Wilhelm Backhaus: The Complete Pre-War Beethoven Recordings

$21.99
Label
APR
Release Date
October 26, 2018
Format
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    Featuring ⌄
    • COMPOSER
      BACH BEETHOVEN
    • ORCHESTRA / ENSEMBLE
      Royal Albert Hall Orchestra, London Symphony Orchestra
    • PERFORMER
      Backhaus, Ronald
    Product Details ⌄
    • RELEASE DATE
      October 26, 2018
    • UPC
      5024709160273
    • CATALOG NUMBER
      APR6027
    • LABEL
      APR
    • NUMBER OF DISCS
      2
    • GENRE
      Classical
    Works ⌄

    1. I. Allegro moderato

      Composer: Ludwig van Beethoven

      Ensemble: London Symphony Orchestra

      Performer: Wilhelm Backhaus

      Conductor: Landon Ronald

    2. II. Andante con moto

      Composer: Ludwig van Beethoven

      Ensemble: London Symphony Orchestra

      Performer: Wilhelm Backhaus

      Conductor: Landon Ronald

    3. III. Rondo: Vivace

      Composer: Ludwig van Beethoven

      Ensemble: London Symphony Orchestra

      Performer: Wilhelm Backhaus

      Conductor: Landon Ronald

    4. I. Allegro

      Composer: Ludwig van Beethoven

      Ensemble: Royal Albert Hall Orchestra

      Performer: Wilhelm Backhaus

      Conductor: Landon Ronald

    5. II. Adagio un poco mosso -

      Composer: Ludwig van Beethoven

      Ensemble: Royal Albert Hall Orchestra

      Performer: Wilhelm Backhaus

      Conductor: Landon Ronald

    6. III. Rondo: Allegro

      Composer: Ludwig van Beethoven

      Ensemble: Royal Albert Hall Orchestra

      Performer: Wilhelm Backhaus

      Conductor: Landon Ronald

    7. I. Grave - Allegro di molto e con brio

      Composer: Ludwig van Beethoven

      Performer: Wilhelm Backhaus

    8. II. Adagio cantabile

      Composer: Ludwig van Beethoven

      Performer: Wilhelm Backhaus

    9. III. Rondo: Allegro

      Composer: Ludwig van Beethoven

      Performer: Wilhelm Backhaus

    10. I. Adagio sostenuto

      Composer: Ludwig van Beethoven

      Performer: Wilhelm Backhaus

    11. II. Allegretto

      Composer: Ludwig van Beethoven

      Performer: Wilhelm Backhaus

    12. III. Presto agitato

      Composer: Ludwig van Beethoven

      Performer: Wilhelm Backhaus

    13. I. Das Lebewohl: Adagio - Allegro

      Composer: Ludwig van Beethoven

      Performer: Wilhelm Backhaus

    14. II. Abwesenheit: Andante espressivo

      Composer: Ludwig van Beethoven

      Performer: Wilhelm Backhaus

    15. III. Das Wiedersehn: Vivacissimamente

      Composer: Ludwig van Beethoven

      Performer: Wilhelm Backhaus

    16. I. Maestoso - Allegro con brio ed appassionato

      Composer: Ludwig van Beethoven

      Performer: Wilhelm Backhaus

    17. II. Arietta: Adagio molto semplice e cantabile

      Composer: Ludwig van Beethoven

      Performer: Wilhelm Backhaus

    18. Prelude No. 1 in C Major, BWV 846

      Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

      Performer: Wilhelm Backhaus

    19. Fugue No. 1 in C Major, BWV 846

      Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

      Performer: Wilhelm Backhaus

    20. Prelude No. 22 in B-Flat Minor, BWV 867

      Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

      Performer: Wilhelm Backhaus

    21. Fugue No. 22 in B-Flat Minor, BWV 867

      Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

      Performer: Wilhelm Backhaus

    22. Christmas Oratorio, BWV 248: Sinfonia "Sheperds' Music" (arr. C. Lucas for piano)

      Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

      Performer: Wilhelm Backhaus



Wilhelm Backhaus (1884–1969) left a 60-year recorded legacy which began in 1908, but though known particularly for Beethoven and Brahms in his later years, he performed a much wider repertoire before the war (as seen on the companion album which presents works by Chopin, Liszt and Schumann) and the four sonatas and two concertos included here are the totality of his early Beethoven output. These are nevertheless important recordings – the ‘Emperor’ concerto was only the second ever recording and the first recorded by the ‘electric’ process. The 4th became an instant classic and still stands high among recorded versions. The sonatas benefit from the spontaneity of youth – the didactic and gruff presentation which occasionally afflicts Backhaus’s later complete sonata cycles is little in evidence here. Three of the sonatas were issued with Bach ‘fillers’ and we have included these here to reveal yet another side of Backhaus’ musicianship.

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REVIEW:

Backhaus has a particularly fascinating way with the development of the G major’s opening Allegro. The sonatas are a bit of a mixed bag, some superior to his later recordings, others not.

– Gramophone

The Pathétique was recorded the day after the Emperor and is an example of his unmannered (other than tempo speeding in the finale), direct, largely uneffusive sonata playing. The Moonlight has rather too many punctuation points for comfort but is otherwise eloquently phrased with real brio in the finale. Les Adieux is perhaps the pick of these early sonata readings for its consistency of vision; sometimes in Op.101 he is inclined to go hell-for-leather. This disc ends with a particularly beguiling performance of Clarence Lucas’ arrangement from Bach’s Christmas Oratorio.

– MusicWeb International