The great pianist died in the midst of recording Beethoven's Sonatas complete in London. Unkind critics, unappreciative of the mature Gieseking's reserve in this music, suggested he had perhaps died of boredom. Listening, again, decades later, the considerable subtlety this artist brought to almost everything he played is in evidence, but it is far from the Beethoven of Schnabel, Backhaus, Brendel, Gilels, Kempff . . . to name but five. The sound is far better than the dull Angel lps, but is still far from the best EMI and producer Walter Legge could accomplish at the time. Recommended to those with an interest in this great artist and in the repertoire.