Search - Ludwig van Beethoven, John O'Conor :: Beethoven: Piano Sonatas, Vol. 6

Exquisite Beethoven

Billie J. Derham | St. Charles, MO USA | 11/21/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This album deserves the highest accolades. Mr. O'Conor is such a gifted pianist with an arsenal of touch and command of color. The third movement of Opus 109 never fails to bring tears to my eyes. I would recommend this beautiful recording to anyone who loves the piano and the sontatas composed by the great German master. The sound is marvelous, too, so clear. The complete set is very attractively priced here at Amazon, too. I bought each individual recording as they came out and paid a lot more. This is a set to have in your collection."

Genius composer at the end, flawlessly recorded perfect spec

I. Loveapiano | Texas | 09/23/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"O'Conor's easy mastery of Ludwig van Beethoven's final, intricate sonatas is a startling portrait of Beethoven's still-evolving compositional genius overarching his complete inability to hear music.



Key points:

* This is one CD in a 9-CD set (get the set!)

* O'Conor's approach is the perfect mix of appropriate and evocative

* The three sonatas have it all, but are, most importantly... touching, moving, sweet

* It's a Hamburg Steinway recorded by Telarc - it purrs/roars like the largest lion - perfect for Beethoven music

* Tuner Barbara Pease is listed BY NAME on most or all of the 9 CDs in the set - that should tell you something

* Listener, too, must have good finger technique - these relatively uncompressed recordings demand volume knob vigilance (a testament to all above points)

* Piano sonatas (must) have more notes and go more places than symphonies/etc., so...

* Many opportunities exist for the listener to hear compositional genius from the deaf master

* If you like this CD, get Vol 8 for Sonata #28 - personal fave of this humble Beethoven sonata addict



One final fascinating point on this CD...



Midway through the last movement of the last sonata (#32, Op 111, Arietta), one of the two strings making up the F note an octave below middle C falls out of tune amidst the drama. There are two instantaneous moments where this is audible to the listener who "has ears" - the rest of the piece is unaffected by it. (Inidentally, this, like the thimbleful of O'Conor's tiny slips over the 9 cd series, wan't `photoshopped' out - these are authentic and honest recordings).



When one considers that Beethoven was composing (deaf) at home on a piano which he would let no one tune or repair (much to the consternation of those in listening distance), this audible fleck becomes an historically appropriate and godsent feature of the recording, audibly infusing the last strains of perfection with a grain of reality and mortality. With exactly 100 perfectly-tuned sonata movements behind her, I don't think Ms. Pease gets "charged with the error" on the 101st and final movement. Perhaps the restless ghost of the witty master himself had something to do with it...

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