Conference cookie::notes$archive:cd_v1

    I own the 32 sonates played by Alfred Brendel on Philips (11 CD's).
    It's ADD but great performance and recordings.
    You probably won't buy all of them but I think there's a seperate
    disc containing Moonlight and Pathetique.
    
    Since there are so many differences in performances (eg:...a Moonlight
    varying from too slow to too fast) you have to listen before buying.
    
    Mari

    I found a Wilhelm Kempff CD of the Moonlight, Path�tique, and Pastoral
    at Electric Grammaphone a few weeks ago. The last sonata (no. 32,
    Op. 111) is a filler on the Wilhelm Kempff CD of Beethoven's "Emperor"
    concerto. If you've never heard the great German composers (Beethoven,
    Brahms, Schubert, and Mozart) played by the greatest German pianist
    of the stereo age, then treat yourself to the sonata CD (can't,
    in all honesty, highly recommend the "Emperor"/Op. 111 disc--except
    that I intend to buy every single thing of Kempff's I can get my
    hands on). Oh--just realized that I neglected to mention Bach. Kempff
    has about three Lp recordings of Bach (including the Goldberg
    Variations) that have not yet appeared on CD. If you aren't a Bach
    purist and can tolerate piano renditions--and haven't glutted yourself
    with the Glen Ghoul stuff--then you might like to sample these,
    too. The reason I hesitate recommending the Op. 111 is that there
    are only two performances of it that I really like: the Charles
    Rosen (on--ugh--Columbia) and the London/Decca recording by--oh
    my gosh--I'm having a mental block and can't remember his name.
    He's dead now (actually, he died a long time ago) and never finished
    re-recording the Beethoven sonatas in stereo. The box set of his
    complete Beethoven sonatas is in stereo except for the two or three
    that he never re-recorded.
    
    Anyway (I'll probably remember the name as soon as I finish this
    note), there are also CDs out now with Kempff and others playing
    the piano trios and violin sonatas of Beethoven. If you like the
    piano sonatas, you'd probably like these, too.
    
    Jack Truslow
    

    What label is the Wilhelm Kempff CD with the 3 sonatas.  I've wanted
    to get a disc of these but couldn't decide on Ashkenazy, Schiff,
    O'Connor, Brendel, etc.  If Kempff is that good, I'm willing to
    try it (as long as the recording of the piano doesn't sound too
    pingy or have 'grand canyon' echo).  When was this recording made?
    
    I remember reading in a Newsweek feature article on Brendel (about
    4 to 6 months ago) that he contracted to re-record the Beethoven
    sonatas on a label other than Philips.  The project would take several
    years.  I've been watching for the first results of this but haven't
    seen any new recordings yet.
    
         Marty
    

    To .3: All the CDs of Kempff (so far) are on Deutsche Grammaphon.
    I think the one with the sonatas is even a budget DG. The piano
    sound is quite good--the piano is nicely centered and seems to be
    about two or three feet behind the speakers. The only records (Lp,
    that is) of Kempff's that I have that AREN'T on DG are two Chopin
    albums on London Stereo Treasury. I doubt that they're still in
    the catalog.
    
    You may already know this, but it bears repeating: Alfred Brendel
    recorded all the Beethoven sonatas in the early days of stereo.
    That collection used to appear CONSTANTLY on various budget labels.
    The performances were superb--much more spontaneous and dynamic
    than the Philips set. But the vinyl was usually pretty sick. Still,
    for $20 or $30, it wasn't a bad buy. You might want to wait a while
    to see if Vox will reissue the set on budget CDs. In the meantime,
    try the Kempff. I doubt that anyone will ever outdo his performance
    of the "Pastoral." And if DG ever releases a CD of his "Waldstein,"
    GET IT!!
    
    JT