Beethoven - Piano Sonatas 13-15 (1992)

Three Beethoven piano sonatas performed by Italian pianist Maurizio Pollini. These sonatas were written in the years 1800-01. Pollini plays exquisitely in a very pure, exact style, comparable to Rubenstein. The recording is very clear without many overtones. A great way to begin a day.

Tracks: It's all good (Beethoven really knew how to write for piano, didn't he?). My favorite movements are the second movement of Sonata 13, and, of course, the opening movement of the Moonlight Sonata, #14. The Moonlight is a deceptively difficult piece which I love not only for its beauty but because of the pertinacious downward movement in the left hand.

Personal Memory Associated with this CD: None. I bought this solely to have the Moonlight Sonata in my collection.

Previously revisited for the blog:
Symphony No. 6 (1989)
Symphonies No. 5 & No. 7 (1988)
Piano Sonatas Nos, 3, 21, & 30 (1987)
"Choral" Symphony No. 9, Op. 125 (1983)

Beethoven - Symphony No. 6 (1989)

Sir Georg Solti conducting the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. Recorded in Orchestra Hall, Chicago, May 1988.

Symphony No. 6 is programmatic and has five movements, rather than the four typical of symphonies of that era. Beethoven annotated the beginning of each movement as follows:

1. Awakening of cheerful feelings upon arrival in the country: Allegro ma non troppo
2. Scene at the brook: Andante molto mosso
3. Happy gathering of country folk: Allegro
4. Thunderstorm; Storm: Allegro
5. Shepherds' song; cheerful and thankful feelings after the storm: Allegretto

The piece premiered in 1808 and is one of Beethoven's more popular symphonies. I prefer the first two movements to the others, but it is an enjoyable piece throughout. You can find further notes on the symphony here, or simply search for others. Most orchestras post their program notes online.

The recording ends with the Leonore Overture No. 3, which is often tacked on to the end of Beethoven recordings to fill up space. It's not my favorite piece, but often heard because it comes from Beethoven's only opera. It's very bombastic but contains a trumpet fanfare that is an orchestral excerpt every professional trumpet player knows well.

This recording is amazing. Solti steps back and lets the music take center stage. The orchestra plays magnificently. My only complaint would be that the dynamic range is so true that the quiet sections are almost too quiet. But I guess I'd rather have that than compression.

Personal Memory Associated with this CD: My father had a LP recording of this that I played a few times when I was young; it may be the first Beethoven symphony (or any symphony, for that matter) that I ever heard in its entirety.

On a trip to Washington, DC a few years ago, I heard the National Symphony Orchestra perform this work at the Kennedy Center. I loaded this CD to my iPhone so that I could hear the work on the flight from Houston to DC. Musicians might find it funny that the performance was sponsored by General Dynamics.

Previously revisited for the blog:
Symphonies No. 5 & No. 7 (1988)
Piano Sonatas Nos, 3, 21, & 30 (1987)
"Choral" Symphony No. 9, Op. 125 (1983)

Beethoven - "Choral" Symphony No. 9, Op. 125 (1983)

Zubin Mehta conducting the New York Philharmonic.

Recorded live in Avery Fisher Hall on February 2, 1983 for a "Live From Lincoln Center" telecast.

This isn't my favorite Beethoven symphony and Mehta isn't my favorite conductor. Still, the second movement is a fun ride. Recording live to digital in 1983 was quite a technological feat and the sound quality is very good here considering that fact. When the vocalists start in the fourth movement, the mix falls apart, but that's a small quibble. The bigger quibble would be the sloppy playing by a first-rate orchestra, but that's Mehta for ya. If I was more fond of this particular work, I'd probably spring for another interpretation.

Stereo Review, February 1984, p. 95

Personal Memory Associated with this CD: If memory serves, I got this CD in a BMG Music Service promotion, which would explain why I couldn't be choosy about the conductor or the live setting. Reportedly, BMG Music Service shut down in 2009, another rip-off, er, business brought down by digital downloads/streaming services.

Previously revisited for the blog:
Symphonies No. 5 & No. 7 (1988)
Piano Sonatas Nos, 3, 21, & 30 (1987)

Beethoven - Symphonies No. 5 & No. 7 (1988)

Christoph von Dohnányi conducting the Cleveland Orchestra.

A fantastic recording of my favorite Beethoven symphony, No. 7 (premiered in 1813). Also included on the CD is another Beethoven symphony that seems to have stood the test of time. While this interpretation of No. 5 (premiered in 1808) isn't bold and in-your-face, it is taken at a brisk tempo, which I think suits it. Now that I mention it, both symphonies are taken fairly quick. I like it. The orchestra is technically precise, which is part of Cleveland's trademarked sound. My only complaint would the excessive use of reverb, particularly in No. 7. Liner notes are decent, but nothing spectacular. Still, this is by far my favorite recording of No. 7.

Personal Memory Associated with this CD: I bought this CD not long after its release at a CD store on Hwy 183 in Irving. In the late '80s, CD stores were a rarity and this particular store, while fairly small compared to a record store of the time, had a separate sound-proof classical music room.

Beethoven - Piano Sonatas Nos, 3, 21, & 30 (1987)

French import

Three Beethoven piano sonatas performed by Italian pianist Maria Tipo. Tipo is more well-known as an interpreter of music from the Baroque Era, but she does an excellent job with these works. For an early digital recording, the sound is remarkably clear; the engineers knew what they were doing.

Tracks: I like all of Beethoven's piano sonatas, so there's nothing here I don't enjoy. I'm partial to the second sonata on the disc (Op. 53, 'Waldstein'), but the theme and variations of Op. 109 are good, too.

Personal Memory Associated with this CD: This is one the earliest CDs I ever purchased. During my years as a college undergraduate, after discovering it either at a recital or during a music class, I became obsessed with Beethoven's 'Waldstein' sonata so I bought this CD not long after I purchased my first CD player, a Sony D-160.