# Who did the best Beethoven Piano Sonata 'cycle'?



## RogerWaters (Feb 13, 2017)

This list reflects my own wonderings and I do not pretend that it is 'difinitive'. 

Of artists with more than one cycle, feel free to specify which in the comments.

If it wasn't for all the snorting at highly predictable moments, I would pick Arrau with a clear conscience as opposed to a conflicted one. I cannot comply with the premise that the extracurricular noises an artist chooses to include in his recordings are irrelevant to the resulting artistry. 

Yes I know Gilels' was not complete.

I regret omitting Goode, and Gulda.


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## wkasimer (Jun 5, 2017)

RogerWaters said:


> I regret omitting Goode, and Gulda.


I regret the omission of Goodyear and Korstick, too...


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## EmperorOfIceCream (Jan 3, 2020)

behold, Brendel 1992


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## Allegro Con Brio (Jan 3, 2020)

Schnabel for historical importance, unique insights, and sheer humanity. Arrau for searching, lyrical romanticism. Brendel and Kempff for naturalness and songfulness. Fischer for searing drama and daring characterizations. Gilels for the win


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## consuono (Mar 27, 2020)

I voted for Schiff.


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## Rogerx (Apr 27, 2018)

One vote polls are not fair, so sorry: no vote.


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## RogerWaters (Feb 13, 2017)

Rogerx said:


> One vote polls are not fair, so sorry: no vote.


How _will _we get on without you?


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## Axter (Jan 15, 2020)

For me Kempff. Closely followed by Barenboim.


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## allaroundmusicenthusiast (Jun 3, 2020)

For me it's Brautigam's cycle of the complete piano works, so I didn't vote


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## premont (May 7, 2015)

For me Backhaus, closely followed by Kempff.


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## Caroline (Oct 27, 2018)

allaroundmusicenthusiast said:


> For me it's Brautigam's cycle of the complete piano works, so I didn't vote


I asked myself the same question as well as why Lubin was not included as he also demonstrated exceptional ability on a fortepiano. 

After agonizing about making the best choice I could, etc., I ultimately voted for Gilels. Gilels' tempo and lyricism lets the music sing - as Beethoven meant most of his music to do.

Close seconds to Fischer and Arrau.

Special mentions to Schnabel as he laid the foundation. Brautigam for overall interpretation of period works.

Thanks for the poll even though one choice is unfair...


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## Bulldog (Nov 21, 2013)

One vote polls are not unfair. They are just more of a challenge.


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## Caroline (Oct 27, 2018)

Bulldog said:


> One vote polls are not unfair. They are just more of a challenge.


For sure. The smoke came out of my ears for this one...


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## RogerWaters (Feb 13, 2017)

Although I knew he'd be a contender, I'm surprised to see Kempff out front. I had tipped Gilels, based on TC recommendation pages.


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## Highwayman (Jul 16, 2018)

Gilels is my favourite pianist and would have voted for him if he had a full cycle but amongst the legitimate cycles Kempff wins the race for me with some distance pursued by Arrau. I`d also recommend Buchbinder and Biret.


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## Saxman (Jun 11, 2019)

Of those listed, I'd go for Kempff overall.


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## Chilham (Jun 18, 2020)

Brautigam. ....


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## wkasimer (Jun 5, 2017)

RogerWaters said:


> Although I knew he'd be a contender, I'm surprised to see Kempff out front.


I'm not all that surprised. I suspect that some of it relates to "imprinting". Although this is an international forum, I suspect that Americans are over-represented. Back in the 60's and early 70's, many of us Americans first heard the complete sonatas via Kempff's stereo set, because that was pretty much all that was easily available. There were other sets, of course, but they were usually hard to obtain imports. In the 70's, I shopped at and worked in a record store (Cutler's in New Haven) with an excellent classical stock, and I don't remember any complete set on the shelves other than Kempff's stereo set. Two-thirds of the sets in the survey weren't issued until after that, and others, like Backhaus and Arrau, were hard to obtain except as individual discs.

I didn't pay much attention to the Beethoven sonatas until the late 1990's, when I first heard Kovacevich's EMI recordings, so it's no great surprise that he got my vote.


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## SanAntone (May 10, 2020)

Many more recent cycles left off the list:

François-Frédéric Guy
Stewart Goodyear
Peter Takacs
Mari Kodama
Jonathan Biss
Andrea Lucchesini

To name a few. I voted for Schiff, which is my favorite among the ones listed.


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## Reichstag aus LICHT (Oct 25, 2010)

Another vote for Schiff, whose sonatas I've listened to more than any other. I've recently been impressed by Igor Levit, but I've not yet listened to it all. 

Also, a shout-out for Friedrich Gulda. I'm very fond of both his mono and stereo sets.


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## CnC Bartok (Jun 5, 2017)

There is something really special about the old Schnabel recordings, but of those listed, I'd vote for Paul Lewis.

Where's John Lill, though?


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## WildThing (Feb 21, 2017)

I MIGHT have voted for the Gulda had it been listed, but as is I went for Schnabel. His interpretations just have an extraordinary freshness and spontaneity.


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## KenOC (Mar 7, 2011)

Schiff has long been my favorite, but the sands may shift as I grow more familiar with Goodyear, Levit, and Say. Not sure I can really make a choice any more.


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## Dimace (Oct 19, 2018)

I voted for my city. I voted for Berlin. I have chosen my neighbor the GREAT Daniel! :angel:


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## Rogerx (Apr 27, 2018)

RogerWaters said:


> How _will _we get on without you?


You will survive, I am sure !!!


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## premont (May 7, 2015)

Rogerx said:


> You will survive, I am sure !!!


We survived the loss of Pugg, so you are probably right.


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## RogerWaters (Feb 13, 2017)

CnC Bartok said:


> There is something really special about the old Schnabel recordings, but of those listed, I'd vote for Paul Lewis.
> 
> Where's John Lill, though?


polls are limited to 15 options.


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## Caryatid (Mar 28, 2020)

It's hard to pick a modern cycle. There are many good ones. As for the others:

Classic: Backhaus
Fortepiano: Brautigam


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## SONNET CLV (May 31, 2014)

*Who did the best Beethoven Piano Sonata 'cycle'?*

I'll vote for this guy.









Isn't that the _Les Adieux_ that he's playing?

I hope he gets the pedaling right.


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## mparta (Sep 29, 2020)

Gilels is the best pianist playing a considered and musically compelling cycle. 
Kempff is not much of a pianist comparatively and there are so many peculiar things about his Beethoven. I do like it.
Fischer is wonderful and I would consider her with Goode and Gilels for cycles as being comparatively interesting, well played and idiomatic.

The Brendel propaganda machine still puzzles me. 

Serkin didn't do a cycle.

I like what I have of Brautigam, but i don't like that pianoforte. He's a very good player and musician who restricts the quality of his work by insisting on doing the soapbox derby version of Beethoven. That should spark some defender of period performance to rise up, pitchfork in hand!!

Schiff good but again, idiosyncrasies that I don't think serve him as well in Beethoven as in Bach. He is a supreme Bach player to me.

Schnabel, oh well, no need to rehash that.

I do like many things that Francois Fredrick Guy does, although it's a little "dour". Always a good day when you can slip that one in.

Arrau is the only pianist on this list of the level of Gilels, but to me the concept is a little darker, informed by Brahms rather than the earlier 19th century. Backhaus some of the same although the virtuosity is unparalleled. Unfortunately I can hear what they mean when they describe his playing as "pinning the ears of the music back" (reference to his Chopin?)

i think Barenboim is a bit of a fraud. Very puffed up but never very good.

I think one of the great Beethoven experiences is seeing Gilels Waldstein. Masterful beyond belief.


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