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Product Description
Album Description
The Complete Piano Sonatas, 32 in all, done by Vladimir Ashkenazy. He is recognized as one of the world's best pianist and this set confirms that.
About the Artist
After Mozart, Beethoven is the world's best selling classical composer
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Most helpful customer reviews
12 of 13 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent Collection at a great Value,
By
This review is from: Beethoven: The Piano Sonatas (Audio CD)
Vladimir Ashkenazy is a first class pianist and this collection of his recordings of Beethoven's Piano Sonatas is excellent. Recorded over the course of 30 years this series has a startlingly crisp sound throughout and one is hard pressed to notice the fact that these performances are so temporally varied. Throughout the set Ashkenazy's playing is precise if a bit less lyric than Glenn Gould or Claude Frank.Indeed every master pianist brings something slightly different to the fore in rendering Beethoven's work, and in Ashkenazy it is the striking amplitude changes and rhythmic power of the works that take center stage. This said, his work on such lyric movements as the first in the Moonlight Sonata, and the middle in the Appassionata are well done. The only drawback of Ashkenazy's approach is that his equanimitous style can blur the intense diversity in the set of sonatas. But his set is a great one all the same and a good backbone for a Beethoven sonata collection which one can augment with choice individual sonata's from other pianists. Of particular note is the thrilling speed at which Ashkenazy takes on Op. 106 the Hammerklavier, famous for being incredibly difficult. One of the major issues that has dogged this sonata is that no one seems willing to play the first movement at Beethoven's prescribed speed of 138, opting instead for 112, or 120 at most. Ashkenazy's first movement, while not quite 138 blisters without sounding forced and is the quickest version I have come across--Glenn Gould's version is close, but lacks Ashkenazy's precision (although G's treatment of the final fugue is superbly lyric). A note on the packaging of the music: the sonatas are recorded on ten cds in chronological order. Each Cd has a paper covering and all of them are stacked inside the outer box. As such they are not equipped to journey far safely on there own and it would have been nicer if the box was a book, but alas the price is right and the excellent quality of the music is what shows through. UPDATE: Since the time of this review I have listened to many many pianists take on Beethoven and I am continually impressed with how well Ashkenazy stacks up. Most of the time I prefer his works over Arrau, Kempff, Gould, Blumenthal, Kuerti. His presentation of the MOONLIGHT SONATA, such power and energy, such flowing rhythm and crystal high notes, is worth the price of this collection on its own!
5.0 out of 5 stars
simply the best,
By A Customer
This review is from: Pno Sons 1-32 Comp (Audio CD)
Ashkenazy seems to understand Beethoven to a pristine clarity. I know that people will gravitate toward what they like, and Ashkenazy might not 'light your fire' as he does mine, and that's ok. Ashkenazy is my favorite pianist because of his clarity, technique, feeling (which he does actually have, contrary to some peoples' opinions), and emotion and power. Honestly, I can think of no other set that is better. All the other sets mentioned are good, but this one is excellent. Ashkenazy's talent is what 'makes' this set, and his talent produces true music, in every sense of the word, and that's what it's all about.
4.0 out of 5 stars
Ashkenazy is better elsewhere.,
By
This review is from: Pno Sons 1-32 Comp (Audio CD)
I might have given Ashkenazy three stars, but I couldn't bear rating one of my favorite pianists merely "mediocre." After all, a lot of this is a matter of taste. And, when it comes to Beethoven's piano sonatas, I prefer the more thoughtful and weightier approach of Alfred Brendel. Ashkenazy certainly has awesome technique, which makes a big difference in the later sonatas (particularly the "Hammerklavier") where the Russian virtuoso is at his best. However, in the earlier works, Ashkenazy sort of breezes over much of the poetry and humor, and there isn't much for the brain to ponder or the heart to feel. He's certainly pleasant to the ears, although on certain works (the "Pathetique" for instance) the piano seems strangely tuned, so that Ashkenazy pounds the keys in a bone-splitting way that is most unpleasant. These icicles of sound can send a shot of pain right down the spine. Ashkenazy is so successful playing Beethoven's concertos and all of Chopin, I'm at a loss as to how his piano would sound so frigid and spikey on this set. Perhaps it was the recording. At any rate, I suggest that you buy a single disc sampler of Ashkenazy's Beethoven sonatas before you invest in this complete set. Otherwise, go for Brendel or the young Barenboim.
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