KenOC (Mar 7, 2011)

I'll add, since everybody else has it, Beethoven's Violin Concerto: Janine Jansen, Paavo Jarvi.


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## Brahmsianhorn (Feb 17, 2017)

Regardless of sound quality:

Symphony No. 3 - Furtwangler ‘44, Klemperer ‘57, Toscanini ‘39

Symphony No. 4 - Furtwangler ‘43, Klemperer ‘57

Symphony No. 5 - Furtwangler 5/25/47, Jochum ‘51, Toscanini ‘33, Klemperer ‘57

Symphony No. 6 - Furtwangler ‘54

Symphony No. 7 - Furtwangler ‘53, Toscanini ‘36

Symphony No. 8 - Furtwangler ‘53

Symphony No. 9 - Furtwangler ‘42, Furtwangler 7/29/51, Furtwangler 8/22/54, Klemperer ‘61, Klemperer ‘57

Coriolan overture - Furtwangler ‘43

Egmont overture - Furtwangler ‘47

Piano concertos - Schnabel/Sargent

Violin concerto - Kreisler/Blech, Huberman/Szell, Busch/Busch

String quartets - Busch, Budapest, Hungarian

Piano and wind quintet - Gieseking/Philharmonia Ensemble

Archduke trio - Thibaud/Casals/Cortot

Cello sonatas - Casals

Violin sonatas - Kreisler/Rupp

Kreutzer sonata - Huberman/Friedman

Piano sonatas - Schnabel, E Fischer, Solomon

Diabelli variations - Schnabel

Missa Solemnis - Walter ‘48

Fidelio - Modl/Furtwangler ‘53 live


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## MatthewWeflen (Jan 24, 2019)

My two go-to cycles are Karajan 1977 and Gardiner 1994. "True to the original" is tough to gauge. Gardiner claims that his recording is true to the original. He uses period instruments and tries to match the (controversial) metronome markings. Either way it's a lot of fun.

But sometimes (well, most of the time) I just want my Beethoven heroic and booming and "blow your hair back" during the stormy movements, and lushly beautiful in the adagios. And that's when I turn to Karajan 1977. This Blu-Ray edition has exceptionally good sound quality.


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## Brahmsianhorn (Feb 17, 2017)

Modern sound:

Symphony No. 3 - Klemperer ‘59

Symphony No. 4 - Karajan ‘62

Symphony No. 5 - Bernstein ‘76 Amnesty Concert

Symphony No. 6 - Walter ‘58

Symphony No. 7 - Carlos Kleiber live ‘82

Symphony No. 8 - Karajan ‘62

Symphony No. 9 - Fricsay

Piano concertos Nos 3 & 4 - Perahia/Haitink 

Piano concertos Nos 4 & 5 - Gilels/Ludwig

Piano concerto No 5 - Fleisher/Szell

Violin concerto - Perlman/Giulini

String quartets - Vegh

Piano trios - Beaux Arts Trio ‘65

Cello sonatas - Rostropovich/Richter

Violin sonatas Nos 5 & 9 - Perlman/Ashkenazy

Piano sonatas - Gilels, Kempff

Piano sonatas Nos 8, 14, 21, 23 - Rubinstein 

Piano sonata No 17 - Richter

Late piano sonatas - Pollini

Diabelli variations - Serkin

Missa Solemnis - Horenstein, Jochum

Fidelio - Ludwig/Klemperer


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## Enthusiast (Mar 5, 2016)

I won't go into the orchestral music as I have a large number of performances of each piece that I really like and the idea of having a favourite for any of them won't work for me. I have also heard quite a big number of recordings of the piano sonatas but can be clear that those by (Annie) Fischer and Kempff are as favourite as I could get. Schnabel, Brautigam and couple of others follow closely behind but those first two astonish me no matter how many times I listen to them (and both couldn't be more different from each other). I know fewer recordings of the quartets and have been disappointed by many. My favourites are those by the Vegh Quartet.


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## flamencosketches (Jan 4, 2019)

Is Fricsay’s 9th the greatest of all? I think I need to hear it. I have yet to hear a 9th that I really love. Not my favorite Beethoven symphony by any stretch of the imagination.


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## bharbeke (Mar 4, 2013)

flamencosketches said:


> Is Fricsay's 9th the greatest of all? I think I need to hear it. I have yet to hear a 9th that I really love. Not my favorite Beethoven symphony by any stretch of the imagination.


I haven't heard Fricsay, but I can point you to a few recordings of the 9th that I love. It took me a while to warm up to the symphony, especially because so much is dependent on the soloists.

Vanska/Minnesota Orchestra
Blomstedt/Staatskapelle Dresden
Barenboim/Staatskapelle Berlin
Barenboim/West-Eastern Divan Orchestra at the 2012 London Proms
Gardiner/Orchestre Revolutionnaire et Romantique
Skrowaczewski/Saarbrucken Radio Symphony Orchestra

The 8th and the 5th are my favorite Beethoven symphonies. The Skrowaczewski/Saarbrucken set is great for those, too.


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## TheGazzardian (Nov 24, 2018)

I'm hardly an expert, but I really like Chailly's Symphony cycle with the Gewandhausorchester


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## Heck148 (Oct 27, 2016)

flamencosketches said:


> Is Fricsay's 9th the greatest of all? .....


No, Reiner's is... magnificent performance...Toscanini/NBC is really great, also...


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## Pat Fairlea (Dec 9, 2015)

Too much... Solomon for the Piano Sonatas, Brendel for the late Sonatas.

And I'm very fond of this old Soviet recording of the Violin concerto:








Oistrakh brings out the warmth in Beethoven's writing.


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## larold (Jul 20, 2017)

I've listened to Beethoven since his bicentennial in 1970 and have owned scores of recordings. I don't know if these are my favorites but it's what I have in my collection the better part of 50 years later:

*Symphonies 1-9 * Ernest Ansermet Swiss Radio Orchestra

*Septet Op. 20 *Die Instrumentisten on a CD I made from a Musical Heritage Society LP

Cantatas *Der glorreiche Augenblich *and *Auf die Erhebung Leopold des Zweiten sur Kaiserwurde *Robert Bass conducting

Overtures *Name Day*, *Consecration of the House*, *Lenore 1-3* and *Fidelio* Herbert von Karajan BPO

*Calm Sea and Prosperous Voyage *Michael Tilson Thomas, London Symphony, Ambrosian Singers

*Songs * Ian Partridge with Richard Burnett and Stephen Genz with Roger Vignoles on CD and Martyn Hill & Hogwood on LP

*Violin Concerto* Kennedy with Tennstedt

Chamber Music by the Young Beethoven -- *Trio Op. 11, Allegro and Minuet WoO 26, Sonata for Horn and Piano Op. 17, Quintet for Oboe, Three Horns and Bassoon *-- Hermann Baumann, Anner Bylsma et al on a Telefunken LP I converted to CD

*Piano Sonatas Nos. 28-32* Maurizio Pollini on Japanese super audio disks

*Fidelio* Karajan conducting Dernesch, Vickers et al on EMI

*Piano Trios 5, 6 and 7* Suk Trio

*Piano Concerto 4* Paul Badura-Skoda on a period keyboard

*Triple Concerto* Bylsma, Maier and Badura-Skoda on period instruments

*32 Variations WoO 80* w/ *Fur Elise* and other stuff by Rudolf Buchbinder

*Piano Sonatas 1, 26 and 27* Wilhelm Backhaus on London LP

*Piano Sonatas 15 and 28* Backhaus on Decca 10-inch LP

*Piano Sonatas 30 and 32* Arthur Schnabel on RCA LP

*Piano Sonatas *Appasionata (*No. 8*) and Funeral March (*No. 12*) Sviatoslav Richter on RCA LP

Beethoven Wind Music --* Octet Op. 103, Sextet Op. 71, Quintet, Rondino WoO 25 and March WoO 29 *-- Netherlands Wind Ensemble


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## Mandryka (Feb 22, 2013)

larold said:


> *Piano Sonatas 30 and 32* Arthur Schnabel on RCA LP


Is this the 1942 performance or the first one he made? The first one is in the big set.


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## Brahmsianhorn (Feb 17, 2017)

Top 10 Beethoven recordings:

1. Symphony No 9 - Furtwangler ‘42
2. Piano sonatas - Schnabel
3. Late string quartets - Busch Quartet
4. Violin concerto - Kreisler/Blech
5. Symphony No 5 - Furtwangler 5/25/47
6. Kreutzer sonata - Huberman/Friedman 
7. Symphony No 3 - Furtwangler ‘44
8. Archduke trio - Thibaud/Casals/Cortot
9. Piano concertos - Schnabel/Sargent
10. Symphony No 6 - Furtwangler ‘54


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## flamencosketches (Jan 4, 2019)

Going to try and check out Reiner, Fricsay, and Vänskä for the 9th. I'm very curious about Vänskä's cycle with the Minnesota. Their Sibelius is not quite up my alley, but I think that lean approach may work better in Beethoven symphonies.


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## flamencosketches (Jan 4, 2019)

Brahmsianhorn said:


> Top 10 Beethoven recordings:
> 
> 1. Symphony No 9 - Furtwangler '42
> 2. Piano sonatas - Schnabel
> ...


So in your eyes, the '40s and '50s was something of a Beethoven Golden Age? Why do you think that is? Think the War may have had something to do with it?


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## Guest (Jun 12, 2019)

flamencosketches said:


> Going to try and check out Reiner, Fricsay, and Vänskä for the 9th. I'm very curious about Vänskä's cycle with the Minnesota. Their Sibelius is not quite up my alley, but I think that lean approach may work better in Beethoven symphonies.


Another one you might try is Rudolf Kempe/Munich Philharmonic, recorded in 1973.










I have many of the others referred to in this thread, certainly all the standard "oldies". Some of those used to be my favourites. I had a particular high regard for Furtwangler/Bayreuth and Fricsay/BPO.

I think that Furtwangler/Bayreuth has the best all round atmosphere, but for sheer drama there's nothing quite like Furtwangler/BPO 1942. Sadly, due to their age the Furtwangler recordings are all quite compromised in terms of sound quality, pops and crackles, audience noise etc.

Every time this topic of the Ninth comes up I usually find a new "old" version of the "Ninth" from the mid-50's to look into. On the last occasion someone mentioned Reiner/CSO. I decided to acquire that one and liked it. But then a while later I spotted a good review of the much more recent Chailly/Gezandhaus and after that decided that I prefer a more modern sound with better recording quality. Another good one is of course Gardiner/ORR.

Right now, I think I'd go for the Kempe/Munich version as probably my favourite. He was an excellent conductor, the sound quality is very good, and the singing doesn't disappoint. But the Chaiily and Gardiner versions are just about as good.


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## flamencosketches (Jan 4, 2019)

Has anyone here heard both the Chailly and Vänskä cycles? I’d be curious to hear a comparison of the two.


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## NLAdriaan (Feb 6, 2019)

I like the following Beethoven:
Symphonies cycle: Orchestra of the 18th century,Bruggen (Glossa Live, 2011), a refreshing (2nd) take on period instruments 
Pianoconcerto's 1-5: Perahia, RCO/Haitink (Sony), a somewhat hidden treasure, great sound, vivid playing.
Late String Quartets: Alban Berg Quartett (EMI), the one I grew up with
Various piano sonatas: Emil Gilels (DG), always there, wisdom from the piano 
Piano sonata #32, Pogorelich (DG) jazzy and well, Pogorelich in true form
Symph 5: VPO C.Kleiber (DG) a great energetic drive 
Symph 7: RCO C.Kleiber (Philips DVD) true dance music


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## Enthusiast (Mar 5, 2016)

flamencosketches said:


> Has anyone here heard both the Chailly and Vänskä cycles? I'd be curious to hear a comparison of the two.


I know both. I must say I dislike Chailly's cycle and find it rather bland and boring. I've seen that many like it a lot more that I do so as with all these questions it comes down to taste. I do like his last movements, though. Vanska is another matter. He has a real feel for Beethoven. As with all great Beethoven conductors, he has his own distinctive Beethoven sound and approach. The approach is cerebral rather than earthy and although he doesn't shortchange any side of Beethoven's musical character he is not trying to raise the roof - which is sadly something that many expect in a "great performance". It is clear that I am hearing him as one of a long stream of great Beethoven conductors - conductors who had something new and distinctive to say with the symphonies - and I am not sure how I would have rated his set if I had not heard many of his forebears.

Other great Beethoven conductors (I mean those who don't merely give us excellent performances but who go some way towards "reinventing" Beethoven) include, obviously, Furtwangler and Toscanini as well as Klemperer and Harnoncourt. I personally do not rate the Gardiner set so highly because he occasionally (quite often) didn't seem to care so much for the music. He often slaughters the slow movements. I think he wanted to make a point - and it is a powerful one - but I don't think he had worn his interpretations for long enough to record them.


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## Brahmsianhorn (Feb 17, 2017)

flamencosketches said:


> So in your eyes, the '40s and '50s was something of a Beethoven Golden Age? Why do you think that is? Think the War may have had something to do with it?


Also the 30s, when Schnabel and the Busch Quartet recordings were made.

Essentially we are talking about pioneering recordings. My own theory is that the further you go back in time, the "closer" the performers are to the music. To my ears it sounds more idiomatic, more free, more intuitive than today. Maybe the more removed in time we get from Beethoven, the more clinical we become. Maybe it is simply the fact that Beethoven's music is so much more familiar with the passage of time, and thus the performers feel less emotionally connected.

I don't know, but I know what I hear. When I listen to Beethoven performed by Furtwangler, Schnabel, the Busch Quartet, Kreisler and Huberman, I hear Beethoven sounding as if it were being composed before me. It sounds free, not bounded within a tight box.

A perfect example is Furtwangler's dramatic, freely-expressive 1943 Coriolan Overture. This is what Beethoven is all about IMO.


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## MatthewWeflen (Jan 24, 2019)

Chailly's has glorious sound quality. But it's all rush rush rush with nowhere to go. The 8th is the best one in that set.


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## Enthusiast (Mar 5, 2016)

flamencosketches said:


> Going to try and check out Reiner, Fricsay, and Vänskä for the 9th. I'm very curious about Vänskä's cycle with the Minnesota. Their Sibelius is not quite up my alley, but I think that lean approach may work better in Beethoven symphonies.


The Vanska is excellent. I can also remember liking Bruno Walter's 9th. And, although not at the exalted level of Furtwangler or Fricsay, I think I remember correctly that the 9th was one of the best from Haitink's LSO Live set (a mixed set IMO).


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## larold (Jul 20, 2017)

_Piano Sonatas 30 and 32 Arthur Schnabel on RCA LP … Is this the 1942 performance or the first one he made? The first one is in the big set. _

1942.


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## bharbeke (Mar 4, 2013)

flamencosketches said:


> Has anyone here heard both the Chailly and Vänskä cycles? I'd be curious to hear a comparison of the two.


Vanska: They all are good, and 4, 5, 8, and 9 are stellar.
Chailly: 1, 4, and 7 are wonderful. The other six are more varied in quality with 5 and 9 being among the weaker efforts.


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## wkasimer (Jun 5, 2017)

flamencosketches said:


> Has anyone here heard both the Chailly and Vänskä cycles? I'd be curious to hear a comparison of the two.


I have both. I like the Chailly a lot; it's fast and aggressive, with prominent brass and wind balance. Vanska's is very well played and beautifully recorded, but I find it extremely dull, without much of an interpretive profile.


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## Brahmsianhorn (Feb 17, 2017)

Enthusiast said:


> The Vanska is excellent. I can also remember liking Bruno Walter's 9th. And, although not at the exalted level of Furtwangler or Fricsay, I think I remember correctly that the 9th was one of the best from Haitink's LSO Live set (a mixed set IMO).


Haven't heard the LSO live Haitink. I listened to the Vanska years ago and hated it. Will have to give it another try sometime. My favorite Walter is the live 1955 on Orfeo.










Incidentally, this is my working list of 9ths in order of preference, 5 stars being the highest:

Wilhelm Furtwängler (3/22/42) (Tahra, Music & Arts, Pristine, Archipel, Andromeda) *****
Wilhelm Furtwängler (7/29/1951) (Tahra, Orfeo, EMI) *****
Wilhelm Furtwängler (8/22/54) (Audite, Tahra, Pristine, Music & Arts, Andromeda) *****
Wilhelm Furtwängler (8/31/51) (Orfeo) *****
Wilhelm Furtwängler (1952) (Tahra, Music & Arts) *****
Wilhelm Furtwängler (1953) (DG, ICA) *****
Wilhelm Furtwängler (1/7/51) (Orfeo) *****
Wilhelm Furtwängler (8/8/54) (Music & Arts) ****1/2
Wilhelm Furtwängler (1937) (EMI Great Conductors, Music & Arts, Archipel) ****1/2
Otto Klemperer (1961) (Testament BBC) ****1/2
Otto Klemperer (1957) (Testament SBT 1177) ****1/2
Ferenc Fricsay (DG) ****1/2
Leonard Bernstein (1979) (DG) ****1/2
Karl Böhm (1972) (DG) ****1/2
Leonard Bernstein (1989) (DG) ****1/2
Herbert von Karajan (1976) (DG) ****1/2
Georg Solti (1972) (Decca) ****1/2
Andre Cluytens (EMI, Royal Classics) ****1/2
Bruno Walter (1955) (Orfeo) ****1/2
Arturo Toscanini (1938) (Music & Arts, ATRA) ****1/2
Wilhelm Furtwängler (4/19/42) (Archipel) ****1/2
Hermann Abendroth (12/31/50, RSOB) (Tahra, Urania) ****1/2
Hermann Abendroth (6/11/50, LGO) (Music & Arts) ****1/2
Carl Schuricht (1959) (Testament) ****1/2
Herbert von Karajan (1947) (EMI) ***1/2
Herbert von Karajan (1962) (DG) ****1/2
Otto Klemperer (1956) (Music & Arts) ****
Felix Weingartner (1935) (Opus, Naxos, Avid) ****
Rafael Kubelik (Orfeo) ***1/2
Rafael Kubelik (DG) ****
Fritz Reiner (RCA) ****
Willem Mengelberg (Philips, NM Classics, Classica d'Oro) ****
Fritz Busch (1949) (DG, Guild, Arlecchino) ****
Hans Schmidt-Isserstedt (Decca) ****
Otto Klemperer (1957) (EMI) ***1/2
Herbert von Karajan (1955) (Orfeo) ***1/2
Arturo Toscanini (1939) (Naxos, Relief, Andromeda) ***1/2
Eugen Jochum (Philips) ***1/2
Erich Leinsdorf (RCA) ***1/2
Herbert von Karajan (1982) (DG) ***1/2
Charles Munch (RCA, EMI Great Conductors) ***1/2
Christoph von Dohnanyi (Telarc) ***1/2
Leopold Stokowski (1934) (Magic Talent) ***1/2
Wilhelm Furtwängler (1943) (Tahra, Music & Arts) ***1/2
Arturo Toscanini (1936) (Dante Lys) ***1/2
Jascha Horenstein (Music & Arts) ***1/2
Leopold Stokowski (1967) (Decca) ***1/2
Charles Mackerras (EMI, Classics for Pleasure) ***1/2
Hermann Scherchen (1953) (Tahra) ***1/2
Herman Scherchen (1965 Lugano) (Accord) ***1/2
Bruno Walter (1947) (Music & Arts) ***1/2
Otto Klemperer (1958) (WDR) ***1/2
Eugene Ormandy (Sony) ***1/2
John Eliot Gardiner (DG Archiv) ***1/2
Arturo Toscanini (1941) (Music & Arts, Guild) ***1/2
Rafael Kubelik (BBC) ***1/2
Otto Klemperer (1960) (Music & Arts, Classica D'Oro) ***1/2
Arturo Toscanini (1937) (Music & Arts) ***1/2
Carl Schuricht (1952) (Hänssler) ***1/2
Carl Schuricht (1954) (Music & Arts, Urania) ***1/2
Felix Weingartner (1926) (Trax Classique) ***1/2
Karl Böhm (1981) (DG) ***1/2
Fritz Busch (Urania) ***1/2
Eugen Jochum (DG) ***1/2
Eugen Jochum (EMI) ***1/2
Bruno Walter (1949-53) (Music & Arts, Urania, United Archives, Dante Lys) ***1/2
Jascha Horenstein (Vox) ***1/2
William Steinberg (XXI) ***1/2
Karl Böhm (1980) (DG) ***1/2
Claudio Abbado (Sony) ***1/2
George Szell (BBC) ***1/2
Daniel Barenboim (Teldec, Erato, Apex) ***1/2
Sir Simon Rattle (EMI) ***1/2
Claudio Abbado (BPO) (DG) ***1/2
Riccardo Muti (EMI) ***1/2
Georg Solti (1987) (Decca) ***1/2
George Szell (Sony) ***1/2
Bruno Walter (1959) (Sony) ***1/2
Franz Konwitschny (Berlin Classics) ***1/2
Arturo Toscanini (RCA) ***1/2
Bernhard Haitink (Philips) ***1/2
David Zinman (Arte Nova) ***
Sir Colin Davis (Philips) ***
Josef Krips (Everest, Madacy) ***
Sergiu Celibidache (EMI) ***
Nikolaus Harnoncourt (Elatus, Teldec) ***
Günter Wand (RCA) ***
Peter Maag (Arts) ***


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## Merl (Jul 28, 2016)

I'm not gonna cover the symphonies as I've done that on countless occasions (but agree with bharbeke you can't go wrong with Skrowaczewski's fantastic cycle). Otherwise here's some performances I like a lot. :

String Quartets - Vegh, Takacs, Italiano 
Bagatelles - Brendel
Complete Works for Cello & Piano - Phillips / Guy
Septet & Clarinet Trio - Nash Ensemble
Violin Sonatas - Faust / Melnikov
Violin Concerto - Scheiderhan


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## Guest (Jun 12, 2019)

Violin Sonatas - Menuhin, Kempff
Beethoven 9th Symphony - Fricsay/BPO, Karajan/BPO (60s recording)
Missa Solemnis - Klemperer
Piano Sonatas - Kempff
String Quartets - Takacs String Quartet
Symphony 3 - Szell/Cleveland
Symphonies 5 and 7 - Kleiber/Vienna - this recording is a must!
Violin Concerto - Heifetz/Munch/Boston or Schneiderhan/Jochum/Berlin


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## Pat Fairlea (Dec 9, 2015)

Returning to the piano sonatas, I have been listening to Wilhelm Backhaus's recordings, and I think they could grow on me. There's an honesty about Backhaus' approach to Beethoven: don't smooth the rougher passages, don't hide the discords, play what's on the score. And he had the technique to do so.


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## speekless (Jun 4, 2019)

KenOC said:


> Missa Solemnis - Gardiners 2014 recording, the best ever!


Do you mean this one?

https://www.amazon.com/Beethoven-Missa-Solemnis-Ludwig-van/dp/B00FEMGC60


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## Guest (Jun 13, 2019)

Previously I only mentioned Syphony No 9. My full list for the symphonies is:

Symphony No 1. there are several good versions, but I would opt for Charles Mackerras/Scottish Chamber Orchestra as first choice, and second choice Herbert Blomstedt/Staatskapelle Dresden.

Symphony No 2. Stanislaw Skrowaczewski/Saarbrucken Radio Symphony Orchestra. He produced a set of all the Symphonies 1 to 9, but it was Symphony No 2 that was especially recommended several years ago by one of the BBC's classical music presenters. Just a quick word here: For the purpose of the BBC's classical music review/recommendation programmes, the reviewers have access to extensive CD libraries that cover just about everything that has ever been put on CD. They also obviously use some very expensive professional quality sound reproduction equipment and proper studios. I tend to have a high regard for what they recommend.

Symphony No 3. Otto Klemperer/Philharmonia (1955) is a long-standing favourite. The most recent BBC recommendation for this work is Nikolaus Harnoncourt/Chamber Orchestra of Europe, which I agree is very good with a crisp sound.

Symphony No 4. Bruno Walter/Columbia Symphony Orchestra is my current favourite. The whole symphony set is pretty good but the best in my view are Symphonies No 4 and 6. The sound quality is very good, given their vintage of c 1958. [The Columbia Symphony Orchestra, for the purpose of this recording, was drawn from members of the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra.]

Symphony No 5. As has already been mentioned several times by others, Clarlos Kleiber/VPO Symphony Nos 5 and 7 is a recording that has achieved widespread acclaim. I have not heard anything better, different yes but not better overall. It has it all: punch, timing, clarity, sound quality - a real gem if ever there was one.

Symphony No 6. Bruno Walter/Columbia Symphony Orchestra. This is one of the best I've heard. For a rather more delicate verson Karl Bohm/VPO is another old time classic version. Another good one is by Carlos Kleiber/Bavarian Radi Symphony Orchestra, which is also BBC recommended.

Symphony No 7. Clarlos Kleiber/VPO is brilliant, almost as good as No 5. Another excellent one is Charles Mackerras/Scottish Chamber Orchestra (another BBC recommendation).

Symphony No 8. I like Harnoncourt/Chamber Orchestra of Europe. The whole set is good, but I think No 8 is the best. I also give a mention to Roger Norrington/London Classsical Players. I generally like Norrington's style. He keeps things pretty straight and faithful to the score, and gets a very sound out of this period band.

Symphony No 9. As I mentioned previously, although a somewhat left-field choice, I do like the version by Rudolf Kempe/Munich Philharmonic Orchestra. The combination of sound quality, interpretation, atmosphere, quality of singing is all good. My "historical" choice without any doubt is Furtwangler/Bayreuth. I think that's the best of the "trilogy" of Furtwangler versions that's normally mentioned in this context, but the others, Berlin 1942 and Lucerne Festival 1954, pack a heft punch too.


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## Guest (Jun 13, 2019)

I neglected to mention the Fleisher/Szell recording of the 5th Piano Concerto. Of course, Sony now has done us a wonderful favor and included, in one box set for a great price, the entire Beethoven Piano Concerto cycle, along with their collaboration on the Brahms Piano Concertos.

In general, Szell with the Cleveland Orchestra is excellent with the Beethoven orchestral works, and in addition to the 5th Piano Concerto with Fleisher, Szell's 3rd Symphony recording is a standout. Even better, these excellent recordings can be had for very cheap on the Sony Essentials line.

Just as a note - as the question has been asked - I am a huge fan of the Vänskä/Minnesota cycle of the Beethoven symphonies. They are wonderful in terms of both sound and performance. 

I wouldn't consider them the best, but I do enjoy the Immerseel/Anima Eterna Symphony cycle as well - HIP performances about as lean and sped up as you can find. Again, not recommending as a "best" but certainly entertaining.


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## Brahmsianhorn (Feb 17, 2017)

This is my list of top recordings for each symphony. ◄ denotes top choices in modern sound.

*Symphony No. 1*

Wilhelm Furtwängler (11/29/52) (Orfeo, Tahra, Music & Arts, Andromeda)
Eugen Jochum (DG) ◄
Sir John Barbirolli (PRT, Dutton)
Leonard Bernstein (DG)

*Symphony No. 2*

Wilhelm Furtwängler (EMI, Music & Arts, Andromeda)
Sir Thomas Beecham (EMI)
Eugen Jochum (DG) ◄
Andre Cluytens (EMI, Royal Classics)

*Symphony No. 3*

Wilhelm Furtwängler (1944) (Tahra, Orfeo, Music & Arts, Preiser, Andromeda) 
Wilhelm Furtwängler (12/8/1952) (Tahra, Music & Arts, Andromeda) 
Otto Klemperer (1957) (Testament)
Otto Klemperer (1959) (EMI) ◄
Arturo Toscanini (1939) (RCA, Music & Arts, Naxos)
Sir John Barbirolli (Warner, Dutton)
Herbert von Karajan (1984) (DG)
Erich Kleiber (1950) (Decca)

*Symphony No. 4 *

Wilhelm Furtwängler (1943) (DG, Music & Arts, Andromeda) 
Otto Klemperer (1957) (Testament BBC)
Herbert von Karajan (1962) (DG) ◄
Bruno Walter (Sony)

*Symphony No. 5 *

Wilhelm Furtwängler (5/25/1947) (Tahra, Audite, Music & Arts)	
Wilhelm Furtwängler (1943) (DG, Tahra, Opus, Music & Arts, Andromeda) 
Wilhelm Furtwängler (5/23/1954) (Tahra, Audite, Music & Arts, Andromeda) 
Eugen Jochum (1951) (Tahra)
Arturo Toscanini (1933) (Naxos, RCA, Music & Arts, Pearl)
Otto Klemperer (1957) (Testament BBC)
Leonard Bernstein (1976 Amnesty International Concert) (DG) ◄
Erich Kleiber (Decca)
Carlos Kleiber (DG)
Carlo Maria Giulini (DG)

*Symphony No. 6 *

Wilhelm Furtwängler (5/23/1954) (Tahra, Audite, Music & Arts, Andromeda) 
Wilhelm Furtwängler (5/25/1947) (Tahra, Audite, Music & Arts)
Bruno Walter (1958) (Sony) ◄
Otto Klemperer (1957) (EMI)
Karl Böhm (DG)
Andre Cluytens (Royal Classics, EMI)

*Symphony No. 7 *

Wilhelm Furtwängler (1953) (DG, Tahra, Music & Arts, Andromeda) 
Wilhelm Furtwängler (1943) (Music & Arts, Tahra, DG, Andromeda) 
Arturo Toscanini (1936) (Naxos, RCA, Pearl)
Otto Klemperer (1957) (Testament)
Carlos Kleiber (Orfeo)
Karl Böhm (DG) ◄
Sir Colin Davis (EMI)

*Symphony No. 8 *

Wilhelm Furtwängler (1953) (DG, Tahra, Music & Arts, Andromeda) 
Herbert von Karajan (1962) (DG) ◄
Karl Böhm (DG)
Sir John Barbirolli (PRT, Dutton)

*Symphony No. 9*

Wilhelm Furtwängler (3/22/42) (Tahra, Music & Arts, Pristine, Archipel, Andromeda) 
Wilhelm Furtwängler (7/29/51) (Tahra, Orfeo, EMI)
Wilhelm Furtwängler (8/22/54) (Audite, Tahra, Pristine, Music & Arts, Andromeda)
Otto Klemperer (1961) (Testament BBC)
Otto Klemperer (1957) (Testament)
Ferenc Fricsay (DG) ◄
Leonard Bernstein (1979) (DG)
Karl Böhm (1972) (DG)
Herbert von Karajan (1976) (DG)
Leonard Bernstein (1989) (DG)
Georg Solti (1972) (Decca)


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## Clouds Weep Snowflakes (Feb 24, 2019)

This one:







Be certain I love a lot more, but just to name one, this one.


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## Bluecrab (Jun 24, 2014)

Brahmsianhorn said:


> *Symphony No. 7 *...
> 
> Wilhelm Furtwängler (1943) (Music & Arts, Tahra, DG, Andromeda)


If this is the same 1943 performance that's on youtube (recorded in Berlin, according to the poster), I listened to it yesterday. I've never heard better. Furtwangler really manages to extract everything from that symphony.


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## Brahmsianhorn (Feb 17, 2017)

Bluecrab said:


> If this is the same 1943 performance that's on youtube (recorded in Berlin, according to the poster), I listened to it yesterday. I've never heard better. Furtwangler really manages to extract everything from that symphony.


As he did with every Beethoven symphony


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## 444mil (May 27, 2018)

i don't know much about these classical music forums. but i could not listen to '30 40' 50' etc recordings. i'm like you, looking for good recordings, but on modern sound, if in post 2010's better. the quality of the recordings is astonishing.

in this era of streaming (at least me) , we have the opportunity to listen to many recordings.

i have a personal recommendation: beethoven sonata 32. mikhail pletnev. carneige hall recital (DG) 

for the symphonies i don't like chailly. i've listened to harnoncourt in the PC's and i found it very revealing, but very personal and not my favourite, so i hope him doing good in the symphonies. i would go for some go-to lewis or goode cycles. I love pletnev in the PC's too but he is very idiosyncratic (many may not like him). 

the same goes for the sonatas, kovacevich, lewis, goode. i don't like pollini in the late ones (a robot).

i'm not with most ppl in classical music forums (i'm 24) , recommending arrau, schnabel etc. I think pianist today are more technically gifted, better sound, etc. Korstick for example. I've listened to arrau STUDIO recordings, very praised, where he lacks in technique, can not play cleanly.


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## Enthusiast (Mar 5, 2016)

I do wonder what to do with threads like this. Everyone tells us their best - but rarely lets on how many they have heard - and we get loads of competing recommendations. I see recommendations for some I know and like, many I know and more or less dislike and some I have never heard. It might be more worthwhile to focus on one or two recordings and for us to post our views on them? Then we can all be talking about the same things.


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## Guest (Jun 15, 2019)

Enthusiast said:


> I do wonder what to do with threads like this. Everyone tells us their best - but rarely lets on how many they have heard - and we get loads of competing recommendations. I see recommendations for some I know and like, many I know and more or less dislike and some I have never heard. It might be more worthwhile to focus on one or two recordings and for us to post our views on them? Then we can all be talking about the same things.


Threads like this always grow like topsy. I don't see how any typical OP, asking for advice such as this, is supposed to reconcile all of the recommendations that come flooding in, especially if the aim is to finish up with one preferred set of the main works, which I presume is all that a typical "noob" is looking for.

If the OP is confused and scratching his head by all these diverse recommendations, my advice would be to bin the whole lot and simply go to a website like _Presto Classica_l and select the versions that get the highest ratings from the best known professional review outfits like the BBC's Radio 3, _Gramophone._ That's what I have done, and I've generally been very pleased with the results.


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## flamencosketches (Jan 4, 2019)

444mil said:


> i don't know much about these classical music forums. but i could not listen to '30 40' 50' etc recordings. i'm like you, looking for good recordings, but on modern sound, if in post 2010's better. the quality of the recordings is astonishing.
> 
> in this era of streaming (at least me) , we have the opportunity to listen to many recordings.
> 
> ...


I'm 24 myself and I like the old stuff, à chacun son gout. Schnabel is my favorite, mistakes and all (and there are many)-Arrau I'm less sold on, but he is good. My appreciation for digital sound is beginning to grow though and I suppose it would do me well to listen to a Beethoven sonata cycle by a living, active pianist to see how interpretations have changed. I agree that technical proficiency in pianists has become more widespread, but I believe that interpretive ability has on the whole decreased.


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## Guest (Jun 15, 2019)

I started at classicalcdguide.com and went off of their recommendations for introductory recordings of important works. They probably will annoy a great number of people that their preferred recording didn't make their list, but they are good recordings, nonetheless. That is my recommendation for starting - they give a general list of 10 recordings to start out, but then also have recommendations for periods, genres, and some of the major composers.


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## Brahmsianhorn (Feb 17, 2017)

If you can’t tell by looking at my list of 9ths, I listen to as many recordings as I can. It’s been an obsession of mine for 25 years now.

I started out only looking for recordings in digital, so post 1980. I wanted the “hi-fi” experience. But as I listened more and more I became captivated by recordings such as the 1943 Horowitz/Toscanini Tchaikovsky concerto no. 1. Once I heard artistry on such a level, I could never go back. I still listen to good sounding recordings for the sake of it, but when I want to experience the best performances I don’t care about the sound. Not anymore.


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## Enthusiast (Mar 5, 2016)

^ It certainly is obvious that you listen to many recordings of the main repertoire but do you really think there is such a thing as a "best performance" of those much-recorded works? I also like recordings of the greats of yesteryear and know of many that are just astoundingly wonderful. But they come from a different age and cannot, for me, replace the best of the more recent. There seems to be a different aesthetic involved and I am not even sure that comparisons between performances from the '40s and '50s and those of the '80s and later can be meaningful - not if you are comparing value, anyway. This has nothing to do with recording quality. 

I know many of the recordings you recommend (while valuing the work you do in documenting the different versions from the same conductors), BTW, and definitely value your posts for hints about older recordings that I might have missed out on.


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## 444mil (May 27, 2018)

i forgot:

richter in leipzig 1963. beethoven op 109-111 . terrific. best op 111 movement i've heard. best op 109.]

another great is michael korstick. i already mentioned him, but forgot to praise his op 53, op 109, op 111


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## speekless (Jun 4, 2019)

Partita said:


> Threads like this always grow like topsy. I don't see how any typical OP, asking for advice such as this, is supposed to reconcile all of the recommendations that come flooding in, especially if the aim is to finish up with one preferred set of the main works, which I presume is all that a typical "noob" is looking for.
> 
> If the OP is confused and scratching his head by all these diverse recommendations, my advice would be to bin the whole lot and simply go to a website like _Presto Classica_l and select the versions that get the highest ratings from the best known professional review outfits like the BBC's Radio 3, _Gramophone._ That's what I have done, and I've generally been very pleased with the results.


My question is what *your* favorite performances/recordings are, not necessarily what *the* best performances/recordings are. This is by definition a very subjective question, so I think it makes more sense to have a lot of different - and possibly divergent - opinions, rather than to distill a list of very best recordings and to find a compromise (although I can definitely find some agreeances in here, too). It also has an element of taste, which I think is much more personal and human than a site such as prestoclassical.

I'll add that it's a good suggestion to write a few words about why you like those recordings, instead of a plain list of favorites. I really enjoy the answers that go a bit more into detail about that.

I've been listening to quite a lot of the recommendations here, and I've found a few very interesting ones. I actually plan to listen to them all, at least the ones I can get my hands on. I'll post back with my favorites once I've heard enough of them!


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## Guest (Jun 18, 2019)

speekless said:


> My question is what *your* favorite performances/recordings are, not necessarily what *the* best performances/recordings are. This is by definition a very subjective question, so I think it makes more sense to have a lot of different - and possibly divergent - opinions, rather than to distill a list of very best recordings and to find a compromise (although I can definitely find some agreeances in here, too). It also has an element of taste, which I think is much more personal and human than a site such as prestoclassical.
> 
> I'll add that it's a good suggestion to write a few words about why you like those recordings, instead of a plain list of favorites. I really enjoy the answers that go a bit more into detail about that.
> 
> I've been listening to quite a lot of the recommendations here, and I've found a few very interesting ones. I actually plan to listen to them all, at least the ones I can get my hands on. I'll post back with my favorites once I've heard enough of them!


Fine. I'd be very keen to learn about your evolving preferences as you work your way through the many recommendations. A "fresh pair of ears" and all that might be useful feedback for some us a bit "longer in the tooth".


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## flamencosketches (Jan 4, 2019)

Has anyone heard this cycle? I really like this conductor's Mahler, what I've heard of it anyway. This Beethoven cycle is available for quite cheap. Just curious as I've never heard anyone talk about it. Just released this April.


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## KenOC (Mar 7, 2011)

flamencosketches said:


> View attachment 120363
> 
> 
> Has anyone heard this cycle? I really like this conductor's Mahler, what I've heard of it anyway. This Beethoven cycle is available for quite cheap. Just curious as I've never heard anyone talk about it. Just released this April.


I haven't heard the cycle but went to Amazon to check the reviews. All great! Unfortunately, every single review is for a cycle conducted by somebody other than Saraste. Good grief.


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## flamencosketches (Jan 4, 2019)

KenOC said:


> I haven't heard the cycle but went to Amazon to check the reviews. All great! Unfortunately, every single review is for a cycle conducted by somebody other than Saraste. Good grief.


Yeah! I saw that :lol: Many of them are from 10+ years ago too, whereas the release date on this was just a couple months ago. Not the first I've seen Amazon somehow mix up the reviews for different products.


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## Guest (Jun 19, 2019)

flamencosketches said:


> View attachment 120363
> 
> 
> Has anyone heard this cycle? I really like this conductor's Mahler, what I've heard of it anyway. This Beethoven cycle is available for quite cheap. Just curious as I've never heard anyone talk about it. Just released this April.


Here's the review from Classics Today: 
https://www.classicstoday.com/review/mightily-superfluous-excellence-saraste-and-beethoven-cycle-no-176/?search=1
Described as vanilla, a fine cycle, but doesn't really stand out among other recent cycles.


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## Guest (Jun 19, 2019)

It reminded me that the Paavo Jarvi cycle is also an excellent Beethoven symphony cycle.


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## flamencosketches (Jan 4, 2019)

444mil said:


> i forgot:
> 
> richter in leipzig 1963. beethoven op 109-111 . terrific. best op 111 movement i've heard. best op 109.]
> 
> another great is michael korstick. i already mentioned him, but forgot to praise his op 53, op 109, op 111


Just bought that CD, Richter in Leipzig. I've been loving op.109 and op.110, going to listen to his op.111 later tonight.

Bumping this thread with a few questions:

1. Great Beethoven piano trio recordings? Leaning toward the Florestan Trio cycle since I love everything of theirs, but maybe the Beaux Arts is better...?

2. Great Beethoven violin sonata recordings? I'm thinking Oistrakh must be the way to go here...


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## wkasimer (Jun 5, 2017)

flamencosketches said:


> 1. Great Beethoven piano trio recordings? Leaning toward the Florestan Trio cycle since I love everything of theirs, but maybe the Beaux Arts is better...?


I agree about the Florestan Trio - the Beaux Arts is fine, but I like the Florestan's more extroverted playing. And if you don't mind HIP, try the Castle Trio.



> 2. Great Beethoven violin sonata recordings? I'm thinking Oistrakh must be the way to go here...


I don't think so. These works need a first-class pianist, and Oborin isn't. My favorites are Pires/Dumay, Argerich/Kremer, and Casadesus/Francescatti.


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## flamencosketches (Jan 4, 2019)

wkasimer said:


> I agree about the Florestan Trio - the Beaux Arts is fine, but I like the Florestan's more extroverted playing. And if you don't mind HIP, try the Castle Trio.
> 
> I don't think so. These works need a first-class pianist, and Oborin isn't. My favorites are Pires/Dumay, Argerich/Kremer, and Casadesus/Francescatti.


Thanks for the correction! I'll look into those choices. Argerich/Kremer sounds great, I'm a fan of both. I don't see Argerich as much of a Beethovenian, but first-class pianist she definitely is - world class, really.


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## bharbeke (Mar 4, 2013)

I like the Kopatchinskaja/Say version of Violin Sonata No. 9 "Kreutzer."


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## KenOC (Mar 7, 2011)

bharbeke said:


> I like the Kopatchinskaja/Say version of Violin Sonata No. 9 "Kreutzer."


That one's a real barn-burner. Make sure you've taken your meds!


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## flamencosketches (Jan 4, 2019)

What are some good recordings of the violin concerto? I have this one:










It's really great! The sound is clear as a bell. But it's the only recording of the work that I've heard.


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## starthrower (Dec 11, 2010)

I have the Perlman, and Isaac Stern/Bernstein but haven't listened to them. Now that I'm back in to Beethoven I'll have to give them a spin. I'm glad to see some mention of Skrow, and Klempy for the symphonies since I ordered both cycles.


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## flamencosketches (Jan 4, 2019)

starthrower said:


> I have the Perlman, and Isaac Stern/Bernstein but haven't listened to them. Now that I'm back in to Beethoven I'll have to give them a spin. I'm glad to see some mention of Skrow, and Klempy for the symphonies since I ordered both cycles.


I might order the Klempy cycle too. Normally I like my Beethoven a little faster, but his artistry is special.

The Kodály Quartet late Beethoven quartets are amazing. I want to complete the cycle, but they're not all easy to find, nor is it cheap. I may be better off ordering a complete cycle of one of the "classics", like the Alban Berg Quartett or the Hungarians.


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## starthrower (Dec 11, 2010)

I ordered the live Klempy Beethoven, not the EMI box. I think you can find most of those Kodaly volumes at Presto or JPC. Presto is a little cheaper. I don't know if I'll order from JPC again. On my last order it stated free shp on the cart page. But when I got my email invoice there was a shp charge.


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## Itullian (Aug 27, 2011)




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## flamencosketches (Jan 4, 2019)

starthrower said:


> I ordered the live Klempy Beethoven, not the EMI box. I think you can find most of those Kodaly volumes at Presto or JPC. Presto is a little cheaper. I don't know if I'll order from JPC again. On my last order it stated free shp on the cart page. But when I got my email invoice there was a shp charge.


I love JPC. They've always been straight-up with me. GREAT selection, great deals. I don't think I ever had to pay for shipping. I wonder if there's an order minimum before you get free shipping? I don't know.

Presto I am less enamored with, but my one interaction with them was ultimately positive.


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## starthrower (Dec 11, 2010)

flamencosketches said:


> I love JPC. They've always been straight-up with me. GREAT selection, great deals. I don't think I ever had to pay for shipping. I wonder if there's an order minimum before you get free shipping? I don't know.


My order was over 70 dollars so I should have gotten the free shp. Anyway, I ordered some more Klempy boxes!

For a "best" B. performance I'll offer symphony no.7 by De Vriend/Netherlands. No.6 by Bohm/Vienna. I'm sure there are several great ones but I love Louis Lortie's Appassionata on Chandos.


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## flamencosketches (Jan 4, 2019)

starthrower said:


> My order was over 70 dollars so I should have gotten the free shp. Anyway, I ordered some more Klempy boxes!
> 
> For a "best" B. performance I'll offer symphony no.7 by De Vriend/Netherlands. No.6 by Bohm/Vienna. I'm sure there are several great ones but I love Louis Lortie's Appassionata on Chandos.


I bet the Lortie Chandos cycle is really good. I might appreciate a newer Beethoven sonatas cycle in modern sound, all my favorites are old guys. I listened to Sviatoslav Richter play the Appassionata this morning, from his touted "first American recording" which is coupled with the Brahms 2nd concerto. Anyway, it was amazing. I also love Arrau on Philips playing this sonata, his recording is much heavier, it sounds like the end of the world. Finally, I also love Schnabel's recording, probably the most passionate of the three I mentioned, to my ears.


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## Guest (Dec 17, 2019)

flamencosketches said:


> What are some good recordings of the violin concerto? I have this one:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I second the Schneiderhan/Jochum recording already mentioned. Beyond that, my favorite is probably the Heifetz/Munch recording on RCA. I also like the Kopatchinskaja/Herreweghe recording on Naive for something much different. And then my collection ends with the Faust/Belohlavek recording on HM. I recommend them all.


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## Josquin13 (Nov 7, 2017)

"What are some good recordings of the violin concerto?"

I've most liked the following five recordings:

1. Wolfgang Schneiderhan, with the Berlin Philharmonic, conducted by Eugen Jochum (although Schneiderhan made excellent mono recordings with Furtwängler & Kempen, too):





2. Larghetto: 



3. Rondo: 




2. Arthur Grumiaux, with the Concertgebouw Orchestra Amsterdam, conducted by Eduard van Beinum (though Grumiaux recorded the concerto a number of other times, too):





3. Josef Suk, with the New Philharmonia, conducted by Sir Adrian Boult: 




4. David Oistrakh, with the French National Radio Orchestra, conducted by Andre Cluytens: 




5. Uto Ughi, with the Philharmonia Orchestra, conducted by Wolfgang Sawallisch (this is the one digital recording on my list)--which isn't on YT, but here's a clip of Ughi playing the concerto live in concert (Ughi is one of my favorite violinists today): 




http://www.arkivmusic.com/classical/album.jsp?album_id=525910

While historically, my favorites are violinist Adolf Busch's 1942 recording with Fritz Busch conducting:



, his 1949 recording in Copenhagen, with Launy Grøndahl conducting: 



, and Fritz Kreisler--whose cadenzas for this concerto are the ones most often played by violinists--with Sir John Barbirolli conducting the London Philharmonic in 1936: 



, and conductor Leo Blech in Berlin in 1926: 



. Others treasure Bronislav Huberman's recording, with George Szell & the Vienna Philharmonic in 1934, but I'm not a big fan of Szell's conducting--though Huberman's violin playing is great, and should definitely be heard, regardless of Szell: 



.

Edit: One historical recording that I forgot: there's also the famous Yehudi Menuhin recording with Wilhelm Furtwängler, which was made after WW2.


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## KenOC (Mar 7, 2011)

One of the very best Beethoven Violin Concerto performances is by Janine Jansen, Paavo Jarvi conducting. But a guilty treat is Patricia Kopatchinskaja, Philippe Herreweghe conducting. This is the way you might have heard it in a lively 19th-century performance, extra improvised cadenzas and all.

The ladies have it tonight.


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## jegreenwood (Dec 25, 2015)

flamencosketches said:


> What are some good recordings of the violin concerto? I have this one:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


One of my earliest CD purchases (pre-GROC). I still listen frequently. And yes, some of EMI's earliest CD releases had very good sound.


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## bharbeke (Mar 4, 2013)

Violin Concerto:

The Perlman/Giulini is top shelf for sure.

Faust/Belohlavek/Prague Philharmonia
Schneiderhan/Jochum/Berlin Philharmonic
Heifetz/Munch/Boston Symphony
Repin/Muti/Vienna Philharmonic
Silverstein/Utah Symphony Orchestra (great performance, so-so sound, YMMV)

Of the ones I have heard, the one that surprised me for how average it sounded was the Mutter/Karajan/Berlin Philharmonic performance. I typically like all of those forces, but only the third movement sounded good enough to recommend.


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## DavidA (Dec 14, 2012)

There are so many wonderful performances of the violin concerto. However, I would guard against those who over-reverence the work with slow tempi. Josef Suk did that with Boult and so did Vengerov with Rostropovich. Beethoven's marking for the first movement is Allegro ma non troppo - ie quick but not too quick. When it is played at Andante it loses its drama. 
For something how Beethoven would have imagined (though never heard) try Heifetz.


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## wkasimer (Jun 5, 2017)

flamencosketches said:


> What are some good recordings of the violin concerto? I have this one:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


The first movement of the Perlman is too slow for my taste. In addition to the Jansen and Kopatchinskaya recordings already mentioned, I like Tetzlaff, and Nathan Milstein, and for HIP, Zehetmair with Brüggen.


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## DavidA (Dec 14, 2012)

wkasimer said:


> The first movement of the Perlman is too slow for my taste. In addition to the Jansen and Kopatchinskaya recordings already mentioned, I like Tetzlaff, and Nathan Milstein, and for HIP, Zehetmair with Brüggen.


Yes agreed. I have Zehetmair and also Heifetz and Faust for a more robust approach. Kremer gives a very good performance but unfortunately mucks it up with a cadenza which is the last word in eccentricity and can only be heard once.


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## Guest (Dec 17, 2019)

flamencosketches said:


> Just bought that CD, Richter in Leipzig. I've been loving op.109 and op.110, going to listen to his op.111 later tonight.
> 
> Bumping this thread with a few questions:
> 
> ...


For Piano Trio recordings, I really like the recording of the 3rd and 7th (Archduke) by the Kempf Trio on BIS. Wonderful performance and great sound.

Violin Sonatas? If you can find it, I cannot recommend enough the recordings on DG by Kempff and Menuhin.


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## jdec (Mar 23, 2013)

KenOC said:


> One of the very best Beethoven Violin Concerto performances is by Janine Jansen, Paavo Jarvi conducting. *But a guilty treat is Patricia Kopatchinskaja*, Philippe Herreweghe conducting. This is the way you might have heard it in a lively 19th-century performance, extra improvised cadenzas and all.
> 
> The ladies have it tonight.


No "guilty" at all, this HIP version is a very nice discovery for me, great recorded sound too IMO. Thank you for recommending it. :tiphat:


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## Josquin13 (Nov 7, 2017)

flamencosketches,

I'd second Dr. Mike's recommendations for the (Freddy) Kempf Trio in the Op. 1, no. 3 & Op. 97 "Archduke" piano trios, which come in audiophile DSD sound quality on a BIS hybrid SACD, and for the 1970s Menuhin & (Wilhelm) Kempff analogue set of Beethoven Violin Sonatas 1-10 on DG. However, with that said, I should point out that at that stage of Menuhin's career his bow arm had a tendency to shake and his intonation wasn't always secure; although I don't see it as a real negative when you consider the stature of the playing from both musicians. And, as usual, I feel there are other recordings that are, in addition, at least worthy of mention, & arguably even better (though I'm a Menuhin fan, whose playing I find warmer than Heifetz's, for example):

I. Violin Sonatas 1-10 (complete sets): This is some of my favorite music by Beethoven, so I've collected & listened to many recordings over the decades. In addition to Menuhin & Kempff, I'd recommend that you sample and consider the following 6 sets, which I've listed in no particular order or ranking (plus, I've added some of my favorite individual recordings, as well):

1. David Oistrakh, Lev Oborin, on Philips--This is the 'desert island' cycle that I'd grab first in a fire; although considering that the old Philips sound derives from the early 1960s, it would be great to see the remasters that were used in the recent single layer SACD Japanese box set used for a new CD box set reissue, or better yet, a hybrid SACD set:

https://www.amazon.com/Beethoven-So...violin+sonatas&qid=1576621158&s=music&sr=1-22. 
https://www.hraudio.net/showmusic.php?title=12201&showall=1

Even after many years, David Oistrakh's playing of Beethoven's "Spring" Violin Sonata remains my single favorite version: 



 (although I may prefer Menuhin's "Kreutzer" sonata: 



). With so much focus placed on the "Spring" and "Kreutzer" sonatas, Beethoven's equally great Violin Sonata no. 10, Op. 96 tends to get under appreciated, in my view. Here again, Oistrakh and Oborin are exceptional: 



. (By the way, Oborin was Vladimir Ashkenazy's teacher at the Moscow Conservatory.)

The full Oistrakh/Oborin set: 




2. Uto Ughi, Lamar Crowson, on Sony--I just bought this new Sony bargain set yesterday! & as I've written in posts elsewhere on TC, the performances are from 1978--early in Ughi's career, and were previously available only on LPs in Italy: https://www.amazon.com/Uto-Ughi-Pla...plays+Beethoven&qid=1576880713&s=music&sr=1-1. Obviously, I've not heard the cycle yet, but I do think highly of Ughi's 1980s RCA digital recordings of the "Spring" & "Kreutzer" Violin Sonatas with pianist Wolfgang Sawallisch, so I expect this earlier set will be on the same high level (besides, Ughi's 1979 recording of Mozart Violin Sonatas with pianist Maria Tipo, from the same period, is great, IMO: https://www.amazon.com/Mozart-UTO-T...po+Mozart&qid=1576862683&s=music&sr=1-1-fkmr0). But we shall see. Suffice it to say, that Ughi is one of my favorite violinists today. I can recall that back in the early 1980s, I asked a composer friend about who he thought were the future "great" violinists, and he named four that he felt had enormous potential: Uto Ughi, Oleg Kagan (who sadly died of Leukemia in 1989), Gidon Kremer, and Salvatore Accardo. As for pianist Lamar Crowson, Alfred Brendel once said that he considers Crowson to be one of the finest chamber musicians of his day:

For sampling, here's the Ughi/Crowson "Spring" Sonata on LP (crackles & all), on You Tube: 




3. Josef Suk, Jan Panenka, on Supraphon. This is one of the great sets from the standpoint of Suk & Panenka's artistry, but I find the Supraphon sound engineering to be poor on CD (frustratingly, even on the Japanese box set issue), and unfortunately, Suk's beautiful violin tone can become shrill, even grating, which I can attest wasn't the case in concert (nor on Suk's later recordings: for example: https://www.amazon.com/Buchbinder-S...buchbinder+trio&qid=1576781113&s=music&sr=1-1). So I can't strongly recommend the set, despite that Suk is one of my favorite violinists. I've been told that the sound quality wasn't as big a problem on the original Czech LPs, and if that's true, then the sound will likely get improved with new remasters one day. In the meantime, here are the best remasters that I've heard so far on CD (for Suk fans):









https://www.amazon.com/Beethoven-Co...nenka+beethoven&qid=1576780541&s=music&sr=1-3

4. Itzhak Perlman, Vladimir Ashkenazy, on Decca. Perlman & Ashkenazy made a wonderful duo back in the late analogue/early digital era, and their analogue survey of Beethoven's Violin Sonatas remains one of the finest recordings that either musician has made in their career, in my opinion. Interestingly, the set provides a more youthful view of these sonatas than either Oistrakh or Menuhin, which I find refreshing: 



. Although it should be said that Perlman's approach to Beethoven can be quite romantic at times, which may not be to all tastes. But he's in very good form on these recordings. The original Decca recordings sounded great on LP, but were not as good on the CDs, except for a single 24-bit CD remaster of the "Spring" & "Kreutzer" sonatas:

https://www.amazon.com/Beethoven-Vi...enazy+beethoven&qid=1576875595&s=music&sr=1-9
https://www.amazon.com/Spring-Kreut...violin+sonatas&qid=1576869233&s=music&sr=1-45

Therefore, the set as a whole could probably use a fresh remastering.

5. Pamela Frank, Claude Frank--this is terrific music making from the father and daughter duo. Claude Frank was known for his playing of Beethoven's 32 Piano Sonatas, and he plays well on these recordings, as does his daughter. I'd consider this a sleeper set, and wouldn't be surprised if it were some people's favorite cycle of Beethoven's Violin Sonatas 1-10. The sound quality is also very good:





https://www.amazon.com/Beethoven-10...violin+sonatas&qid=1576620299&s=music&sr=1-12

6. Arthur Grumiaux, Clara Haskil--This set offers great playing, too, but unfortunately I've never warmed to the CD sound transfers of the 1957 Philips recordings. I've even find them hard to listen to, so I rarely play the set. If it ever gets remastered in better sound (perhaps by Penatone on hybrid SACD, or Eloquence Ambient Surround Sound Imaging/AMSI), it would become a prime choice, as Grumiaux and Haskil play wonderfully together (& especially in their Mozart Violin Sonatas, which have been superbly well remastered in AMSI: https://www.amazon.com/Haskil-Spiel...l+spielt+Mozart&qid=1576705920&s=music&sr=1-1). In the meantime, it isn't a set that I'd strongly recommend, except of course to Grumiaux/Haskil fans (& to listeners that don't especially care about having good sound quality in chamber music). Alternatively, I'd recommend Grumiaux's recordings with Claudio Arrau instead (see below).






Here are some other very good sets that you might want to consider, since we all have different tastes, and of course I've never taken the time to sit down and directly compare all of these sets, which would be extremely time consuming; rather I can only offer what my listening impressions have been over the years, & what I remember may not always be entirely reliable. Note that I've listed the following sets in a very general order of preference:

--Ibragimova/Tiberghien--excellent live performances from Wigmore Hall in London (a set that unfortunately hasn't been boxed): 



https://www.amazon.com/Beethoven-Violin-Sonatas-Vol-1/dp/B003GWDSWG/ref=cm_cr_dp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8
https://www.amazon.com/Beethoven-Vi.../dp/B0045DO9DM/ref=cm_cr_dp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8
https://www.amazon.com/Beethoven-Vi...6443S0TK19W&psc=1&refRID=57AST951Q6443S0TK19W

--R. Capuçon/Braley--an excellent bargain set, in very good sound. This would probably be my first pick for a discount set made in the digital era: https://www.amazon.com/Beethoven-Complete-Sonatas-Violin-Piano/dp/B003XSXLP2); although the Nishizaki/Jando bargain discs on Naxos are surprisingly good, too: https://www.amazon.com/Beethoven-Vi...tas+naxos+jando&qid=1576861363&s=music&sr=1-2

--Kremer/Argerich--a very fine digital era set, in good sound. If you like the artists, no need to hesitate.

--Dumay/Pires--this is also a very good set, but I tend to prefer Pires' Beethoven playing to Dumay's. Nor do I think DG's sound engineering is always flattering to Dumay's violin tone, which was a negative for me. Nevertheless, some people really like these recordings, and my issue with the sound engineering may be partly due to my own stereo system.

--Fouchenneret/Descharmes--an excellent live recording from two young French musicians that should be better known:





https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01JQFCSIQ/ref=dm_ws_sp_ps_dp

--Cerovsek/Jumppanen--another surprisingly fine set: https://www.amazon.com/10-Violin-So...onatas+cerovsek&qid=1576869659&s=music&sr=1-1

--Kavakos/Pace--a very good set in excellent sound. For a violinist that has such a beautiful tone, Kavakos doesn't mind making some rougher sounds in this set--to add interpretative depth to the music I suppose: https://www.amazon.com/Beethoven-Vi...+pace+beethoven&qid=1576869917&s=music&sr=1-1

--Shoji/Cascioli--Sayaka Shoji was a student of Ughi's in Italy, and Cascioli has a real affinity for Beethoven's music, so they make an interesting duo, and they're well recorded, too. However, the individual CDs were only ever released in Asia and can be pricey (& difficult to find now), which makes the set less attractive. Yet the performances are well worth hearing:





https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=shoji+cascioli+beethoven





--Kreisler/Rupp--my top historical pick: https://www.amazon.com/Beethoven-Co...violin+sonatas&qid=1576620299&s=music&sr=1-13.

I've not heard the current 'in progress' cycle from violinist Lorenzo Gatto and pianist Julien Libeer (a former Pires' pupil) on the Alpha label, but it has been getting excellent reviews: https://www.amazon.com/Beethoven-Vi...+violin+sonatas&qid=1576781865&s=music&sr=1-1. Nor have I heard all of Pinchas Zukerman's RCA digital set, with pianist Marc Neikrug, to rate it fairly (or Zukerman's earlier Violin Sonatas nos. 1-6 with Daniel Barenboim, on EMI double fforte).

I haven't heard the period set from violinist Midori Seiler and fortepianist Jos van Immerseel, either, but would like to, since in some ways this music gains considerably when played on period instruments (as the balances are different and arguably closer to what Beethoven actually had in mind): https://www.amazon.com/Beethoven-Co...qid=1576782221&s=dmusic&search-type=ss&sr=1-1

Finally, I wasn't altogether crazy about the sets from Mutter/Orkis (whose set I've liked better than I did on first hearing, though Mutter is preferable in Mozart I think), Faust/Melnikov (whose interpretations I found rather odd in places, though I've liked Faust's playing elsewhere), Szeryng/Haebler (as I'm not a fan of Szeryng's Beethoven, which I find dull), and Stern/Istomin (as I'm not a Stern fan, either).

II. Among individual recordings, I wouldn't want to be without the following discs:

--Oleg Kagan/Sviatoslav Richter--who made a series of live Beethoven recordings that were later released by Live Classics after the violinist's death, and a 1980s digital studio recording of the "Spring" Sonata released by EMI double fforte. After his long time violin partner David Oistrakh passed away, Richter began to perform with Oistrakh's former pupil, Kagan. Richter once said that Kagan was an immensely gifted young violinist, but that he could be erratic. I think that's a fairly accurate statement. Their Live Classics Beethoven recordings are wonderful, but I wasn't quite as keen on their EMI studio "Spring" Sonata: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hpQZY3Ncq2U; though it does comes coupled with some of the finest Mozart Violin Sonata playing in the catalogue, in my estimation:





https://www.amazon.com/Mozart-Violin-Sonatas-Beethoven-Nos/dp/B00005B5NQ

--Oleg Kagan, Vassily Lobanov: more live Kagan performances of Beethoven's Violin Sonatas nos. 3, 8, & 10. This Live Classics CD is one of my favorite single discs of Beethoven Violin Sonatas. It's arguably even better than Kagan's performances with Richter, which is saying something. You can listen to it on YT:

No. 8: 



No. 3: 




https://www.amazon.com/Kagan-VIII-V...n+live+classics&qid=1576623020&s=music&sr=1-3.

--Arthur Grumiaux, Claudio Arrau--I'd strongly recommend Penatone's beautiful remasters of these recordings onto hybrid SACD (which sound great): https://www.amazon.com/Beethoven-So...+violin+sonatas&qid=1576620299&s=music&sr=1-6.

No. 7: 




But unfortunately Pentatone didn't remaster & release all of the Beethoven sonatas that Grumiaux and Arrau made together in the 1970s. For that, you have to buy the following Eloquence label release, where the sound quality isn't quite as flattering to Grumiaux's violin tone:





https://www.amazon.com/Beethoven-So...arrau+beethoven&qid=1576860611&s=music&sr=1-2.

--Viktoria Mullova, Kristian Bezuidenhout--a brilliant recording of the "Kreutzer" Sonata & Violin Sonata no. 3 on period instruments, which has received strong reviews: https://www.amazon.com/Beethoven-Vi...va+bezuidenhout&qid=1576782441&s=music&sr=1-1.

Individual historical recordings (in addition to the Kreisler/Rupp set):

--Adolf Busch, Rudolf Serkin--These are legendary recordings from the young Rudolf Serkin and his father in law, Adolf Busch, who is probably my favorite historical violinist, & a great musician.
--"Andante" label booklet & CD set--which is comprised of a treasure trove of historical recordings of the "Spring" and "Kreutzer" Sonatas, from the following famous violin/piano duos: Kreisler/Rupp, Goldberg/Kraus, Milstein/Balsam, Kulenkampff/Kempff, Szigeti/Bartok, and Busch/Serkin: https://www.amazon.com/Ludwig-Van-B...thoven+kreutzer&qid=1576706226&s=music&sr=1-1. 
--Bronislav Hubermann, Ignaz Friedman--another legendary recording of the "Kreutzer" Sonata (violin slides & all): 



--Yehudi Menuhin, Hephzibah Menuhin (brother & sister)--their 1959 EMI recordings of the "Spring" and "Kreutzer" sonatas, and no. 10 on Biddulph:








https://www.amazon.com/Yehudi-Menuh...ehudi+Beethoven&qid=1576892682&s=music&sr=1-1
https://www.amazon.com/Menuhins-Yeh...ehudi+Beethoven&qid=1576892682&s=music&sr=1-4
https://www.amazon.com/Beethoven-Vi...ehudi+Beethoven&qid=1576892682&s=music&sr=1-5

I hope the above list serves a good guide to what's out there. I'll try to write another post of my top recommendations for recordings of Beethoven's piano trios; however, with the piano trios there is an even greater glut of exceptional recordings, especially those made in the digital era...


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## flamencosketches (Jan 4, 2019)

Once again, I must thank you, Josquin, for the detailed, helpful post, though I must say it would have come a bit more in handy yesterday, as I just pulled the trigger on a Beethoven violin sonatas cycle this morning  It is somewhat reassuring that the set I chose is one that you spoke highly of in your review...: it is the Renaud Capuçon & Frank Braley set on Virgin/Erato. Of those I sampled, I seemed to enjoy this one the best. I was most impressed by the sound, which I found very warm (by modern digital standards) and the lyrical playing from both soloists. Moreover I don't have much Beethoven from French interpreters in my library, and I would like to change that.

In any case I'll be bookmarking your response and returning to it in the future, as I'm sure we all know, sometimes one set is not enough for a lifetime, especially when it comes to Beethoven, a favorite composer of mine. Eventually I would like to complement it with more recordings, perhaps something from the analogue era. I ordered a disc of two piano trios w/ Wilhelm Kempff et al., but still will need a full set eventually, so I look forward to reading your deep-dive on your favorite recordings of the trios whenever you get the chance to compile a list. 

:tiphat:


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## Brahmsianhorn (Feb 17, 2017)

Kreisler
Huberman
Busch
Perlman


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