Search - Ludwig van Beethoven, Kurt Sanderling, USSR Radio & TV Symphony Orchestra :: Beethoven: Piano Sonatas, Vol. 2

Incredible

01/01/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I don't write a lot of amazon.com reviews, but this CD needs more exposure.. This was one of the first Richter disks I bought (I now have ~40), and is still my favorite. The 'Appassionata' is the best among all existing recordings (even if you have Richter's Praga or RCA performances, you have to hear this one). Every little bit of this sonata makes perfect sense in the context of the whole piece; it is always pushing forward toward the finale, which is more exciting than anything else ever put on tape. You shouldn't be able to listen to anything else for a few hours after it's over. So, this alone should be enough... But the other works on this CD--the bagatelles, the 'Pathetique' sonata, and especially the choral fantasy--are just as worthy of praise. I like the 'Pathetique' more than Gilels', and the Fantasy is beautiful.Finally -- this disk is part of the 10-CD Richter Edition. The whole set is great, but if you cannot afford it right now -- this is what you ought to buy. And then you should buy a copy for your friends, especially those who don't listen to classical music yet.Hope this helps."

Richter is King of Beethoven

A. Michaelson | Bay Area, CA | 01/13/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I must say that in my opinion Sviatoslav Richter is the finest interpreter of Beethoven this century. This disc is a perfect example with which to support my case. It couples two of Beethoven's greatest piano sonatas, the Pathetique and Appassionata, with some charming bagatelles, and the underrated Choral Fantasy. The Pathetique is a studio version from the 50s in mono sound (if you need a reference the whole disc is mono but sounds slightly clearer than Gould's famous 1955 Goldberg Variations), and it is simply the best performance of this famous sonata that I've ever heard. Unlike so many other pianists, Richter actually plays the first movement at a correct tempo, with it's slow opening turning into a rather fast burst of pianistic energy. Too often you hear a recording of this sonata that starts of Grave and moves to an allegretto. Thankfully, Richter actually plays the movement allegro as specified. The famous second movemtent is without a doubt the most perfect and moving I've ever heard. The rondo is also simply amazing. Richter has the incredible ability to play a rondo as light, yet emotional music at the same time. It seems like a paradox, but this amazing one of a kind pianist is able to pull it off. The Appassionata is hands down the best piano performance available on disk. It's a live recording and showcases Richter in his prime. It's simply the most emotionally stirring piano performance I've ever heard. Words fail to describe the power that Richter conjures from Beethoven's keyboard masterpiece. It's is a must hear. The fillers are the bagatelles and the choral fantasy, and even though they may just be there to fill the rest of the disk, they are quite simply stunning. The bagatelles, small dance works that were greatly popularized by Beethoven, come off sounding like the masterpieces they are. Too often they're thrown off as light music, perhaps given to a piano student as a learning tool. Basically they're not taken as seriously as they should. Luckily, Richter believed them to be miniature masterpieces, and it shows in his playing. The Choral Fantasy is in russian, translated from the original german, and may sound odd if you've heard other versions, but sanderling and his orchestra and chorus along with Richter's amazing talents make another one of Beethoven's neglected masterpieces shine as bright as it should. This disc is full of absolutely amazing performances and at an incredible price. It showcases Richter's amazing talent, and supports the belief of many, including myself, that he is THE Beethoven interpreter. Even though the sound is mono, the quality is still relatively good. Excellent performances and better than average mono sound at a bargain price make this CD an essential."

Brilliant performances

Anthony T. Roy | Oakland, CA United States | 06/01/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is a fantastic CD for lovers of Beethoven's piano works and Richter both. In particular, Richter's version of the "appassionata" is without parallel in fiery virtuosity. He approaches many of these pieces in a much different way than many modern performers. This is not a CD to play in the background, this is a CD that commands your full attention, both intellectually and emotionally."