Beethoven-Liszt: The 9 Symphonies on Piano / Bellucci
Brilliant Classics
CD
$21.99Oct 28, 2022
As the Italian pianist Giovanni Bellucci remarks in an extensive booklet introduction, this album is the fruit of study over the past 20 years and more, into the worlds of both Beethoven and Liszt and their meeting point in these transcriptions where the Hungarian composer sought to honor his forebear as the original leader of an artistic movement we now think of as Romanticism, where the composer places himself at the front and center of his works. Liszt’s transcriptions diverged from the ready-made arrangements which publishers rapidly produced and reprinted to meet the demands of amateur and domestic audiences. Here, the symphonic world of Beethoven is not merely experienced as a distant echo but translated into the idiom of the virtuoso piano which swept across Europe during the latter half of the 19th century, led by Liszt and Clara Schumann. Thus in these performances, Bellucci seeks a kind of fidelity to the Romantic age of the transcriptions rather than the Classical age of the original works.
Taking broad tempi and probing deeply into textures which, after all, condense the soundworld of an entire orchestra into the span of ten fingers, Bellucci presents an individual and compelling new vision of works which renew themselves at the hands of each new generation’s interpreters. The cycle reaches its climax with the Ninth, recorded live at the2014 Lisztomania Festival in France, with the participation of the Czech Philharmonic Choir of Brno and soloists Hana Škarková, Lucie Hilscherová, Michal Lehotský and Martin Gurbal. Other studio sessions have taken place in the famous Salle de Musique at La Chaux de Fonds in Switzerland, between 2018 and 2021.
Beethoven: Quartets, Vol. 3 - Early String Quartets
Signum Classics
CD
$37.99Jan 24, 2025
The third and final instalment in their award-winning series, the Calidore Quartet return with a three-disc release of Beethoven Early Quartets. Their previous Beethoven recordings have been described as 'highly collectible' by BBC Music Magazine. The first album of Late Quartets won the Chamber Music Award at the BBC Music Magazine Awards 2024, and the second awarded Recording of the Month by Gramophone Magazine. The contents of this recording project serve as a snapshot of their fourteen years of working, growing, listening and collaborating together. "Our interpretation speaks to the influences of our teachers and the great traditions associated with this repertoire, but also to that of our own generation, contemporary research, style and experience. Though this music speaks in a language that is hundreds of years old, it's message remains immediate, relevant and comforting to listeners of today and of generations to come even, and especially, in the most challenging of times". Their interpretations of Beethoven are already critically acclaimed with performances at the Lincoln Centre planned as part of their residency.
“…Weithaas and Várjon have a great deal to say and are not afraid to say it, but their focus of interest is always and emphatically Beethoven – not themselves.” (MusicWeb Intern’l July 23).
Both highly in demand on a worldwide scale as unique, exceptional chamber music performers: Antje Weithaas and Dénes Várjon each ideally combine the highest degree of enthusiasm and precision: their energetic, passionate playing is the result of intense concentration and precision, combined with a large portion of musicality.
“In Antje Weithaas’s und Dénes Várjon’s complete edition of these sonatas in three volumes, each individual release is designed to illustrate those stages of artistic development (instead of featuring the works in strict chronological order). From the onset, Beethoven ascribed utter importance to the principle of dialogue between the two instruments, as we can infer from a letter he wrote to Artaria on 19 June 1793… The current Vol. 2 release contrasts the third sonata (in E Flat Major) of the early Op. 12 group with the second and third sonatas of Op. 30. The CD begins with the C Minor Sonata Op. 30, which is undoubtedly one of the two most dramatic sonatas among all ten works in the same genre (the other one being the “Kreutzer” Sonata Op. 47).
The E Flat Major sonata is also the most dramatic one within Op. 12. On the other hand, the last sonata (G Major) in Op. 30 provides a contrast in the form of a cheerful “final dance” (Kehraus), a function it also fulfils on this CD in the wake of the E Flat Major Sonata Op. 12.
Beethoven, Strauss, Scriabin et al: Vers la flamme / von Eckardstein
CAvi-music
CD
$19.99Dec 01, 2023
Severin von Eckardstein: The idea is a journey from the earthly to the light, it is about the question of how life and death are connected. Now you can say that it is generally a function of music that it catapults you into a new level of consciousness. But I think the four works on this CD do that in a special way, they radiate a tremendous power. They reflect different personal worlds, were written at different times and spring from different genres and sound ideas, yet they all have a similar function.
Regarded as one of the finest interpreters of classical and romantic repertoire, Imogen Cooper is internationally renowned for her virtuosity and lyricism. Dame Imogen writes: 'It has taken many years for me to perceive the last three sonatas by Beethoven as the evolving journey I now feel them to be. A combination of wariness of Op. 109 and overawe of Op. 111 kept me solely concentrated on Op. 110, which I can hardly regret. Nor do I regret thereby coming late in life to Opp. 109 and 111. Having come to see the shortcomings of my perception as surmountable, I found that the joys and riches of these wonderful works presented themselves with much more vivid colours than had I tussled with them whilst I was tussling with myself. The case was, incidentally, similar with the "Diabelli" Variations, Op. 120, which I finally approached and embraced in my sixties, with crystal clarity of intention and unadulterated joy. Now it would be hard for me to play any of the last three sonatas alone, so potent is the journey from first to last. And how privileged my hands feel, having wondered and wandered in the heavenly heights of the last pages of Op. 111, to travel down the keyboard and bring this astonishing last sonata, and indeed the whole body of thirty-two sonatas, to a close, with a quiet chord of C major - no long note value, no fermata. Just silence.'
Schumann, Liszt, Beethoven: Hommage to Beethoven / Blettenberg
CAvi-music
CD
$19.99Jun 23, 2023
The programme on this CD begins and ends with transcriptions of works by Beethoven. The first piece is the Allegretto (2nd movement) from Beethoven’s 7th Symphony in the arrangement by Franz Liszt, and the programme ends with a solo piano version of Beethoven’s song An die Hoffnung, created especially for this CD. The two pieces form a framework of sonorities and emotions that set the basic mood for this musical journey. The Allegretto serves as a prologue: it looks ahead, indicating the direction we shall be taking. At the other end of the programme, the song transcription serves as an epilogue: it looks back, taking stock of all that has occurred. On the one hand, there is a somber mood that runs through the entire programme: we find it in the Allegretto’s passages in minor, in the Schumann variations, in the third movement of the Beethoven sonata, and in the recitativo-like passages of An die Hoffnung. These are complemented by episodes of light: the A-Major sections of the Allegretto, the first, second, and fourth movements of the sonata, and, ultimately, the hopeful, optimistic sonorities we find in the song transcription with the final cry: “O, Hope!” (Aris Alexander Blettenberg)
Vienna, Vienna, just you, and you alone Because Vienna was the capital of music, at least in the 18th century, many pieces were not only premièred there but were also immediately musically adapted there too. There are a variety of ways of engaging fruitfully with the musical works of others, to a greater or lesser extent. One option might be an arrangement, i.e., the adaptation of a composition for a different combination of instruments than originally intended. Entire operas could be arranged for piano, for example, and so find their way into aristocratic salons or bourgeois living rooms. The 19th century also saw the development of the paraphrase, a freely embellished arrangement of popular themes from operas, often in the form of a concert fantasia written for the piano. These also included the variation, or, to be more precise, the series of variations, which took a well-known melody as a model and altering it to a greater degree in each variation, whereby the tempo and key can also change.
The invention of the chromatic pedal, which simplified playing, significantly increased the popularity of the harp. So popular did the instrument become that Beethoven wrote his Variations on a Swiss Song 'pour harpe ou piano'. Later, his most popular pieces were arranged, such as the 'Moonlight' Sonata, which was virtuosically transcribed by John Thomas, harpist to Queen Victoria. The Divertissements pour la harpe were once thought to be by Beethoven but are possibly by his contemporary and acquaintance, Count Karl Wilhelm von Haugwitz. Leading Italian harpist Paola Perrucci plays on an erard harp except for the Adagio grazioso, Op. 31, No. 1 where she plays on a modern instrument.
The second in their award winning series, the Calidore Quartet return with a three disc album of the Middle Quartets. Their Beethoven performances have been described as 'shockingly deep' by LA Times. The first album of Late Quartets won the Chamber Music Award at the BBC Music Magazine Awards 2024. Their interpretation is informed by their diverse set of mentors which include Alban Berg, Emerson, Guarneri and yet still uniquely representing the sentiments, aesthetics and research of their generation. Their interpretations of Beethoven are already critically acclaimed with performances at the Lincoln Centre planned as part of their residency.
Eight images of infinity - Beethoven's last piano sonatas
Urania Records
CD
$39.99Apr 17, 2026
With the exception of the Sonatina No. 25, long considered a minor work, this box set contains the last Piano Sonatas of the Titan of Bonn. In a recording landscape already rich in this repertoire, this release focuses entirely on the performances of Carlo Levi Minzi, who, in his artistic maturity, delivers his personal vision of these works: refined, meditative, exquisitely personal. In addition, the Klavierstück WoO 61a.
I think of fantasy as a creative force that has united composers across the centuries, to which each composer has miraculously had access, then transposed it over time. In each composer we find characteristics typical of the time in which he lived, others typical of the composer, and sometimes phrases, ideas, fragments, which seem to come out of time and space, into another dimension compared to everyday life. Here is where the genius lives, where the connection with the devine, through the creative force of fantasy, allowed the composers to go beyond their human nature." Margherita Santi
Malcolm Binns (born 29 January 1936) was for half a century one of the UK's most significant pianists. He retired aged 80, but let's not forget his hugely eclectic career which ranged from giving the UK premiere of Prokofiev's 4th Piano Concerto in 1961 (and UK broadcast premiere, included here) to being the first pianist to record the complete Beethoven piano sonatas on original instruments. For this celebration we focus on his early career with several uniquely preserved BBC concerto recordings from the pianist's own collection, including a Proms performance featuring two concertos with Sir Malcolm Sargent, a rare LP on the Concert Artist label featuring works by Rubinstein and Alkan which were premiere recordings at the time, and, from much later, two of his most acclaimed recordings from the no longer active Pearl label.
Both highly in demand on a worldwide scale as unique, exceptional chamber music performers, Antje Weithaas and Dénes Várjon each ideally combine the highest degree of enthusiasm and precision: their energetic, passionate playing is the result of intense concentration. In Vol. I of their complete recording of Beethoven’s violin sonatas, Weithaas and Várjon have chosen not to follow chronological order, but to seek out thrilling contrast and fascinating variety instead – thus making Beethoven’s rapid evolution as a composer all the more astounding.
Shura Cherkassky - The Complete 78 RPM Recordings, 1923-1950
APR
CD
$16.49$32.99Save 50%Nov 03, 2023
In his later years, SHURA CHERKASSKY (1909–1995) was regarded as one of the last ‘Romantics’ – a throwback to the so-called ‘golden age’ of pianism in the first decades of the 20th century. As a pupil of Josef Hofmann, he had an impeccable pedigree, but we tend to forget his long career meant he was already playing and recording in that ‘golden age’. Here then are these early recordings, complete for the first time, starting in the acoustic era with the young prodigy’s 1923 Victor discs. Much of the repertoire is unique in his discography, including his only recording of chamber music – the Rachmaninov cello sonata. The Tchaikovsky 2nd Concerto, Cherkassky’s earliest concerto recording, has never previously been reissued and reveals the 36-year-old artist at his virtuoso peak.
REVIEWS:
It is a joy to have all these recordings available together. Cherkassky was a supremely gifted and communicative pianist and there is something to admire in every piece in this collection.
-- MusicWeb International
Of special note are the many Chopin pieces and a smashing performance of the Fantasy in F minor from 1950. The latter has reasonably decent sound and gives us the opportunity of hearing what Cherkassky can do with one of Chopin’s masterworks.
Outstanding in-depth notes are supplied by Jonathan Summers, and special praise must be given to Seth B. Winner for his detail about restoration techniques. No lover of the art of the piano can afford to be without this set.
Nicolas Medtner - The Complete Solo Piano Recordings
APR
CD
$29.99Nov 07, 2025
APR's landmark issue on three CDs of Nicolas Medtner's complete solo recordings, which included fifteen 78-rpm sides of previously thought lost Columbia recordings from 1931 and an unpublished HMV recording of his Violin Sonata No 1, are here reissued as a set. Medtner was a magnificent pianist, and these are definitive performances of many of his most important compositions. We can also hear him in Beethoven's Appassionata Sonata, the only music other than his own, he was to record. For this issue we have added a track - his recording of the Russian Round Dance for two pianos where he is joined by Benno Moiseiwitsch - and made some further refinements to the sound quality of the transfers.
Messiaen, Mozart, Beethoven, Braunfels & Schubert: Sacred Wo
Haenssler Classic
CD
$32.99Jul 05, 2024
Selected sacred works under the direction of Gunter Wand Wand's music-making moved those who heard it with it's impeccable balance of perfection coupled with faithfulness to the original, emotional fulfilment, intellectual control, utmost sensitivity and spiritual penetration. He described his mission as "serving music", a cause to which this totally unpretentious man remained committed for seventy years. He rose to be one of the true "greats" of the twentieth century, a figure standing head and shoulders above our restless times, his name synonymous with the highest musical quality
John Boyden: A Celebration - Music of Schubert & Beethoven
Divine Art
CD
$27.99Mar 15, 2024
Introducing the exclusive release, "John Boyden, a Celebration," a tribute to a lifelong journey in classical music—a journey that began in the recording industry where John served as an executive and distinguished producer. His ground-breaking venture, Classics for Pleasure, achieved an extraordinary feat by selling four million classical recordings in just four years. Following this success, John assumed the role of the inaugural Managing Director of the London Symphony Orchestra during a challenging phase in its history. Subsequently, he went on to establish multiple independent classical record companies and the New Queen’s Hall Orchestra, committed to reviving the performance styles of the early twentieth century.
This album features two iconic recordings produced by John Boyden and a captivating new rendition of Schubert's Piano Quintet in A major, D. 667 (“Die Forelle/The Trout”), performed by the New Queen’s Hall Orchestra. "John Boyden, a Celebration" pays homage to one of the British music industry’s most esteemed individuals, ensuring his legacy resonates with classical music enthusiasts.
Dedicated with kind permission to H.M. The Queen, the patron of the New Queen’s Hall Orchestra, a testament to the profound impact of John's contributions to the world of classical music.
Introducing the exclusive release, "John Boyden, a Celebration," a tribute to a lifelong journey in classical music—a journey that began in the recording industry where John served as an executive and distinguished producer. His ground-breaking venture, Classics for Pleasure, achieved an extraordinary feat by selling four million classical recordings in just four years. Following this success, John assumed the role of the inaugural Managing Director of the London Symphony Orchestra during a challenging phase in its history. Subsequently, he went on to establish multiple independent classical record companies and the New Queen’s Hall Orchestra, committed to reviving the performance styles of the early twentieth century.
This album features two iconic recordings produced by John Boyden and a captivating new rendition of Schubert's Piano Quintet in A major, D. 667 (“Die Forelle/The Trout”), performed by the New Queen’s Hall Orchestra. "John Boyden, a Celebration" pays homage to one of the British music industry’s most esteemed individuals, ensuring his legacy resonates with classical music enthusiasts.
Dedicated with kind permission to H.M. The Queen, the patron of the New Queen’s Hall Orchestra, a testament to the profound impact of John's contributions to the world of classical music.
Their second duo album on Signum Classics, Viktoria Mullova and Alasdair Beatson perform Beethoven’s Sonatas 6, 1, and 8. Just as in previous recordings, they use a copy of an 1805 Walter (a Viennese fortepiano) by Paul McNulty; together with violin strung with gut, these instruments are what Beethoven’s music craves, giving a rich texture and distinct colors between the registers.
Olga Samaroff & Frank La Forge - Complete solo recordings
APR
CD
$21.99Jun 28, 2024
OLGA SAMAROFF (1880-1948) and FRANK LA FORGE (1879-1953) were amongst the earliest pianists to record for the US Victor label, both making most of their discs in the acoustic era before 1925. Though American, both went to Europe to study - Samaroff to the Paris Conservatoire and La Forge to Leschetizky in Vienna. Samaroff was the greater virtuoso, as can be heard in her famous recording of Wagner's 'Ride of the Valkyries', but after a fall, in 1926 she retired to an equally successful teaching career at the Juilliard School, her pupils including William Kapell, Raymond Lewenthal and Rosalyn Tureck amongst many others. La Forge gravitated towards accompanying and went on to record hundreds of discs for Victor in that capacity. His discs as soloist include some of the earliest attempts to record concerted works.
