Piano Sonatas (Complete 32)
Ludwig van Beethoven
Recordings
Friedrich Gulda
1967Gil's top choice for a complete set (though hard to find). A 'wonderful set' with 'wonderful musical intelligence and judgment, wonderful clarity, very virtuosic.' He's a 'probing musician' with 'nice flexibility' and 'consistently excellent' playing.
Also Worth Hearing
Annie Fischer
late 1970sA 'very emotive performer' who 'really goes for it.' The set is 'assertive, very expressive, really powerful,' and 'excellently recorded,' making for an 'emotional experience.'
Claudio Arrau
1960sA 'probing, very romantic, introspective, but also powerful and dramatic' set with a 'beautiful legato sound.' Gil loves it but notes Arrau can be 'a little bit too deliberate... in kind of smelling the roses' for some.
Wilhelm Backhaus
late 1950s-late 1960sRecorded in his 70s and 80s, this set shows his 'incredible technical skill.' He's a 'no-nonsense interpreter' who is 'assertive, very clear, but also very dramatic,' often with 'quite a bit faster' tempos and 'creative insights.'
Wilhelm Kempff
early 1950s Mono setGil prefers this mono set to Kempff's stereo one, finding it has 'more of an alertness' and is 'more spontaneous.' It features his 'golden tones' and 'cultivated artistry,' though tempos are individual. Sound is 'pretty good mono.'
Arthur Schnabel
early 1930sThe 'old granddaddy of them all' that 'absolutely deserves its status.' Schnabel had an 'instinctive feel for Beethoven,' playing with passion (sometimes 'volatile') but also 'beautiful legato, beautiful touch and color.' The 'sound is dim.'