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Best cheapest Beethoven Sonata Cycle.

9K views 45 replies 25 participants last post by  Steve Wright 
#1 ·
I'm sure that this has been asked many a time, but I didn't see any threads when I searched so my apologies if I'm beating a dead horse with this one. I looked online at a complete box set of Beethoven's sonatas by Stephen Kovacevich and the thing was nearly $200 which is about $155 out of my price range. So yeah, are there any quality recordings that capture the true emotion, the anger and frustration and tension as well as the beauty withing Beethoven's sonatas for under say $50? I really would like to get a full cycle and go through all of the pieces but I can't justify settling for a less than an amazing recording and sadly I fear that I just simply can not afford such a thing at the moment. We shall see I guess, please feel free to let me know what you're favorite cycle is and what it cost. Thanks.
 
#4 ·
The Gulda set always comes highly recommended on one of the other Classical forums - it can be had for a shade under $50 through Amazon 3rd Party sellers and also comes with the Piano Concertos :):



Link: http://www.amazon.com/Beethoven-Piano-Sonata-Concerto-Box/dp/B000BQV52A/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1308179601&sr=1-1

I have 2 sets of the Sonatas and really not an expert but I think the Barenboim set may be right up your alley although it has its fair share of detractors! - Cost = about $40 on Amazon:



Link:


The other set I own is the Kempff - can't say that it's an angsty reading but it is very cheap and well regarded! - cost = $30 or less 3rd Party:



Link: http://www.amazon.com/Beethoven-Complete-Piano-Sonatas-Nos/dp/B001CGJ3QS/ref=sr_1_2?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1308180009&sr=1-2
 
#7 · (Edited)
Schnabel can go down to about $20 on the membran label here in Europe; right now Amazon says 13$. The sound is too poor for it to be the only set to have, probably also for it to be the introductory set for these works, but there are a lot of interesting performances, often very different from today´s performance style. Gilels Beethoven set of selected sonatas and the 5 concerti on Brilliant 7CD (24$ currently) is an extremely good supplement with good sound, his Appassionata there is the most dramatic around, even more than Richter´s old performance at Carnegie Hall. I haven´t heard much of the Gilels DG set which includes many more sonatas and goes for $37, but it seemed somewhat more restrained, if concise and monumental, in the playing. The two sets of Gould playing Beethoven at 20$ each also contain some incredible - and some scandalous - performances; sonatas 30-32 are magical and goes for $4 on a CD there.

No matter what you buy later on, these will provide a lot of joy, also when comparing them to others - for their individuality and temper.

I have the complete stereo Kempff (would recommend his No.29) and the early vox complete Brendel (not much of interest as I recall; some of his philips recordings are better though). Barenboim´s early Beethoven emi set doesn´t appeal to me. Also have the complete Kuerti which is sometimes very good (No.17 for instance), sometimes less, but not recommendable as the only set. And have the Gulda set on Amadeo; he plays in a rather linear style, often downplaying contrasts and culminations in the music a bit. It is the same set as issued on Brilliant. The "Waldstein" is one of the best and most interesting there.
 
#11 ·
I have the Kempff set which I find to be quite stellar. I also have any number of single discs of performances by Horowitz, Ashkenazy, Gilels, Rubinstein, Pollini, etc... but I am very much looking seriously at this recent release:

 
#13 ·
After quite a while of listening to samples and reading reviews here in this old thread and on Amazon, I've gone with the Gulda complete cycle. Along with the pianist's technical mastery and interpretive zeal, the set offered the best combination of reasonable price, good sound, and numerical ordering of the sonatas (a rarity).

A very belated thanks to the above posters for their recommendations.
 
#18 ·
The complete Gulda is magnificent.

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(Includes great performances of the concerto's)

For a more conventional approach - I can't speak as to which of the two is "better" or more correct - I'd advice this Barenboim cycle:

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Both at price points somewhere between $3 - $5 per disc.
 
#21 ·
The Gilels is a must too, although not quite complete.
 
#23 ·
I think the original VOX Sonata Set by Brendel is a great way to go. I'm not a Brendel fan, in fact my attitude towards him is EXACTLY those of Ukko's. However, I will say this about Alfred, he approaches the Beethoven Sonatas in a very cerebral way. They are excellent studies of the sonatas and for that, I will never regret owning them.

V
 
#36 ·
Agreed that this it the best Beethoven sonata cycle ever. Here is the iTunes version is really nice and easy to download.

 
#35 ·
HJ Lim' sonata cycle is the cheapest on iTunes at ten bucks USD. Not bad for its pricing.
 
#39 ·
Kempff is wonderful too for older recordings. I haven't heard the Fischer cycle yet but I plan on embark on that relatively soon.
 
#40 ·
Steve, here's another one of those lists, Beethoven sonata cycles with comments (not mine, other peoples'). Schiff has always been a great favorite of mine, but I don't think it's boxed or maybe even totally available right now. I'm currently enjoying Buchbinder's brand new cycle (not the old one) recorded live without edits, but with a totally silent audience.

Pollini generally seems a bit to purposefully objective to me. Gilels can't be beat, in general, though his set isn't quite complete. I have quite a few other sets, including the Jando set which was only about ten bucks for a download last time I looked. I can answer questions about some of them.

The list: http://www.amazon.com/gp/richpub/syltguides/fullview/R3QZP1D2U2Q1EK/ref=cm_srch_res_rpsy_alt_1

And whatever you get, don't forget Schiff's detailed and illuminating lectures, for free. The page seems to have moved -- I'll try to find it.
 
#41 ·
Thanks KenOC, as enormously helpful as you were with the LvB String Quartets!
In the end I opted for Claudio Arrau, in this version with the Piano Concertos (now very expensive but I got a 2nd hand, VGC on eBay for £26):
http://www.amazon.com/Beethoven-Complete-Piano-Sonatas-Concertos/product-reviews/B0017P4C9W/ref=cm_cr_dp_see_all_btm?ie=UTF8&showViewpoints=1&sortBy=bySubmissionDateDescending

The set seems to have lots of very warm reviews, and a few other comments on threads have suggested to me that he might be the man for me, somwhere between Gilels and Kempff.
And I am always swayed, probably too much, by words like 'mysteries', 'glints' and so forth.
What do you think of my choice? Give it to me straight!
 
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