Arrau: The Final Sessions (7 CD boxset, APE)

Performer: Claudio Arrau
Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach, Ludwig van Beethoven, Claude Debussy, Franz Schubert
Audio CD
SPARS Code: DDD
Number of Discs: 7 CD box set
Format: APE (image+cue)
Label: Philips
Size: 1.1 GB
Recovery: +3%
Scan: yes

Disc 1
01. Partita No.2 in C minor, BWV 826 – 1. Sinfonia (Grave adagio – Andante)
02. Partita No.2 in C minor, BWV 826 – 2. Allemande
03. Partita No.2 in C minor, BWV 826 – 3. Courante
04. Partita No.2 in C minor, BWV 826 – 4. Sarabande
05. Partita No.2 in C minor, BWV 826 – 5. Rondeaux
06. Partita No.2 in C minor, BWV 826 – 6. Capriccio
07. Partita No.1 in B flat, BWV 825 – 1. Praeludium
08. Partita No.1 in B flat, BWV 825 – 2. Allemande
09. Partita No.1 in B flat, BWV 825 – 3. Corrente
10. Partita No.1 in B flat, BWV 825 – 4. Sarabande
11. Partita No.1 in B flat, BWV 825 – 5/6. Menuet I – Menuet II
12. Partita No.1 in B flat, BWV 825 – 7. Giga

Disc 2
01. Partita No.5 in G, BWV 829 – 1. Praeambulum
02. Partita No.5 in G, BWV 829 – 2. Allemande
03. Partita No.5 in G, BWV 829 – 3. Corrente
04. Partita No.5 in G, BWV 829 – 4. Sarabande
05. Partita No.5 in G, BWV 829 – 5. Tempo di minuetto
06. Partita No.5 in G, BWV 829 – 6. Passepied
07. Partita No.5 in G, BWV 829 – 7. Gigue
08. Partita No.3 in A minor, BWV 827 – 1. Fantasia
09. Partita No.3 in A minor, BWV 827 – 2. Allemande
10. Partita No.3 in A minor, BWV 827 – 3. Corrente
11. Partita No.3 in A minor, BWV 827 – 4. Sarabande
12. Partita No.3 in A minor, BWV 827 – 5. Burlesca
13. Partita No.3 in A minor, BWV 827 – 6. Scherzo
14. Partita No.3 in A minor, BWV 827 – 7. Gigue

Disc 3
01. Piano Sonata No.1 in F minor, Op.2 No.1 – 1. Allegro
02. Piano Sonata No.1 in F minor, Op.2 No.1 – 2. Adagio
03. Piano Sonata No.1 in F minor, Op.2 No.1 – 3. Menuetto (Allegretto)
04. Piano Sonata No.1 in F minor, Op.2 No.1 – 4. Prestissimo
05. Piano Sonata No.16 in G, Op.31 No.1 – 1. Allegro vivace
06. Piano Sonata No.16 in G, Op.31 No.1 – 2. Adagio grazioso
07. Piano Sonata No.16 in G, Op.31 No.1 – 3. Rondo (Allegretto)
08. Piano Sonata No.22 in F, Op.54 – 1. In Tempo d’un Menuetto
09. Piano Sonata No.22 in F, Op.54 – 2. Allegretto

Disc 4
01. Piano Sonata No.2 in A, Op.2 No.2 – 1. Allegro vivace
02. Piano Sonata No.2 in A, Op.2 No.2 – 2. Largo appassionato
03. Piano Sonata No.2 in A, Op.2 No.2 – 3. Scherzo (Allegretto)
04. Piano Sonata No.2 in A, Op.2 No.2 – 4. Rondo (Grazioso)
05. Piano Sonata No.24 in F sharp, Op.78 “For Therese” – 1. Adagio cantabile – Allegro ma non troppo
06. Piano Sonata No.24 in F sharp, Op.78 “For Therese” – 2. Allegro vivace
07. Piano Sonata No.25 in G, Op.79 – 1. Presto alla tedesca
08. Piano Sonata No.25 in G, Op.79 – 2. Andante
09. Piano Sonata No.25 in G, Op.79 – 3. Vivace 2:07

Disc 5
01. Piano Sonata No.18 in G, D.894 – 1. Molto moderato e cantabile
02. Piano Sonata No.18 in G, D.894 – 2. Andante
03. Piano Sonata No.18 in G, D.894 – 3. Menuetto (Allegro moderato)
04. Piano Sonata No.18 in G, D.894 – 4. Allegretto
05. Moment musical in C, D.780 No.1
06. Moment musical in A flat, D.780 No.2
07. Moment musical in F minor, D.780 No.3
08. Moment musical in C sharp minor, D.780 No.4
09. Moment musical in F minor, D.780 No.5
10. Moment musical in A flat, D.780 No.6

Disc 6
01. 4 Impromptus Op.142, D.935 – No.1 in F minor: Allegro moderato
02. 4 Impromptus Op.142, D.935 – No.2 in A flat: Allegretto
03. 4 Impromptus Op.142, D.935 – No.3 in B flat: Theme (Andante) with Variations
04. 4 Impromptus Op.142, D.935 – No.4 in F minor: Allegro scherzando
05. 3 Klavierstücke, D.946 – No.1 in E flat minor (Allegro assai)
06. 3 Klavierstücke, D.946 – No.2 in E flat (Allegretto)
07. 3 Klavierstücke, D.946 – No.3 in C (Allegro)

Disc 7
01. Suite bergamasque – 1. Prélude
02. Suite bergamasque – 2. Menuet
03. Suite bergamasque – 3. Clair de lune
04. Suite bergamasque – 4. Passepied
05. Pour le piano – 2. Sarabande
06. La plus que lente
07. Valse romantique

This Final Sessions release captures Arrau’s tone better than any CD album I have heard. From the intial English Suites, all four of which were recorded during Arrau’s Debussy sessions in Switzerland. The Beethoven is from Arrau’s final Beethoven cycle, left incomplete at the time of his death and vary somewhat from his 60’s set containig the concerto’s and variations.
The Schubert is wonderful. I can imagine a better vehicle for Arrau’s wonderful sound and legato than D894. The Debussy, attainable only on Warner France, is also very incitful. Arrau does not subscribe to the Gieseking haze, but rather combines a germanic profundity with Michelangli’s precision.
I recommend this for Arrau fans-though the devoted fan will probably have much of this already. Remember-much of this is different from his previous releases
. Highly recommended.