Composer: Ludwig van Beethoven
Performer: Vladimir Ashkenazy
Number of Discs: 10
Format: FLAC (tracks)
Label: Decca
Catalogue: 443706
Release: 1995
Size: 1.99 GB
Recovery: +3%
Scan: cover
CD 01
Piano Sonata No. 1 in F Minor, Op. 2 No. 1
01. 1. Allegro
02. 2. Adagio
03. 3. Menuetto (Allegretto)
04. 4. Prestissimo
Piano Sonata No. 2 in A, Op. 2 No. 2
05. 1. Allegro vivace
06. 2. Largo appassionato
07. 3. Scherzo (Allegretto)
08. 4. Rondo (Grazioso)
Piano Sonata No. 3 in C, Op. 2 No. 3
09. 1. Allegro con brio
10. 2. Adagio
11. 3. Scherzo (Allegro)
12. 4. Allegro assai
CD 02
Piano Sonata No. 4 in E flat, Op. 7
01. 1. Allegro molto e con brio
02. 2. Largo, con gran espressione
03. 3. Allegro
04. 4. Rondo (Poco allegretto e grazioso)
Piano Sonata No. 5 in C minor, Op. 10 No. 1
05. 1. Allegro molto e con brio
06. 2. Adagio molto
07. 3. Finale (Prestissimo)
Piano Sonata No. 6 in F, Op. 10 No. 2
08. 1. Allegro
09. 2. Allegretto
10. 3. Presto
CD 03
Piano Sonata No. 7 in D, Op. 10 No. 3
01. 1. Presto
02. 2. Largo e mesto
03. 3. Menuetto (Allegro)
04. 4. Rondo (Allegro)
Piano Sonata No. 8 in C minor, Op. 13 “Pathétique”
05. I. Grave – Allegro di molto e con brio
06. II. Adagio cantabile
07. III. Rondo (Allegro)
Piano Sonata No. 9 in E, Op. 14 No. 1
08. 1. Allegro
09. 2. Allegretto
10. 3. Rondo (Allegro comodo)
Piano Sonata No. 10 in G major, Op. 14 No. 2
11. 1. Allegro
12. 2. Andante
13. 3. Scherzo. Allegro assai
CD 04
Piano Sonata No. 11 In B Flat, Op. 22
01. 1. Allegro con brio
02. 2. Adagio con molto espressione
03. 3. Menuetto
04. 4. Rondo (Allegretto)
Piano Sonata No. 12 in A flat, Op. 26
05. 1. Andante con variazioni
06. 2. Scherzo (Allegro molto)
07. 3. Marcia funebre sulla morte d’un Eroe
08. 4. Allegro
Piano Sonata No. 13 in E flat, Op. 27 No. 1
09. 1. Andante – Allegro – Tempo I
10. 2. Allegro molto e vivace
11. 3. Adagio con espressione
12. 4. Allegro vivace – Tempo I – Presto
CD 05
Piano Sonata No. 14 in C-sharp Minor, Op. 27 No. 2 “Moonlight”
01. I. Adagio sostenuto
02. II. Allegretto
03. III. Presto agitato
Piano Sonata No. 15 in D, Op. 28 -“Pastorale”
04. 1. Allegro
05. 2. Andante
06. 3. Scherzo (Allegro assai)
07. 4. Rondo. Allegro ma non troppo
Piano Sonata No. 16 in G, Op. 31 No. 1
08. 1. Allegro vivace
09. 2. Adagio grazioso
10. 3. Rondo (Allegretto)
CD 06
Piano Sonata No. 17 in D Minor, Op. 31 No. 2 -“Tempest”
01. 1. Largo – Allegro
02. 2. Adagio
03. 3. Allegretto
Piano Sonata No. 18 in E Flat, Op. 31 No. 3 -“The Hunt”
04. 1. Allegro
05. 2. Scherzo (Allegretto vivace)
06. 3. Menuetto (Moderato e grazioso)
07. 4. Presto con fuoco
Piano Sonata No. 19 in G minor, Op. 49 No. 1
08. 1. Andante
09. 2. Rondo (Allegro)
Piano Sonata No. 20 in G, Op. 49 No. 2
10. 1. Allegro ma non troppo
11. 2. Tempo di Menuetto
CD 07
Piano Sonata No. 21 in C major, Op. 53 “Waldstein”
01. I. Allegro con brio
02. II. Introduzione (Adagio molto)
03. III. Rondo (Allegretto moderato – Prestissimo)
Piano Sonata No. 22 in F, Op. 54
04. 1. In Tempo d’un Menuetto
05. 2. Allegretto
Piano Sonata No. 23 In F Minor, Op. 57 “Appassionata”
06. I. Allegro assai
07. II. Andante con moto
08. III. Allegro ma non troppo
Piano Sonata No. 24 in F-Sharp Major, Op. 78 “For Therese”
09. 1. Adagio cantabile – Allegro ma non troppo
10. 2. Allegro vivace
CD 08
Piano Sonata No. 25 in G, Op. 79
01. 1. Presto alla tedesca
02. 2. Andante
03. 3. Vivace
Piano Sonata No. 26 in E-flat Major, Op. 81a “Les Adieux”
04. I. Das Lebewohl (Adagio – Allegro)
05. II. Abwesendheit (Andante espressivo)
06. III. Das Wiedersehn (Vivacissimamente)
Piano Sonata No. 27 in E Minor, Op. 90
07. 1. Mit Lebhaftigkeit und durchaus mit Empfindung und Ausdruck
08. 2. Nicht zu geschwind und sehr singbar vorgetragen
Piano Sonata No. 28 in A, Op. 101
09. 1. Etwas lebhaft und mit der innigsten Empfindung (Allegretto ma non troppo)
10. 2. Lebhaft, marschmäßig (Vivace alla marcia)
11. 3. Langsam und sehnsuchtsvoll (Adagio ma non troppo, con affetto)
CD 09
01. Andante favori in F Major, WoO 57
Piano Sonata No. 29 In B Flat, Op. 106 -“Hammerklavier”
02. 1. Allegro (Digital Version)
03. 2. Scherzo (Assai vivace – Presto – Prestissimo – Tempo I) (Digital Version)
04. 3. Adagio sostenuto (Digital Version)
05. 4. Largo – Allegro risoluto (Digital Version)
CD 10
Piano Sonata No. 30 in E, Op. 109
01. 1. Vivace, ma non troppo – Adagio espressivo – Tempo I
02. 2. Prestissimo
03. 3. Gesangvoll, mit innigster Empfindung (Andante molto cantabile ed espressivo)
Piano Sonata No. 31 in A Flat, Op. 110
04. 1. Moderato cantabile molto espressivo
05. 2. Allegro molto
06. 3. Adagio ma non troppo
07. 3b. Fuga (Allegro ma non troppo)
Piano Sonata No. 32 in C minor, Op. 111
08. 1. Maestoso – Allegro con brio ed appassionato
09. 2. Arietta (Adagio molto semplice e cantabile)
As one of the world’s leading pianists, Vladimir Ashkenazy offered important interpretations in his recordings for London of Ludwig van Beethoven’s 32 piano sonatas; as this 1995 box set reissue shows, his contributions to the catalog still have great staying power. Recorded throughout the 1970s, these performances were originally released as LPs, and listeners following the charismatic pianist were treated to a new album of sonatas nearly on an annual basis. Ashkenazy’s Beethoven is recognizably his own, for the dramatic characterizations and assertive style of playing are similar to his recordings of music by other composers, so anyone who knows his Chopin or Scriabin recordings from roughly the same period will recognize the same confidence and bravado in his youthful, vigorous playing. They will also note his typical freedom with dynamics and tempos, as well as some rushing, but his changes are never inappropriate. To this end, these sonatas may not be the most carefully deliberated, sensitive, or refined performances, but because Ashkenazy seems to prefer a forthright approach to an introverted manner of playing, the music is highly communicative and feels completely honest. The predominantly ADD sound of this set is exceptional for its vintage, though the ninth disc is all-digital.