Beethoven: Complete Piano Sonatas Nos. 1-32
List Price:
Our Price: $26.00
You Save: $6.98 (21%)
Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours
Category: Music CD
See more new music releases
Buy this Music CD at online store in your country
Canadian Music Store
Canadian Music Store
Music CD Cover
Composer: BeethovenPerformer: Wilhelm Kempff
Edition: Music CD
Audio: English (Unknown)
Format: Box set, Import
CD Release Date: 2008-11-18
Music Label: Dg Imports
Free Music Notes for Beethoven: Complete Piano Sonatas Nos. 1-32
Free Music Review: Kempff's Beethoven Sonatas at a Budget Price
Hit: 5 Stars
Wilhelf Kempff's Beethoven cycle, dating from the 1960s, has recently been reissued at a budget price. There have been many recordings of the 32 Beethoven sonatas, including an ongoing series by Idil Biret, a student of Kempff's. Much as I am enjoying listening to Biret, Kempff's cycle remains a grand achievement. There is no better way to explore the Beethoven sonatas. Listeners coming to the sonatas for the first time or listeners who have heard many readings of the sonatas will have their appreciation of this music enhanced by these performances. The remainder of this review is taken from my review of an earlier, more expensive, issue of Kempff's sonatas.
Beethoven's "Tagebuch" includes the following famous entry: "The starry heavens above, the moral law within -- Kant!" Beethoven was alluding to Kant's statement in the "Critique of Practical Reason" of the two things that filled him with awe. But, in a simple way, Beethoven's statement could be read to show two related ways of understanding his music: the first as heroic, heaven-storming, and outwardly directed, and the second as inward, reflective, and meditative. Some of Beethoven's music can be seen as occupying on or the other end of the polarity. Much of the music somehow occupies both ends.
The same holds true as a rough approach to the performance of Beethoven's music -- including the 32 piano sonatas. Some artists emphasize the dramatic, rugged and virtuosic characteristics of the sonatas while others focus upon the music's inward and introspective qualities. The great German pianist Wilhelm Kempff's classic recording of the complete piano sonatas is clearly within the latter approach. Kempff (1895 -- 1991) recorded the complete Beethoven sonata-cycle twice, the first time in the 1950s and the second time in the 1960s. I had the original version on LP and purchased the CD set when LPs became obsolete. I recently had the opportunity to relisten to Kempff's renditions of the sonatas in their entirety.
Kempff's readings of the sonatas are highly personal and introspective. His tempos tend to be slow and fluid, the pedal is used a great deal, phrasing is highly legato, and volume is, for the most part, subdued and restrained. He offers a metaphysical, thoughtful reading of Beethoven which probes within. It is a moving and convincing way of rendering the sonatas, and I came away from my experience with the set over the past several days with a renewed devotion to this music. I have attempted about half of the sonatas myself over the years on the piano.
Beethoven's sonatas date from his youthful years in Bonn before his 1792 move to Vienna (the two sonatas of opus 49) to about 1822 (opus 111), five years before the composer's death. Thus, they occupied Beethoven for almost the entirety of his creative life. In listening to this complete set, the listener can follow Beethoven's development essentially chronologically and learn more first-hand about the sonatas and about the changes in Beethoven's styles of composition than can be gained from reading many studies.
Listeners interested in a complete set of the Beethoven sonatas will probably have some familiarity with some of the better-known
named sonatas, such as the "Pathetique", opus 13, the "Moonlight" opus 27 no. 2, the "Waldstein", opus 53, or the "Appassionata", opus 57. After falling in love with some of these works, it will be time for the listener to explore the entire series.
Kempff brings his own personal and introspective readings to each of these familar works. I think he does best with the rondo finale of the "Waldstein," with the "Moonlight" sonata, and with the two final movements of the "Tempest", opus 31 no. 2. His readings of these familiar works on the whole will offer fresh insight into these great sonatas.
But the greatest attraction of this set is the opportunity it provides to explore some of Beethoven's less frequently performed works. Again, Kempff is at his best in works of an introspective character. Thus, those coming to the sonata-cycle for the first time will enjoy his performances of the opus 26 sonata, with the opening variations and the celebrated funeral march, of opus 78, 79, and 81a ("Les Adieux"), of opus 90, and of opus 101, 109, 110, and the great end to the series, opus 111. Opus 90, 101, and 109 are particular favorites of mine, and Kempff plays them beautifully.
There is yet another group of sonatas that also receive excellent readings on the set. This group includes two excellent ambitious early works, opus 2 no. 3 and opus 7 (another favorite), the three sonatas of opus 10, the under-appreciated opus 22, the companion to the more famous "Moonlight" sonata, opus 27 no. 1, opus 31 no. 3 and the enigmatic opus 54, sandwiched between the "Waldstein" and the "Appassionata". The magisterial and heroic "Hammerklavier" sonata, opus 106, is in a class by itself. Each listeners's choices and fovorites among the 32 will vary and change with time and repeated hearings. This collection is an excellent introduction to all of them.
There are many recordings of the set of 32 sonatas and many approaches to the interpretation of Beethoven. His music is broader and deeper than any single reading. I have lived with my set of Kempff for a long time and am still moved and inspired by his playing of this inexhaustible music. Listeners wanting to get to know this great body of work will find much to cherish in these performances by Wilhelm Kempff.
Robin Friedman
Classical Music CDs
Music Genres
Top music charts in Classical Music CDs
Winterscapesby London Philharmonic
Prophetic Voice; Published: 2000-07; Audio CD; Book
Best price: $2.74
Price in other shops:
The Queen, the Bear, and the Bumblebeeby Dini Petty
Childrens Group; Published: 2001-03; Audio CD; Book
Best price: $13.40
Price in other shops:
Classical Kids - Beethoven Lives Upstairs CdrRelease date: 2000-04-05; Music CD
Best price: $25.98
Tchaikovsky (Life and Works (Naxos))by Malcolm Sinclair, Jeremy Siepmann
Naxos; Published: 2003-11; Audio CD; Book
Best price: $35.99
![Jose Carreras - Jubileum Concert [VHS] Image](/images/Jose-Carreras-Jubileum-Concert-VHS-1584481471-X.jpg){kind=small}
Jose Carreras - Jose Carreras - Jubileum Concert [VHS]Sling Shot; Release date: 2000-04-18; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Best price: $5.87
Price in other shops:
![Tchaikovsky - The Nutcracker / Nureyev, Park, Royal Ballet [VHS] Image](/images/Tchaikovsky-The-Nutcracker-Nureyev-Park-Royal-Ballet-VHS-156127092X-X.jpg){kind=small}
Tchaikovsky - The Nutcracker / Nureyev, Park, Royal Ballet [VHS]Kultur Video; Release date: 1997-09-09; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Best price: $29.94
Price in other shops:
![Lonely Town Lonley Street / Sergeant's Early Dream [VHS] Image](/images/Lonely-Town-Lonley-Street-Sergeant-Early-Dream-VHS-1561270857-X.jpg){kind=small}
Rambert Dance Company - Lonely Town Lonley Street / Sergeant's Early Dream [VHS]Kultur Video; Release date: 1997-10-28; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Best price: $24.99
Price in other shops:
Winter Music: Composing the Northby John Luther Adams
Wesleyan; Published: 2004-11-10; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $23.62
Price in other shops:
![Puccini - La Fanciulla del West / Santi, Domingo, Neblett, Royal Opera Covent Garden [VHS] Image](/images/Puccini-La-Fanciulla-del-West-Santi-Domingo-Neblett-Royal-Opera-Covent-Garden-VHS-0769720382-X.jpg){kind=small}
Puccini - La Fanciulla del West / Santi, Domingo, Neblett, Royal Opera Covent Garden [VHS]Kultur Video; Release date: 1999-05-25; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Price in other shops:
![Verdi - Falstaff / Giulini, Bruson, Ricciarelli, Nucci, Royal Opera Covent Garden [VHS] Image](/images/Verdi-Falstaff-Giulini-Bruson-Ricciarelli-Nucci-Royal-Opera-Covent-Garden-VHS-0769720358-X.jpg){kind=small}
Verdi - Falstaff / Giulini, Bruson, Ricciarelli, Nucci, Royal Opera Covent Garden [VHS]Kultur Video; Release date: 1999-05-25; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Best price: $12.95
Price in other shops:
Top Rated Albums
Works of Igor StravinskyRelease date: 2007-07-23; Music CD
Best price: $26.79
Price in other shops:
Brahms: Works for Solo PianoRelease date: 1997-11-11; Music CD
Best price: $25.52
Price in other shops:
Beethoven: 9 Symphonies (1963)Release date: 2007-06-05; Music CD
Best price: $22.98
Price in other shops:
Mozart: The Violin SonatasSon; Release date: 2003-10-28; Music CD
Best price: $19.43
Price in other shops:
![Bruckner: 9 Symphonies [Box Set] Image](/images/Bruckner-9-Symphonies-Box-Set-B001DCQI8W-X.jpg)
Bruckner: 9 Symphonies [Box Set]Release date: 2008-11-18; Music CD
Best price: $22.80
Price in other shops:
The Chopin CollectionRelease date: 1991-10-07; Music CD
Best price: $17.99
Price in other shops:
![Mozart: Piano Sonatas [Box Set] Image](/images/Mozart-Piano-Sonatas-Box-Set-B00002DEH1-X.jpg)
Mozart: Piano Sonatas [Box Set]Release date: 1999-11-09; Music CD
Best price: $23.66
Price in other shops:
![Schubert: The Piano Sonatas [Box Set] Image](/images/Schubert-The-Piano-Sonatas-Box-Set-B00004SA8A-X.jpg)
Schubert: The Piano Sonatas [Box Set]KEMPFF,WILHELM; Release date: 2000-10-10; Music CD
Best price: $29.99
Price in other shops:
Martha Argerich - Martha Argerich: The Collection 1: The Solo RecordingsARGERICH,MARTHA; Release date: 2008-09-30; Music CD
Best price: $20.29
Price in other shops:
Beethoven: Complete Piano Sonatas & ConcertosRelease date: 2011-01-11; Music CD
Best price: $36.64
Price in other shops: