Search - Ludwig van Beethoven, Robert Taub :: Beethoven: The Piano Sonatas, Vol. 1

Ludwig van Beethoven, Robert Taub
Beethoven: The Piano Sonatas, Vol. 1
Genre: Classical

Track Listings (13) - Disc #1
1. Piano Sonata No. 1 in F minor, Op. 2/1: 1. Allegro
2. Piano Sonata No. 1 in F minor, Op. 2/1: 2. Adagio
3. Piano Sonata No. 1 in F minor, Op. 2/1: 3. Menuetto (Allegretto); Trio
4. Piano Sonata No. 1 in F minor, Op. 2/1: 4. Prestissimo
5. Piano Sonata No. 13 in E flat major ('Quasi una fantasia'), Op. 27/1: 1. Andante-Allegro-Tempo I
6. Piano Sonata No. 13 in E flat major ('Quasi una fantasia'), Op. 27/1: 2. Allegro molto vivace
7. Piano Sonata No. 13 in E flat major ('Quasi una fantasia'), Op. 27/1: 3. Adagio con espressione
8. Piano Sonata No. 13 in E flat major ('Quasi una fantasia'), Op. 27/1: 4. Allegro vivace-Adagio-Presto
9. Piano Sonata No. 24 in F sharp major ('A Th?r?se'), Op. 78: 1. Adagio cantabile; Allegro ma non troppo
10. Piano Sonata No. 24 in F sharp major ('A Th?r?se'), Op. 78: 2. Allegro vivace
11. Piano Sonata No. 21 in C major ('Waldstein'), Op. 53: 1. Allegro con brio
12. Piano Sonata No. 21 in C major ('Waldstein'), Op. 53: 2. Introduzione: Adagio molto
13. Piano Sonata No. 21 in C major ('Waldstein'), Op. 53: 3. Rondo: Allegretto moderato
Track Listings (13) - Disc #2
1. Piano Sonata No. 2 in A major, Op. 2/2: 1. Allegro vivace
2. Piano Sonata No. 2 in A major, Op. 2/2: 2. Largo appassionato
3. Piano Sonata No. 2 in A major, Op. 2/2: 3. Scherzo: Allegretto; Trio
4. Piano Sonata No. 2 in A major, Op. 2/2: 4. Rondo: Grazioso
5. Piano Sonata No. 9 in E major, Op. 14/1: 1. Allegro
6. Piano Sonata No. 9 in E major, Op. 14/1: 2. Allegretto
7. Piano Sonata No. 9 in E major, Op. 14/1: 3. Rondo: Allegro comodo
8. Piano Sonata No. 10 in G major, Op. 14/2: 1. Allegro
9. Piano Sonata No. 10 in G major, Op. 14/2: 2. Andante
10. Piano Sonata No. 10 in G major, Op. 14/2: 3. Scherzo: Allegro assai
11. Piano Sonata No. 14 in C sharp minor ('Moonlight'), Op. 27/2: 1. Adagio sostenuto
12. Piano Sonata No. 14 in C sharp minor ('Moonlight'), Op. 27/2: 2. Allegretto; Trio
13. Piano Sonata No. 14 in C sharp minor ('Moonlight'), Op. 27/2: 3. Presto agitato

CD Details

All Artists: Ludwig van Beethoven, Robert Taub
Title: Beethoven: The Piano Sonatas, Vol. 1
Members Wishing: 0
Total Copies: 0
Label: Vox (Classical)
Release Date: 9/5/1995
Genre: Classical
Styles: Forms & Genres, Sonatas, Historical Periods, Classical (c.1770-1830), Romantic (c.1820-1910)
Number of Discs: 2
SwapaCD Credits: 2
UPC: 047163751424

Synopsis

Amazon.com

Some hits, some misses, no errors, and little enlivenment characterize Robert Taub's first Beethoven cycle installment. How prosaic and matter-of-fact his slow movements of Op. 2, Nos.1 and 2, seem next to the eloquence of pianists Murray Perahia and Artur Schnabel, for example. And Taub's leisurely amble through No. 13's Scherzo is hardly the allegro molto vivace that Beethoven specifies. The pianist fares better with supple and flowing readings of the little Op. 14 sonatas, and his tempo fluctuations in the Moonlight opening evoke the composer's sobriquet--Sonata quasi una fantasia--without losing grip of the bigger picture. His Waldstein comes alive in the first movement's development and the bravura finale, while the rest is excellent note playing. Beautifully recorded sound. --Jed Distler

CD Reviews

Outstanding performance

Boot Seem | NJ USA | 01/31/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"After hearing Robert Taub featured on Trenton's classical music radio station and hearing him perform at the Institue for Advanced Studies in Princeton, I bought this CD. I have found Taub's eloquence and mastery of Beethoven's Sonatas throughly mezmerizing and I had to get all three volumes. In fact, this collection has become my standard gift to friends who enjouy outstanding classical piano performances.This set is a must have... highly recommended! Also, Robert Taub is a must see if you can get to see him perform."

Bracing

David Saemann | 02/19/2009

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I believe that this entire set of the complete Sonatas has been reissued in two volumes of books that you can find on Amazon by searching for Robert Taub in Books. This first volume of his set is in general very rewarding. It says something about the reach of this artist that he is equally at home in the piano music of Milton Babbitt and of Beethoven, although what he finds in Babbitt is beyond me. I walked out of one of Taub's recitals of Babbitt's music in Princeton years ago. As a pianist, Taub is a formidable but not entirely stylish technician. He can hit all the notes without too much trouble (You have to take my word for this on a case by case basis.), although he does not have the ingratiating tone in Beethoven that one hears from Richard Goode or Maurizio Pollini. Nevertheless, Taub is a sensitive player and ferociously intelligent. Rarely have I heard Beethoven's harmonic language spelled out to such great effect. Surprisingly, one of the best performances on the album is of the Moonlight Sonata. Taub captures its shifting moods with great effectiveness, an accomplishment both of intelligence and emotional empathy. The Waldstein is nearly as good, with Taub putting together the big moments very well if with some rough edges. My other favorite interpretation on the album is of the First Sonata. Taub fully appreciates the revolutionary aspect of Beethoven's language while maintaining classical form. All the performances on this album are at least somewhat rewarding, although there are prosaic moments. You probably won't want this as your sole Beethoven Sonata cycle, but it is always intriguing to see what Taub is thinking. The sound engineering throughout is clear and generally full."