Barenboim: Beethoven – The Piano Sonatas (9 CD box set, FLAC)

Audio CD
Number of Discs: 9 CD box set
Format: FLAC (image+cue)
Label: Decca
Size: 2.07 GB
Recovery: +3%
Scan: yes

CD 01
01. Beethoven: Piano Sonata No.1 in F minor, Op.2 No.1 – 1. Allegro
02. Beethoven: Piano Sonata No.1 in F minor, Op.2 No.1 – 2. Adagio
03. Beethoven: Piano Sonata No.1 in F minor, Op.2 No.1 – 3. Menuetto (Allegretto)
04. Beethoven: Piano Sonata No.1 in F minor, Op.2 No.1 – 4. Prestissimo
05. Beethoven: Piano Sonata No.2 in A, Op.2 No.2 – 1. Allegro vivace
06. Beethoven: Piano Sonata No.2 in A, Op.2 No.2 – 2. Largo appassionato
07. Beethoven: Piano Sonata No.2 in A, Op.2 No.2 – 3. Scherzo (Allegretto)
08. Beethoven: Piano Sonata No.2 in A, Op.2 No.2 – 4. Rondo (Grazioso)
09. Beethoven: Piano Sonata No.3 in C, Op.2 No.3 – 1. Allegro con brio
10. Beethoven: Piano Sonata No.3 in C, Op.2 No.3 – 2. Adagio
11. Beethoven: Piano Sonata No.3 in C, Op.2 No.3 – 3. Scherzo (Allegro)
12. Beethoven: Piano Sonata No.3 in C, Op.2 No.3 – 4. Allegro assai

CD 02
01. Beethoven: Piano Sonata No.5 in C minor, Op.10 No.1 – 1. Allegro molto e con brio
02. Beethoven: Piano Sonata No.5 in C minor, Op.10 No.1 – 2. Adagio molto
03. Beethoven: Piano Sonata No.5 in C minor, Op.10 No.1 – 3. Finale (Prestissimo)
04. Beethoven: Piano Sonata No.6 in F, Op.10 No.2 – 1. Allegro
05. Beethoven: Piano Sonata No.6 in F, Op.10 No.2 – 2. Allegretto
06. Beethoven: Piano Sonata No.6 in F, Op.10 No.2 – 3. Presto
07. Beethoven: Piano Sonata No.7 in D, Op.10 No.3 – 1. Presto
08. Beethoven: Piano Sonata No.7 in D, Op.10 No.3 – 2. Largo e mesto
09. Beethoven: Piano Sonata No.7 in D, Op.10 No.3 – 3. Menuetto (Allegro)
10. Beethoven: Piano Sonata No.7 in D, Op.10 No.3 – 4. Rondo (Allegro)
11. Beethoven: Piano Sonata No.8 in C minor, Op.13 -“Pathétique” – 1. Grave – Allegro di molto e con brio
12. Beethoven: Piano Sonata No.8 in C minor, Op.13 -“Pathétique” – 2. Adagio cantabile
13. Beethoven: Piano Sonata No.8 in C minor, Op.13 -“Pathétique” – 3. Rondo (Allegro)

CD 03
01. Beethoven: Piano Sonata No.4 in E flat, Op.7 – 1. Allegro molto e con brio
02. Beethoven: Piano Sonata No.4 in E flat, Op.7 – 2. Largo, con gran espressione
03. Beethoven: Piano Sonata No.4 in E flat, Op.7 – 3. Allegro
04. Beethoven: Piano Sonata No.4 in E flat, Op.7 – 4. Rondo (Poco allegretto e grazioso)
05. Beethoven: Piano Sonata No.9 in E, Op.14 No.1 – 1. Allegro
06. Beethoven: Piano Sonata No.9 in E, Op.14 No.1 – 2. Allegretto
07. Beethoven: Piano Sonata No.9 in E, Op.14 No.1 – 3. Rondo (Allegro comodo)
08. Beethoven: Piano Sonata No.10 in G, Op.14 No.2 – 1. Allegro
09. Beethoven: Piano Sonata No.10 in G, Op.14 No.2 – 2. Andante
10. Beethoven: Piano Sonata No.10 in G, Op.14 No.2 – 3. Scherzo (Allegro assai)
11. Beethoven: Piano Sonata No.13 in E flat, Op.27 No.1 – 1. Andante – Allegro – Tempo I
12. Beethoven: Piano Sonata No.13 in E flat, Op.27 No.1 – 2. Allegro molto e vivace
13. Beethoven: Piano Sonata No.13 in E flat, Op.27 No.1 – 3. Adagio con espressione
14. Beethoven: Piano Sonata No.13 in E flat, Op.27 No.1 – 4. Allegro vivace – Tempo I – Presto

CD 04
01. Beethoven: Piano Sonata No.11 in B flat, Op.22 – 1. Allegro con brio
02. Beethoven: Piano Sonata No.11 in B flat, Op.22 – 2. Adagio con molto espressione
03. Beethoven: Piano Sonata No.11 in B flat, Op.22 – 3. Menuetto
04. Beethoven: Piano Sonata No.11 in B flat, Op.22 – 4. Rondo (Allegretto)
05. Beethoven: Piano Sonata No.12 in A flat, Op.26 – 1. Andante con variazioni
06. Beethoven: Piano Sonata No.12 in A flat, Op.26 – 2. Scherzo (Allegro molto)
07. Beethoven: Piano Sonata No.12 in A flat, Op.26 – 3. Marcia funebre sulla morte d’un Eroe
08. Beethoven: Piano Sonata No.12 in A flat, Op.26 – 4. Allegro
09. Beethoven: Piano Sonata No.14 In C Sharp Minor, Op.27 No.2 -“Moonlight” – 1. Adagio sostenuto
10. Beethoven: Piano Sonata No.14 in C sharp minor, Op.27 No.2 -“Moonlight” – 2. Allegretto
11. Beethoven: Piano Sonata No.14 in C sharp minor, Op.27 No.2 -“Moonlight” – 3. Presto agitato
12. Beethoven: Piano Sonata No.27 in E minor, Op.90 – 1. Mit Lebhaftigkeit und durchaus mit Empfindung und Ausdruck
13. Beethoven: Piano Sonata No.27 in E minor, Op.90 – 2. Nicht zu geschwind und sehr singbar vorgetragen

CD 05
01. Beethoven: Piano Sonata No.15 in D, Op.28 -“Pastorale” – 1. Allegro
02. Beethoven: Piano Sonata No.15 in D, Op.28 -“Pastorale” – 2. Andante
03. Beethoven: Piano Sonata No.15 in D, Op.28 -“Pastorale” – 3. Scherzo. Allegro vivace
04. Beethoven: Piano Sonata No.15 in D, Op.28 -“Pastorale” – 4. Rondo. Allegro ma non troppo
05. Beethoven: Piano Sonata No.16 in G, Op.31 No.1 – 1. Allegro vivace
06. Beethoven: Piano Sonata No.16 in G, Op.31 No.1 – 2. Adagio grazioso
07. Beethoven: Piano Sonata No.16 in G, Op.31 No.1 – 3. Rondo (Allegretto)
08. Beethoven: Piano Sonata No.17 in D minor, Op.31 No.2 -“Tempest” – 1. Largo – Allegro
09. Beethoven: Piano Sonata No.17 in D minor, Op.31 No.2 -“Tempest” – 2. Adagio
10. Beethoven: Piano Sonata No.17 in D minor, Op.31 No.2 -“Tempest” – 3. Allegretto

CD 06
01. Beethoven: Piano Sonata No.18 in E flat, Op.31 No.3 -“The Hunt” – 1. Allegro
02. Beethoven: Piano Sonata No.18 in E flat, Op.31 No.3 -“The Hunt” – 2. Scherzo (Allegretto vivace)
03. Beethoven: Piano Sonata No.18 in E flat, Op.31 No.3 -“The Hunt” – 3. Menuetto (Moderato e grazioso)
04. Beethoven: Piano Sonata No.18 in E flat, Op.31 No.3 -“The Hunt” – 4. Presto con fuoco
05. Beethoven: Piano Sonata No.19 in G minor, Op.49 No.1 – 1. Andante
06. Beethoven: Piano Sonata No.19 in G minor, Op.49 No.1 – 2. Rondo (Allegro)
07. Beethoven: Piano Sonata No.20 in G, Op.49 No.2 – 1. Allegro ma non troppo
08. Beethoven: Piano Sonata No.20 in G, Op.49 No.2 – 2. Tempo di Menuetto
09. Beethoven: Piano Sonata No.21 in C, Op.53 -“Waldstein” – 1. Allegro con brio
10. Beethoven: Piano Sonata No.21 in C, Op.53 -“Waldstein” – 2. Introduzione (Adagio molto)
11. Beethoven: Piano Sonata No.21 in C, Op.53 -“Waldstein” – 3. Rondo (Allegretto moderato – Prestissimo)

CD 07
01. Beethoven: Piano Sonata No.22 in F, Op.54 – 1. In Tempo d’un Menuetto
02. Beethoven: Piano Sonata No.22 in F, Op.54 – 2. Allegretto
03. Beethoven: Piano Sonata No.23 in F minor, Op.57 -“Appassionata” – 1. Allegro assai
04. Beethoven: Piano Sonata No.23 in F minor, Op.57 -“Appassionata” – 2. Andante con moto
05. Beethoven: Piano Sonata No.23 in F minor, Op.57 -“Appassionata” – 3. Allegro ma non troppo
06. Beethoven: Piano Sonata No.24 in F sharp, Op.78 “For Therese” – 1. Adagio cantabile – Allegro ma non troppo
07. Beethoven: Piano Sonata No.24 in F sharp, Op.78 “For Therese” – 2. Allegro vivace
08. Beethoven: Piano Sonata No.25 in G, Op.79 – 1. Presto alla tedesca
09. Beethoven: Piano Sonata No.25 in G, Op.79 – 2. Andante
10. Beethoven: Piano Sonata No.25 in G, Op.79 – 3. Vivace
11. Beethoven: Piano Sonata No.26 in E flat, Op.81a -“Les adieux” – 1. Das Lebewohl (Adagio – Allegro)
12. Beethoven: Piano Sonata No.26 in E flat, Op.81a -“Les adieux” – 2. Abwesendheit (Andante espressivo)
13. Beethoven: Piano Sonata No.26 in E flat, Op.81a -“Les adieux” – 3. Das Wiedersehn (Vivacissimamente)

CD 08
01. Beethoven: Piano Sonata No.28 in A, Op.101 – 1. Etwas lebhaft und mit der innigsten Empfindung (Allegretto ma non troppo)
02. Beethoven: Piano Sonata No.28 in A, Op.101 – 2. Lebhaft, marschmäßig (Vivace alla marcia)
03. Beethoven: Piano Sonata No.28 in A, Op.101 – 3. Langsam und sehnsuchtsvoll (Adagio ma non troppo, con affetto)
04. Beethoven: Piano Sonata No.28 in A, Op.101 – 4. Geschwind, doch nicht zu sehr und mit Entschlossen- heit (Allegro)
05. Beethoven: Piano Sonata No.29 in B flat, Op.106 -“Hammerklavier” – 1. Allegro
06. Beethoven: Piano Sonata No.29 in B flat, Op.106 -“Hammerklavier” – 2. Scherzo (Assai vivace – Presto – Prestissimo – Tempo I)
07. Beethoven: Piano Sonata No.29 in B flat, Op.106 -“Hammerklavier” – 3. Adagio sostenuto
08. Beethoven: Piano Sonata No.29 in B flat, Op.106 -“Hammerklavier” – 4. Largo – Allegro risoluto

CD 09
01. Beethoven: Piano Sonata No.30 in E, Op.109 – 1. Vivace, ma non troppo – Adagio espressivo – Tempo I
02. Beethoven: Piano Sonata No.30 In E, Op.109 – 2. Prestissimo
03. Beethoven: Piano Sonata No.30 in E, Op.109 – 3. Gesangvoll, mit innigster Empfindung (Andante molto cantabile ed espressivo)
04. Beethoven: Piano Sonata No.31 in A flat, Op.110 – 1. Moderato cantabile molto espressivo
05. Beethoven: Piano Sonata No.31 in A flat, Op.110 – 2. Allegro molto
06. Beethoven: Piano Sonata No.31 in A flat, Op.110 – 3. Adagio ma non troppo – Fuga (Allegro ma non troppo)
07. Beethoven: Piano Sonata No.32 in C minor, Op.111 – 1. Maestoso – Allegro con brio ed appassionato
08. Beethoven: Piano Sonata No.32 in C minor, Op.111 – 2. Arietta (Adagio molto semplice e cantabile)

Another excellent Beethoven piano sonatas cycle

It’s apparent that the matter of which Beethoven piano cycles (or large portions thereof) you favor is very much a matter of very personal and subjective taste and preference. I already have those of Kempff, Pollini, Gelils, and Goode. Each very good in its own way, even the older Kempff and Gelils DG remasters, which sound excellent. Although I admire Barenboim’s other piano recordings, it’s not as if I seek him out, and I unintentionally found this set by searching here on Amazon and giving the sample tracks a listen. I’m impressed on many levels. For one, it includes all 32 sonatas. The pure and deep all-digital sound is nice, as is Barenboim’s unhurried (yet never too slow) and purposeful control and performance of the early, middle, and late sonatas. The slower adagio and andante movements are delicate but never lose their momentum, as is the case with other, more leisurely pianists. The faster pieces are dynamic but never bombastic or overperformed. A nice balance all the way around. This cycle now goes to the top of my list.