# Most recommended Beethoven Sonatas set?



## ST4 (Oct 27, 2016)

So I've already got bits and pieces of the Piano Sonatas in various recordings but I am willing to invest in a complete set, unleash your recommendations and I'll invest in a set! :tiphat:


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## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

ST4 said:


> So I've already got bits and pieces of the Piano Sonatas in various recordings but I am willing to invest in a complete set, unleash your recommendations and I'll invest in a set! :tiphat:


Not one second of being rude but if you use the advance search you see different topics with the same question.:angel:


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## bharbeke (Mar 4, 2013)

I've only listened to one complete set, which was by Wilhelm Kempff. I was very pleased with it, and he was almost always as good as the best individual sonata performance for each of the 32.


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## wkasimer (Jun 5, 2017)

ST4 said:


> So I've already got bits and pieces of the Piano Sonatas in various recordings but I am willing to invest in a complete set, unleash your recommendations and I'll invest in a set! :tiphat:


As Pugg suggests, you might want to search for previous threads in this topic. But since I haven't contributed to any of them, you might consider Buchbinder's set, if you can still find it:

https://www.amazon.com/Beethoven-Complete-Sonatas-Rudolf-Buchbinder/dp/B004Q8FTDK

Central, ungimmicky performances, in excellent sound. Recorded live, although you'd never know it.

You also might want to wait until Kovacevich's cycle is reissued next month:

https://www.amazon.com/Beethoven-Piano-Sonatas-Bagatelles-9CD/dp/B0714GDHFM

The sonics aren't as good, but the performances certainly are superb. At US$24, this one is a steal.


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## Manxfeeder (Oct 19, 2010)

Annie Fischer's name will come up on any list. I've lost her set amongst my burgeoning CD stack. If you have a free afternoon, you can come over and help me find it.


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## Mandryka (Feb 22, 2013)

ST4 said:


> So I've already got bits and pieces of the Piano Sonatas in various recordings but I am willing to invest in a complete set, unleash your recommendations and I'll invest in a set! :tiphat:


The first thing you need to do is decide whether you want the music played romantically, with big symphonic gestures and extreme emotion. Or whether you want it played classically: noble, restrained. And you must decide whether you enjoy modern pianos or prefer instruments from the first half of the 19th century.

Of course you may not know the answers to those questions, and so you may need to listen to a few different approaches to see what is right for you. If that's the case I wouldn't buy anything until you've listened a lot through spotify.


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## ST4 (Oct 27, 2016)

Mandryka said:


> The first thing you need to do is decide whether you want the music played romantically, with big symphonic gestures and extreme emotion. Or whether you want it played classically: noble, restrained. And you must decide whether you enjoy modern pianos or prefer instruments from the first half of the 19th century.
> 
> Of course you may not know the answers to those questions, and so you may need to listen to a few different approaches to see what is right for you. If that's the case I wouldn't buy anything until you've listened a lot through spotify.


Can I go half-way and say the earlier sonatas played restrained and the later sonatas played more romantically?


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## Star (May 27, 2017)

Serkin was a great Beethoven player although his set is not complete.


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## Mandryka (Feb 22, 2013)

ST4 said:


> Can I go half-way and say the earlier sonatas played restrained and the later sonatas played more romantically?


When do the early sonatas end -- op 10?


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## hpowders (Dec 23, 2013)

I recommend the Annie Fischer complete set. She is remarkably, consistantly excellent throughout the 32.


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## wkasimer (Jun 5, 2017)

Manxfeeder said:


> Annie Fischer's name will come up on any list. I've lost her set amongst my burgeoning CD stack. If you have a free afternoon, you can come over and help me find it.


I probably should have mentioned Fischer's set, which is one of my favorites, but the sonics aren't as good as on Buchbinder's set. And I have a habit of recommending bargains - Fischer's set is rather pricey.


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## Manxfeeder (Oct 19, 2010)

wkasimer said:


> I probably should have mentioned Fischer's set, which is one of my favorites, but the sonics aren't as good as on Buchbinder's set. And I have a habit of recommending bargains - Fischer's set is rather pricey.


It is expensive. Fortunately, I got the entire Fischer set as a download somewhere for $10. I wish I could remember where. Maybe the offer will come up again.


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## wkasimer (Jun 5, 2017)

Manxfeeder said:


> It is expensive. Fortunately, I got the entire Fischer set as a download somewhere for $10. I wish I could remember where. Maybe the offer will come up again.


Probably at CD Universe.


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## ribonucleic (Aug 20, 2014)

For a balance of performance, sound, and value, you might consider Claudio Arrau.

Since some overachiever uploaded the entire set in a single YouTube clip (!!), you can preview it for free.


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## DiesIraeCX (Jul 21, 2014)




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## Mandryka (Feb 22, 2013)

hpowders said:


> I recommend the Annie Fischer complete set.


Too romantic in the earlier music for the OP


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## Mandryka (Feb 22, 2013)

DiesIraeCX said:


>


Pollini's just not good enough in too many sonatas.


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## ST4 (Oct 27, 2016)

I need time but I will make an educated guess with this thanks to you guys


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## Mandryka (Feb 22, 2013)

ST4 said:


> Can I go half-way and say the earlier sonatas played restrained and the later sonatas played more romantically?


 Daniel-Ben Pienaar


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## WildThing (Feb 21, 2017)

Given the sheer number of cycles available, I can't pretend to have listened to enough to give a comprehensive overview, comparison and recommendation. All I can do is tell you what cycles I have and how I would rank them based on my own personal preference:

1. Artur Schnabel
2. Wilhelm Kempff (1950s Mono)
3. Friedrich Gulda (Amadeo)
4. Claudio Arrau
5. Annie Fischer
6. Emil Gilels (Incomplete)
7. Wilhelm Backhaus (Stereo)
8. Alfred Brendel

All of them have their merits, however whether or not you'd be interested in the Schnabel would depend on how you feel about historic recordings and if you're willing to compromise a lack of technical perfection for spontaneity, energy, and wonderful expressiveness of playing. 

If I were recommending one set on a balance of sound and interpretation, my list would probably look quite different. I understand why the Fischer has gotten so many mentions, and it is a great, consistent set. However I myself would probably recommend the Gulda as my favorite go-to cycle for combination of sound and performance.


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## wkasimer (Jun 5, 2017)

WildThing said:


> If I were recommending one set on a balance of sound and interpretation, my list would probably look quite different. I understand why the Fischer has gotten so many mentions, and it is a great, consistent set. However I myself would probably recommend the Gulda as my favorite go-to cycle for combination of sound and performance.


Another excellent suggestion. The Gulda set has been reissued on Eloquence, and is another bargain (and includes the piano concerti as a bonus):

https://www.amazon.de/Gulda-spielt-Beethoven-Klaviersonaten-Klavierkonzerte/dp/B000BQV52A


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## david johnson (Jun 25, 2007)

Kempff-mono is my box.


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## Holden4th (Jul 14, 2017)

My first ever LvB sonata record was Kempff 8/14/23 Mono. From there I acquired some Richter-Haaser (Op 2), a number of the Barenboim LPs and got introduced to both Solomon and Schnabel. At this stage I had about half of the sonatas, all in LP form as CD hadn't been invented. 

It was when CD came out that I bought my first 'sets'. The complete Schnabel and the EMI Barenboim. At that stage it became clear that one set wasn't going to give definitive performances of all the '32 so I went on a listening spree and slowly added individual CDs to my collection. I could now turn to a performance of a specific sonata that I rated as the best that I had heard at that point in time. I also began to appreciate that there was more than one approach to any sonata. I now look at the sets that I've acquired and wonder how often do I listen to them. 

This is how I would approach it. If you are not familiar with all of the LvB sonatas then a 'set' is a good way to get started. After that you can seek out individual performances that become your top choice and this is what I did. 

The set I would recommend without hesitation is the 'Annie Fischer' There is not a dud performance in the whole set. But having said that she only has one sonata that is definitive for me - Op 49/2.

If you are already familiar with the '32 then use the expertise on this forum to seek out individual stand outs. When I was doing this I had to go out and buy the CD and hope it was what I wanted though a CD store with good listening preview facilities certainly helped. This is no longer a problem as we have digital streaming sites. Get a recommendation, listen to it on line and then buy the CD if it matches your expectations. There are knowledgeable people on this forum that can make sound recommendations. That said, it's what you like that counts.

A final word about sets of the LvB Sonatas. Different pianists use different approaches. The much vaunted Gulda Amadeo left me cold. I've got the box set here (Brilliant version) if someone wants it. I'll never listen to it again. Too fast, limited dynamic range and no sense of Sturm und Drang. The Kempff mono is a different approach that eschews much of the bravura and bombast but is very strong lyrically. Schnabel is very good but struggles technically in some sonatas - especially the late ones. 

Good luck in your quest to find the elusive holy grail.


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## chesapeake bay (Aug 3, 2015)

Schnabel's performances are an excellent starting point. While the sonic's aren't that great, his playing is always excellent and you can get it so inexpensively at Amazon https://www.amazon.com/Beethoven-Piano-Sonatas-Schnabel-Ludwig/dp/B002KHUEOI/ref=sr_1_1?s=dmusic&ie=UTF8&qid=1500029658&sr=1-1-mp3-albums-bar-strip-0&keywords=schnabel+beethoven+sonatas


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## WildThing (Feb 21, 2017)

chesapeake bay said:


> Schnabel's performances are an excellent starting point. While the sonic's aren't that great, his playing is always excellent and you can get it so inexpensively at Amazon https://www.amazon.com/Beethoven-Piano-Sonatas-Schnabel-Ludwig/dp/B002KHUEOI/ref=sr_1_1?s=dmusic&ie=UTF8&qid=1500029658&sr=1-1-mp3-albums-bar-strip-0&keywords=schnabel+beethoven+sonatas


I actually think that if you're considering the Schnabel set, it's very much worth investing more to get the remastering by Pristine. The sound is still primitive by modern standards, but the static and surface noise have been greatly reduced, and is much better than what you'll hear from that cheap download, as tempting as the price point is.


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## DiesIraeCX (Jul 21, 2014)

Mandryka said:


> Pollini's just not good enough in too many sonatas.


Obviously, I would respectfully disagree, while still admitting he's perhaps not as strong in the early sonatas as he is in the middle and late period sonatas.

What is your go-to cycle? Or if you don't have a cycle, who do you recommend for the early sonatas?


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## Mandryka (Feb 22, 2013)

DiesIraeCX said:


> Obviously, I would respectfully disagree, while still admitting he's perhaps not as strong in the early sonatas as he is in the middle and late period sonatas.


I think it's the later recordings which are weakest, I enjoyed his op 10, his op 2 less.



DiesIraeCX said:


> What is your go-to cycle? Or if you don't have a cycle, who do you recommend for the early sonatas?


Paul Badura Skoda (Astrée)


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## wkasimer (Jun 5, 2017)

chesapeake bay said:


> Schnabel's performances are an excellent starting point. While the sonic's aren't that great, his playing is always excellent


I must disagree with this. As much as I love Schnabel's Beethoven (and I think that he was the finest Beethoven interpreter I've heard), his technical limitations and the sonics of 1930's recording prevent me from ever recommending his set of sonatas to anyone who doesn't already own a set or two, or lots of individual performances by pianists with better technical skills, in better sound than can be provided for Schnabel's recordings.


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## KenOC (Mar 7, 2011)

In voting on another forum, the Andras Schiff cycle was preferred. However it's still pricey.


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## WildThing (Feb 21, 2017)

wkasimer said:


> I must disagree with this. As much as I love Schnabel's Beethoven (and I think that he was the finest Beethoven interpreter I've heard), his technical limitations and the sonics of 1930's recording prevent me from ever recommending his set of sonatas to anyone who doesn't already own a set or two, or lots of individual performances by pianists with better technical skills, in better sound than can be provided for Schnabel's recordings.


Oh I agree with this. It's an irreplaceable _supplementary_ cycle, but I'm not sure it should be anyone's one and only set.


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## chill782002 (Jan 12, 2017)

Further to other recommendations, Schnabel. While it's true that the technical standard of his playing does not always match that of some other pianists, he conveys emotion in his renditions that other performances I've heard just can't match in my opinion. Go for the Nuova Era or Dante versions though, those are the best sounding. The Naxos is almost as good and much easier to find than those two. The Pearl has too much surface noise and the EMI has had a lot of noise reduction applied to it, resulting in a muffled sound and reduced high end.


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## WildThing (Feb 21, 2017)

chill782002 said:


> Further to other recommendations, Schnabel. While it's true that the technical standard of his playing does not always match that of some other pianists, he conveys emotion in his renditions that other performances I've heard just can't match in my opinion.


As far as Schnabel's technical deficiencies go, according to Claudio Arrau Schnabel was past his prime when he made records in studio, and he was never really comfortable with the recording process, which probably contributed to the occasional flub:

"He was a really uncompromising interpreter, and a great player -- but not really on record; on record you don't get the complete thing. He was not old when he started making records, but already he was past his peak when he recorded Beethoven. People don't realise that when he came to England and America he was already nervous, and had suffered a lot from stage fright. His technique wasn't quite controlled anymore. But I heard him many, many times in Germany, before Hitler, and in those days he was technically flawless. Never a wrong note, technically clean; he had wonderful fingers. Even on records, of course, the slow movements are wonderful. But in the fast movements he starts rushing and so on, which he never did before."

In any case, his interpretations have a controlled freedom that are amazing to listen to.


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## DiesIraeCX (Jul 21, 2014)

Mandryka said:


> I think it's the later recordings which are weakest, I enjoyed his op 10, his op 2 less.
> 
> Paul Badura Skoda (Astrée)


Interesting, if I understand correctly. The later sonatas are the most acclaimed of his entire set, Pollini's recording of the late sonatas (which you'll notice I use for my avatar pic) is rightfully a much-lauded recording.

Thanks for the Badura Skoda recommendation, I'll check him out.


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## wkasimer (Jun 5, 2017)

chill782002 said:


> Go for the Nuova Era or Dante versions though, those are the best sounding. The Naxos is almost as good and much easier to find than those two. The Pearl has too much surface noise and the EMI has had a lot of noise reduction applied to it, resulting in a muffled sound and reduced high end.


I owned the Dante version at one point, but gave it up when I bought Seth Winner's Pearl transfers. Yes, there's a lot of surface noise, but somehow it seems separate from the actual piano sound and is easier to mentally filter. With the Dante, the noise that's left becomes inseparable from the piano. And the Pearl transfers give the piano a more natural sound. I haven't heard the Nuovo Era version.

The latest Warner incarnation is an abomination, the product of utter incompetence and/or complete disregard for EMI's musical legacy.


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## Mandryka (Feb 22, 2013)

DiesIraeCX said:


> Interesting, if I understand correctly. The later sonatas are the most acclaimed of his entire set, Pollini's recording of the late sonatas (which you'll notice I use for my avatar pic) is rightfully a much-lauded recording.
> 
> Thanks for the Badura Skoda recommendation, I'll check him out.


No sorry, my lack of clarity, I meant the recordings he made later, not Beethoven's later sonatas. The op 2 set is quite a recent recording, as is the one with op 7 if I remember right. I love his op 106- op 111. Best of all, I would say, is his Diabelli Variations.


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## hpowders (Dec 23, 2013)

WildThing said:


> As far as Schnabel's technical deficiencies go, according to Claudio Arrau Schnabel was past his prime when he made records in studio, and he was never really comfortable with the recording process, which probably contributed to the occasional flub:
> 
> "He was a really uncompromising interpreter, and a great player -- but not really on record; on record you don't get the complete thing. He was not old when he started making records, but already he was past his peak when he recorded Beethoven. People don't realise that when he came to England and America he was already nervous, and had suffered a lot from stage fright. His technique wasn't quite controlled anymore. But I heard him many, many times in Germany, before Hitler, and in those days he was technically flawless. Never a wrong note, technically clean; he had wonderful fingers. Even on records, of course, the slow movements are wonderful. But in the fast movements he starts rushing and so on, which he never did before."
> 
> In any case, his interpretations have a controlled freedom that are amazing to listen to.


I have a "live" recording of Schnabel doing the Beethoven Third Concerto with the NY Philharmonic and it is a sloppy mess.


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## WildThing (Feb 21, 2017)

hpowders said:


> I have a "live" recording of Schnabel doing the Beethoven Third Concerto with the NY Philharmonic and it is a sloppy mess.


:lol:

Duly noted. My impressions are that Schnabel was never one who was too terribly bothered by wrong notes. I was simply reporting Arrau's thoughts on the subject.


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## premont (May 7, 2015)

Holden4th said:


> The much vaunted Gulda Amadeo left me cold. I've got the box set here (Brilliant version) if someone wants it. I'll never listen to it again. Too fast, limited dynamic range and no sense of Sturm und Drang.


Good to see someone else expressing this opinion. I thought I was the only one thinking so.


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## WildThing (Feb 21, 2017)

Oh, Gulda is definitely lean, swift and powerful. Those are the qualities I enjoy in it so much. No performer encompasses every aspect of these magnificent works, and that's why hearing multiple interpretations of them only adds to our understanding of them.


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## Triplets (Sep 4, 2014)

wkasimer said:


> I owned the Dante version at one point, but gave it up when I bought Seth Winner's Pearl transfers. Yes, there's a lot of surface noise, but somehow it seems separate from the actual piano sound and is easier to mentally filter. With the Dante, the noise that's left becomes inseparable from the piano. And the Pearl transfers give the piano a more natural sound. I haven't heard the Nuovo Era version.
> 
> The latest Warner incarnation is an abomination, the product of utter incompetence and/or complete disregard for EMI's musical legacy.


I had the Pearl transfers and agree with your comments. I gave away the CDs after I was able to download the set for $5 in mp3 sound and found it sounding identical to the ups. That is one advantage of older recordings


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## hpowders (Dec 23, 2013)

WildThing said:


> :lol:
> 
> Duly noted. My impressions are that Schnabel was never one who was too terribly bothered by wrong notes. I was simply reporting Arrau's thoughts on the subject.


I also heard Rubinstein do the Beethoven Emperor with the Boston Symphony and it was also a sloppy mess.

Rubinstein was already well into his 80's and Schnabel was most likely also at the end of his career.

Some guys, like Arnold Palmer, don't know when it's time to quit...so they embarrass themselves.


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## Larkenfield (Jun 5, 2017)

Thank you for Claudio Arrau's account of Schnabel's performances. I found it quite illuminating and of course greatly enjoy both pianists regardless of any imperfections. Particularly Arrau in Beethoven is one of my all time favorites because of the richness and psychological depth of his interpretations.


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## chill782002 (Jan 12, 2017)

DiesIraeCX said:


> Thanks for the Badura Skoda recommendation, I'll check him out.


The Badura-Skoda set I have is excellent but is played on period fortepianos. Not sure if this is the set that Mandryka is referring to though.


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## chill782002 (Jan 12, 2017)

wkasimer said:


> I owned the Dante version at one point, but gave it up when I bought Seth Winner's Pearl transfers. Yes, there's a lot of surface noise, but somehow it seems separate from the actual piano sound and is easier to mentally filter. With the Dante, the noise that's left becomes inseparable from the piano. And the Pearl transfers give the piano a more natural sound. I haven't heard the Nuovo Era version.
> 
> The latest Warner incarnation is an abomination, the product of utter incompetence and/or complete disregard for EMI's musical legacy.


I think I read somewhere that the Pearl set is direct transfers from 78s without anything being done to the sound. This should mean that they are the most faithful reproductions but also explains the surface noise, which is just too much for me. I completely agree with you that the EMI / Warner versions should be avoided at all costs though, the sound is appalling, just no-noised to death.


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## Marc (Jun 15, 2007)

chill782002 said:


> The Badura-Skoda set I have is excellent but is played on period fortepianos. Not sure if this is the set that Mandryka is referring to though.


Yep.
That's the Astrée set.
AFAIK, not easy to grab though. (I, alas, do not have it.)


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## Manxfeeder (Oct 19, 2010)

chill782002 said:


> I completely agree with you that the EMI / Warner versions should be avoided at all costs though, the sound is appalling, just no-noised to death.


Are you talking about this one?


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## wkasimer (Jun 5, 2017)

Manxfeeder said:


> Are you talking about this one?
> 
> View attachment 96100


I don't know if he is, but you should avoid the new one, too. A sonic abomination.


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## chill782002 (Jan 12, 2017)

Marc said:


> Yep.
> That's the Astrée set.
> AFAIK, not easy to grab though. (I, alas, do not have it.)


That's a shame, it is a lovely set although I still rate Schnabel's highest overall.


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## chill782002 (Jan 12, 2017)

Manxfeeder said:


> Are you talking about this one?
> 
> View attachment 96100


Yes, that's the one, avoid at all costs. I've heard from a few people that the new one is awful too so wkasimer is right with regards to that as well.


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## amfortas (Jun 15, 2011)

wkasimer said:


> Another excellent suggestion. The Gulda set has been reissued on Eloquence, and is another bargain (and includes the piano concerti as a bonus):
> 
> https://www.amazon.de/Gulda-spielt-Beethoven-Klaviersonaten-Klavierkonzerte/dp/B000BQV52A


I have the Gulda and am happy with it. But reading these posts, I may have to invest in another complete cycle before long. Can't have too much Beethoven.


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## KenOC (Mar 7, 2011)

Beethoven sonatas: The cycle from Stewart Goodyear is now $5.99, a wonderful price for a very very good cycle. These are 320K downloads.

https://us.7digital.com/artist/stewart-goodyear/release/beethoven-the-complete-piano-sonatas-1946009


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## Crystal (Aug 8, 2017)

My favourite set is Daniel Barenboim's


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## Tallisman (May 7, 2017)

I was initially put of by some of Kempff's lack of precision, but I've recently come to regard his original mono _*set*_ (still extremely clear, warm sound) as the best for your bucks. Some pianists play some sonatas better than him but as a complete set it's near unbeatable. I haven't explored Gilels' properly but his set is missing a couple so I wouldn't recommend it as much as Kempff's.


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## Animal the Drummer (Nov 14, 2015)

Good call. That set's a favourite of mine as well.


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## vincentfernandes (Jan 8, 2013)

I figured it best to post this here: I've just heard Benjamin Zander play Sonata 14 at the correct tempo and am blown away (he keeps doing that to me). Could anyone recommend a cycle of good quality that follows all of Beethoven's tempo wishes?


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## planet (May 1, 2015)

vincentfernandes said:


> Could anyone recommend a cycle of good quality that follows all of Beethoven's tempo wishes?


Perhaps look into Schiff. I'm working my way through his 32 Wigmore Hall recital-lectures on YouTube, often referencing the original scores and other scholarship. (I'm not a scholar myself, by any means. Just reporting.)


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## haziz (Sep 15, 2017)

Annie Fischer
Richard Goode
Either of Wilhelm Kempff's sets


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## Simon23 (Dec 8, 2020)

I also support both Kempff's cycles. It's hard to say which one is better. In addition, I want to highlight Gieseking, as well as the already mentioned Arrau and Backhaus.


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## Kreisler jr (Apr 21, 2021)

vincentfernandes said:


> I figured it best to post this here: I've just heard Benjamin Zander play Sonata 14 at the correct tempo and am blown away (he keeps doing that to me). Could anyone recommend a cycle of good quality that follows all of Beethoven's tempo wishes?


What is the correct tempo? There is only one sonata with original metronome markings from Beethoven which in this case (op.106) range from very fast (in 2 and 4) to insanely fast (in 1 and 3). For the other sonatas Beethoven's pupil Czerny is the main source for tempi but these were published decades later and are of course contested. (Some find them still too fast, others too slow compared with the

TLDR of the "classic" cycles Gulda (amadeo, later Decca/eloquence and also once on Brilliant classics) is closest to probably correct tempi. However, there are exceptions, such as the first movement of op.27/2 where he is more traditional. And he is still "too slow" in the first movement of op.106 (Schnabel, Korstick and one or two others are closer, but they are usually way off in the slow movement, played at half tempo by Korstick) while much faster than average). Sound is good but not excellent late 1960s stereo. Despite? the fast tempi Gulda is quite precise but rather "cool", many listeners don't find him sufficiently expressive in the big famous sonatas (like Appassionata).

For op.27/2 fist movement, however, get Schnabel (historical sound) and Schiff (not sure if there is another good modern one in a flowing tempo with good bass line). I was not totally convinced by the other handful of sonatas I have with Schiff, finding his lectures more interesting than the actual interpetations...:angel:


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## larold (Jul 20, 2017)

I'd say that depends on how you want to hear it.

If you want prestidigitation and noise at the expense of everything else, just about any living pianist has a set.

If you want to know what made them famous buy Artur Schnabel.

If you want to hear Beethoven's soul behind the fury listen to Wilhelm Kempff.

if you want prestidigitation and some soul buy Pollini.

I like all three above; the modern performer I like best is Valentina Lisitsa -- a fantiastic technician that also knows something about the music behind the notes. She has many on YouTube and has set some kind of record for digital fans.

Seems to me most people just want the first one. If so you can get it from Igor Levit on YouTube and you don't have to buy anything. He pounds away in 21st century sound.


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## amfortas (Jun 15, 2011)

larold said:


> I'd say that depends on how you want to hear it.
> 
> If you want prestidigitation at the expense of everything else, just about any living pianist has a set.
> 
> ...


I just want something shallow and showy. Nice to know I have so many options.


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## larold (Jul 20, 2017)

There are about 200 options. I just listed some famous ones and a couple not so famous.

I'd also recommend Rudolf Buchbinder's second set. He didn't quite have the measure of Beethoven the first time he did it. This happens a lot when people are young, tempestuous and don't know the wisdom behind the chords and notes.

Heck, even Schnabel recorded them all twice -- like Barenboim, Kempff, Brendel and others.

https://www.amazon.com/Complete-Bee...n+piano+sonatas&qid=1626455177&s=music&sr=1-8


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## Wigmar (7 mo ago)

ST4 said:


> So I've already got bits and pieces of the Piano Sonatas in various recordings but I am willing to invest in a complete set, unleash your recommendations and I'll invest in a set! :tiphat:


I would recommend the 3rd recording by Brendel, Philips 446909-2 (10cd)

Best regards
wigmar


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## SixFootScowl (Oct 17, 2011)




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## Oldhoosierdude (May 29, 2016)

Bruce Hungerford has an incomplete set, as he died untimely. It's good.

I like two unhearalded sets, Jando and Taub. But I'm unconventional.

Update:
I did it again. I responded to an old, resurrected thread from someone who hasn't posted for years. I usually pass on those.


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## premont (May 7, 2015)

Oldhoosierdude said:


> Update:
> I did it again. I responded to an old, resurrected thread from someone who hasn't posted for years. I usually pass on those.


Well, the thread is old, but the topic will always be actual.

Jando has always been underrated IMO.


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## Kreisler jr (Apr 21, 2021)

The most frequently recommended over the decades are probably Schnabel, one of Kempff's, Backhaus, Arrau (1960s) Gulda/Amadeo and one of Brendel's (usually Philips 1970s). Cf. #20 above. All of these were (almost) never out of the catalogue and well distributed both in the LP and CD era.


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## AndorFoldes (Aug 25, 2012)

Kreisler jr said:


> The most frequently recommended over the decades are probably Schnabel, one of Kempff's, Backhaus, Arrau (1960s) Gulda/Amadeo and one of Brendel's (usually Philips 1970s). Cf. #20 above. All of these were (almost) never out of the catalogue and well distributed both in the LP and CD era.


Not that I disagree with you, but all of these are relatively old. What about a modern cycle in really good sound?


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## EvaBaron (Jan 3, 2022)

Kreisler jr said:


> The most frequently recommended over the decades are probably Schnabel, one of Kempff's, Backhaus, Arrau (1960s) Gulda/Amadeo and one of Brendel's (usually Philips 1970s). Cf. #20 above. All of these were (almost) never out of the catalogue and well distributed both in the LP and CD era.


What about Gilels unfinished cycle, do you think it’s recommended less because it’s unfinished or because less people enjoy his interpretation? I still find it hard to decide which cycle I’m going to use as my reference recording


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## fbjim (Mar 8, 2021)

AndorFoldes said:


> Not that I disagree with you, but all of these are relatively old. What about a modern cycle in really good sound?


Levit is the default recommendation, though Goode, Goodyear and Brautigam for HIP are the others I see getting sung out.


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## EvaBaron (Jan 3, 2022)

If anyone has listened to levit as well as the classic cycles, how does it measure up?


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## wkasimer (Jun 5, 2017)

AndorFoldes said:


> Not that I disagree with you, but all of these are relatively old. What about a modern cycle in really good sound?


How about Korstick, Buchbinder, Goodyear, and Say?


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## Kreisler jr (Apr 21, 2021)

AndorFoldes said:


> Not that I disagree with you, but all of these are relatively old. What about a modern cycle in really good sound?


The most often recommended are usually from the 1960s or 70s for obvious reasons. I guess that Gilels/DG would have a chance for a highly recommended (mostly) digital cycle if it was complete. In my impression, almost all the more recent ones, including digital Brendel, Kovacevich and Pollini (stretching over 30+ years) seem to be more contested than the older ones (and K and P do not have "really good sound", SBK had better sound in his 70s analogue Philips recordings). I have only heard bits and pieces of them and didn't like them enough to get another complete cycle (I'd rather get Kempff or Backhaus where I don't much care for the bits and pieces I have heard either but might eventually find out why they are considered classics (and not for the reason that classics are supposed to be slightly boring... )
My favorite incomplete (about 20 sonatas) in IMO great sound is Gelber/Denon (late 1980s/early 1990s)

I listened to most of Levit's when it was available online for a while and it is also pretty good.


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## Enthusiast (Mar 5, 2016)

Kreisler jr said:


> The most frequently recommended over the decades are probably Schnabel, one of Kempff's, Backhaus, Arrau (1960s) Gulda/Amadeo and one of Brendel's (usually Philips 1970s). Cf. #20 above. All of these were (almost) never out of the catalogue and well distributed both in the LP and CD era.


I don't know about being OOP but the Annie Fischer set has also been long recognised as one of the few true greats and for many the greatest of them all. I certainly agree about Kempff and Backhaus and I like the Arrau 60s set quite a lot as well. Schnabel shocks me (in a good way) but I feel we have moved on too much from the days when you could do what he does! I also like (a lot) Brautigam and Kovacevich and have more recently been pleased with the set from Daniel-Ben Pienaar.


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## Itullian (Aug 27, 2011)




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## Chilham (Jun 18, 2020)

I enjoy Brautigam for all, and Levit for the late sonatas.


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## Kreisler jr (Apr 21, 2021)

Annie Fischer's only appeared posthumously in the 1990s. It has had dedicated fans since then but it was never as well known and distributed as the famous LP era sets like Backhauss, Arrau, Kempff etc. (I have two discs as well as her older EMI recordings and while I like them, I haven't really got what's so very special about them, so I couldn't be bothered to shell out for these expensive hungaroton recordings. Sound is also not better than the "classic" 60s/70s set, so audiophiles would have to look elsewhere anyway.)
My recommendation for having diverse approaches would be Gulda/amadeo (eloquence, Brilliant) for fast and straightforward, Arrau or Gilels for a "massive", deeper and often slowish approach, Schnabel as the historical landmark (ranging from very flawed to great) and then go for "special" recordings of sonatas one particularly likes.


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## EvaBaron (Jan 3, 2022)

I heard that Kempff (his first cycle) is more lyrical and that gilels is a bit more heavy and that he really attacks the piano sometimes, is that true?


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## Enthusiast (Mar 5, 2016)

Kreisler jr said:


> Annie Fischer's only appeared posthumously in the 1990s. It has had dedicated fans since then but it was never as well known and distributed as the famous LP era sets like Backhauss, Arrau, Kempff etc. (I have two discs as well as her older EMI recordings and while I like them, I haven't really got what's so very special about them, so I couldn't be bothered to shell out for these expensive hungaroton recordings. Sound is also not better than the "classic" 60s/70s set, so audiophiles would have to look elsewhere anyway.)
> My recommendation for having diverse approaches would be Gulda/amadeo (eloquence, Brilliant) for fast and straightforward, Arrau or Gilels for a "massive", deeper and often slowish approach, Schnabel as the historical landmark (ranging from very flawed to great) and then go for "special" recordings of sonatas one particularly likes.


I really can't agree with you on that assessment (or your lack of recognition of how widely acclaimed they were/are). I suspect you have never spent a lot of time with them - not because I think your view is wrong but because I can't imagine a lukewarm response being possible. Fischer's sound is more than acceptable for the time (and far far far better than other sets you are recommending). She played, of course, a Bösendorfer which might put off those for whom there is only Steinway. Expensive? Sometimes - but there was a period of more than a year when Presto Classical had the set on their site as a download for the price of one album (possibly it was a mistake but I am told it worked). Sadly, I already had the CDs. 

I must confess I haven't spent a lot of time with Gulda - a pianist who I generally revere - but found them a bit dull when I listened. Perhaps I should go back to reassess if they are to be elevated as one of the greats. I have the Gilels recordings and do sometimes find myself in the mood for them but "deep" is not what I take away from them. They often seem a bit cold and lifeless to me.

There, I don't generally like to argue with other people's taste but when someone trashes something that has given me so many hundreds of hours of pleasure I can't restrain myself. As usual, though, it all comes down to taste and it is great that we all differ. But doesn't that mean that we should refrain from making decisive judgments for others to follow? They should know that some names crop up again and again as worthy and some of us like some of them but not others.


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## Kreisler jr (Apr 21, 2021)

Gilels is not always heavy, he can be very lyrical. At least in the box editions the sound is good enough, it might have suffered from early 1980s digital in the single original CD issues. 
He is mostly quite slow and serious. E.g. I do think he misses a bit of humour in many early sonatas and neither am I too fond of his very highly regarded Waldstein and Appassionata as they seem far too "controlled", not "bursting at the edges". Gilels was my first box set and it grew on me over time but I still think it is a mixed bag with some great recordings (e.g. op.2/3, op.10/3, 26 (funeral march) or op.110) and some I find totally misguided, such as op.10/1 with an impossible slow first movement. And of course 5 sonatas are missing, especially op.111! (also op.2/1, 14/1, 54, 78 - you get two very early sonatas and a great "Eroica" variations as consolation prize)
I like what I find the best of Gilels better than the best of Arrau but the latter might be less controversial overall and is of course, complete.


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## Kreisler jr (Apr 21, 2021)

Enthusiast said:


> There, I don't generally like to argue with other people's taste but when someone trashes something that has given me so many hundreds of hours of pleasure I can't restrain myself. As usual, though, it all comes down to taste and it is great that we all differ. But doesn't that mean that we should refrain from making decisive judgments for others to follow? They should know that some names crop up again and again as worthy and some of us like some of them but not others.


 First of all, I have not "trashed" anything. (To the contrary, I find what I have heard of Fischer's quite good, just not as great as many people claim.) 
Second, the facts of distribution and reception are indisputable. There was a LONG time before the internet, don't mistake what you find in the last 20 years of internet for gospel or even a representative sample of classical music lover's opinions because it obviously is not.
Annie Fischer's hungaroton cycle (recorded piecemeal over time in the late 1970s? and never fully approved by the pianist as long as she was alive, publication seems 1996) is not obscure but not remotely comparable to Schnabel's that has been in the catalogue for 80 years or the others that have been around 45-60 years been recommended by dozens of Penguins or other language record guides. I don't even like Kempff, Backhaus, Brendel, Arrau all that much. But all of them had been standard recommendation for decades when all that was available from Annie Fischer were about 7 sonatas in mediocre sound from the late 1950s on EMI. It's almost like claiming Ferencsik's Beethoven or Rozhdestvensky's Sibelius were as well known and distributed as Toscanini or Karajan... "Fischer" usually meant Edwin in the context of Beethoven.
And this was the question of the thread, no personal favorites. 

Annie Fischer ranks certainly higher for me here than Kempff (wimpy) or Backhaus (dry as dust), but not sufficiently high for me to get 6 or 7 more full price discs. I have hungaroton Vols. 1+3 as well as the 7 Sonatas on EMI; as op.111 is in both, these are 14 different works. They are interesting and often quite good but AFAIR would rarely be among my first choices, rather interesting alternatives. E.g her EMI recording of op.31/3 is grim and humourless, a very different perspective, but not one I would give as a first recommendation.


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## Enthusiast (Mar 5, 2016)

Kreisler jr said:


> Second, the facts of distribution and reception are indisputable. There was a LONG time before the internet, don't mistake what you find in the last 20 years of internet for gospel or even a representative sample of classical music lover's opinions because it obviously is not.
> Annie Fischer's hungaroton cycle (recorded piecemeal over time in the late 1970s? and never fully approved by the pianist as long as she was alive, publication seems 1996)


As I am sure you know, I also have been around and listening to music for a long time and certainly before the internet was there to help. You don't need to lecture me on the history of musical criticism (even if only measured by the two big publications - publications that were focused on recordings, something that she was in general not interested in) and of the internet as the source of the last word on the subject. 

Annie Fischer's set _was _recorded piecemeal but the intention was to record all the sonatas. And if you take away from the word "piecemeal" an idea of her endeavour being somewhat relaxed or accidental, you could not be more wrong. She revisited the studio and re-recorded some parts many times and slowly over time _assembled _her set. She might have gone on further but the set we have had been perfected and polished until it was alive. Strange, isn't it, that he method for achieving this would have led most pianists to have killed the works? As a musician she avoided the studio and was known only for her live performances, not for recordings. I believe the Beethoven set was the only music she consented to record in the studio and her method for doing so was extraordinary. It is said she was trying to replicate what she had learned from decades of playing (only) to audiences. 

For the rest of what you say, the OP calls for recommendations not for "established recommendations" or recommendations established over decades by critics. That that has been your aim here explains where you are coming from in what you posted but wasn't clear to me at least until now. Meanwhile, I am truly sorry that you don't actually like Kempff's or the Backhaus sets and I guess our biggest difference is that you have an idea of how the music should and should not sound while I enjoy a variety of ways and celebrate when a pianist makes one of these really work. Thinking of Kempff's recording as "wimpy" shocks me. Inward (not extravert), thoughtful, personal and rapt might work but "wimpy": _really_?


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