Customer Reviews

Piano Sonatas Complete

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4 star:		(1)
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This is deceptively simple playing, and simply breathtaking. I first heard Mr. O'conor on my car radio playing the Sonata #2 and could not believe my ears. I think I either sat in the parking lot or pulled over to be sure I did not miss the name of the performer.

I had been mostly "away" from music for a number of years. Back then, my favorite pianists for most everything were Sviatislav Richter and Aldo Ciccolini, and more recently, Konstantin Lifschitz. Certainly, Richter has left us one of the all-time performances of the "Appassionata," but I was totally unprepared for John O'Conor's unassuming brilliance and generosity of spirit when I first heard it. From the reviewer in Ithaca, it is now clear to me that his approach to Beethoven is a completely honest reflection of his own personality, which must be a gift to all who know him.

Most other reviewers have amply described what I can only call a remarkable slight of hand in his playing of these pieces, probably something that one can only hear in a chamber or solo setting that is as closely miked as this one. Of course, his pure and full tone comes, in part, from the remarkable Hamburg Steinway that he plays throughout, and that notably takes prominent credit on every disc. But, as any one who has tried and failed knows, even on the best of pianos the result can only match the skill of the performer, and in Mr. O'conor, this piano merely amplifies his already infinitely sensitive touch. Combined with impeccable precision and a flexibility of tempo that never loses the meter, he gives us a kind of relaxed intensitiy that never takes itself too seriously, yet never wavers in its fidelity of purpose.

Mr. O'Conor manages, in every bar, to strike the crystal with perfection and back away from its endless song. In short, he opens Beethoven for all but the dullest ear to see. Thus, I can only hope that this recording of the complete Beethoven sonata cycle never leaves the catalog and generously rewards Mr. O'Conor, as it does us, into a long and fulfilling life.

I have read other reviews for this recordings, and all of them seem to think that this is the best of all: true, O'Conor really plays the sonatas well, but the reviewers have not heard Vladimir Ashkenazy.

I think that Ashkenazy is the true genius of Beethoven performance. His sonatas are so well-played and with so much feeling that it brought tears to my eyes when I listened to the Moonlight Sonata. The Appassionata is played with so much vivacity and crispness that it astounded me.

It was about a year ago when I was reading reviews, much as you are doing now, trying to find the best complete set of Beethoven sonatas. I wanted the entire set from one performer, not a hodge-podge collection from various artists. So I wanted to make sure that I bought the best performance. As it turns out, John O'Conor was the only pianist with consistently good reviews. I bought this set, and have not been dissappointed.

At first I was trying to compare the quality to the set of Mozart sonatas by Andras Schiff that I own, but quickly became aware that these sonatas are something different entirely. John O'Conor plays these sonatas (especially the latter ones) with just the right amount of passion, emotion, and force. He is more than up to the task technically, which becomes evident very quickly. His strokes are clean and distinct. The recordings are also second to none. They are simply outstanding. There is no backgroup fuzz or sound inconsistencies of any kind. All you hear is the beautiful piano as if it were played in some kind of vacuum. Its not like the set of Beethoven piano concertoes that I own where I swear I can hear people talking in the background, and hear the performer breathing, turning sheet music, or other oddities. A truly excellent recording job.

I have heard various interpretations of these sonatas by various performers, and I compare all of them to John O'Conor's performances. For one reason or another, every sonata in this set seems to have something more, an extra "umph" that sets it apart from other performances. This, I feel, becomes apparent to even the novice listener. Just listen to the "Waldstein", "Tempest" or "Hammerklavier" and you will understand for yourself. They are truly inspired performances. I can't stop thinking that this is how Beethoven would have played his pieces if he were here today. Mr. O'Conor is a tribute to his profession and this is THE definitive set of Beethoven sonatas. The resonable price doesn't hurt either! I would recommend this set to anyone.

This is an interesting reading of the Beethoven piano sonatas. The articulations are softer and rounder. Yet, it's certainly not boring and there is high drama within the music but not necessarily "in your face" exersion or violence ala Solti or Wagner, etc. The interpretation is highly poetic and the playing paints an expressive picture. Thus, I would say that this is my kind of Beethoven. It's a personal preference, just as I like my steak medium rare while others may prefer well done. If you are looking for fierce weighted intensity with a bang, you may find this to be dissapointing but if are looking for a gentler side of Beethoven, you'll find that this set is the one to get. I find that O'Conor maintains the right balance of intensity and lyrical expression without over doing it. This would be my pick for the Beethoven piano sonatas to get.

This is indeed an outstanding traversal of Beethoven's cornerstone of the piano repertoire. O'Conor brings great sensitivity to these works - a welcome relief from the relentless aggression so many of today's pianists bring to Beethoven. His performances are stunningly musical. I prefer them to the other versions I have, which are some of the most famous ever made! At a good price, and with great sound (clear and lifelike), it is a great buy. -- On a side note, John O'Conor is the most charming man you could meet. I heard him in Upstate NY (I was in college), when he graciously substituted at the last minute for the ailing Tackas Quartet, since he was in NYC at the time. I ran into him at the train station after the concert, and we talked for another hour. In spite of a long concert, he answered all the questions a piano student would ask. Since I had already been a fan, I didn't miss the Tackas a bit.

The first time I heard O'Conor's Beethoven, I was enraptured. As a pianist myself, I was impressed first of all by his sublimation of technique to the service of the music; secondly, by the exultant, singing tone he achieves and maintains in all of the sonatas; and, thirdly, by the profundity of his interpretations. The legendary Artur Schnabel found more vitality and energy in the early sonatas than O'Conor (Nos. 1-15), yet it is O'Conor, not Schnabel, who plays the better "Pathetique" and "Moonlight" sonatas...and, when O'Conor opens up full throttle in the "Les Adieux," "Waldstein," "Appassionata" and "Hammerklavier," Schnabel (as well as Brendel and Gilels, who are also favorites of mine) are left behind by the breathtaking sweep and singing tone of his playing. Even better, O'Conor finds in the last sonatas that difficult balance between struggle and serenity that so many pianists reach for but fail to grasp (of all the others, Schnabel comes closest, with Brendel second-best). Listeners who hope to find more "sturm und drang" will be disappointed in this set, but it is far from being "New Age" Beethoven. Click on a few examples and you will see whan I mean.