Classical Music

Classical Music

SONATAS FOR VIOLIN & PIANO

BEETHOVEN: Symphony No. 8 / Piano Concerto No. 3 / Grosse Fu

BEETHOVEN: Symphonies Nos. 3 and 4

BEETHOVEN: Symphonies Nos. 7 and 8

The Lost Recordings has rediscovered the master tapes of this double recital in the archives of Berlin Radio. The label thus offers, as a world premiere, this Beethoven recital by the great Claudio Arrau, recorded on March 12, 1959 at the Hochschule f�r Muzik in Berlin, totally unpublished, delivering a breathtaking reading of the Farewells, the Appassionata and the Sonata Op. 110. An exceptional document. When Claudio Arrau took the stage of the prestigious Hochschule f�r Musik in Berlin on 12 March 1959, he was, at 56, an artist at the very peak of his fame and the pinnacle of hispianistic and intellectual powers. Rarely in pieces other than these solo works for piano, where sentimental confession, mystical revery and the constant concern for form are inextricably entwined, did Beethoven so clearly create a dramatic sound setting to depict common mortals grappling with their confused feelings, doubts and existential contemplation.

Kurt Masur 85th Anniversary (Live)

Beethoven’s Diabelli Variations are, without a doubt, an integral part of great piano literature. Here, pianist Friedrich Gulda interprets the works. When Gulda recorded these works in the 1960s, he joined forces with producer Hans Georg Brunner-Schwer to create a unique sound. Brunner-Schwer hung the microphones directly over the strings of the piano to give Gulda a presence that feels as though he is live. Joachim Kaiser wrote of Gulda’s performances, “Gulda’s remarkable qualities take him far beyond mere virtuosity and the capacity for brilliant piano playing. Gulda plays the most articulate, fascinating, natural, and purest Beethoven of the century.

Beethoven’s three most popular and most performed piano sonatas are featured on this new benchmark release, “Moonlight Sonata,” the “Appassionata,” and the “Pathetique.” Pianist Peter Rosel recorded the works on this album in the late 1970s. Here they are beautifully remastered for optimal sound quality and presented in collector’s edition packaging. “Without wanting to seem immodest, I can say that I was pretty satisfied with the result, and I still am today. The fact that the recording will now be made available on both CD and vinyl for today’s music lovers gives me immense pleasure.” (Peter Rosel)

SYMPHONY NO. 9

Beethoven: Symphony No. 9 in D Minor, Op. 125, "Choral"

Beethoven: Triple Concerto - Piano Concerto No. 3

BEETHOVEN:HIGHLIGHTS

In celebration of the 250th anniversary of Beethoven’s birth, CORO Connections is delighted to present Ian Watson and Susanna Ogata’s acclaimed complete exploration of the Sonatas for Fortepiano and Violin in one stunning boxed-set edition. All 10 sonatas, performed exclusively on period instruments, from the epic ‘Kreutzer’ to the sublime ‘Spring’ feature in this four volume set. “The music's moody outbursts and vivacity come fully alive in elegant readings that are attentive to quicksilver changes in dynamics and articulation...the Sonata No. 4 in A minor is darkly played, their 'Kreutzer' Sonata brilliant and stormy.” (The New York Times) “There's something positively gleeful about the way the pair deliver the opening gambit of Op. 30 No. 3, and the same sonata's Haydnesque finale practically swings.” (Gramophone) “Their trim, alert reading of Op.24 arguably provides their most effective and expansive vehicle yet...it combines an appropriate sense of idiom with an abundance of vitality, sensitivity and insight, and furnishes Beethoven’s textures with a clarity rarely achieved.” (The Strad)