Artur Schnabel Plays Beethoven

On this CD:

1. Variations for piano in C major on a waltz by Diabelli ("Diabelli Variations"), Op. 120
Composed by Ludwig van Beethoven
Performed by Artur Schnabel

2. Variations for piano in F major on an original theme, Op. 34
Composed by Ludwig van Beethoven
Performed by Artur Schnabel

3. Bagatelle for piano in A minor ("Für Elise"), WoO 59
Composed by Ludwig van Beethoven
Performed by Artur Schnabel

Tracks:

Sonata No. 8 In C Minor, Op. 13 - Pathetique: Grave. Allegro di molto e con brio
Sonata No. 8 In C Minor, Op. 13 - Pathetique: Adagio cantabile
Sonata No. 8 In C Minor, Op. 13 - Pathetique: Rondo. Allegro
Sonata No. 14 In C Sharp Minor, Op. 27, No. 2 - Moonlight: Adagio sostenuto
Sonata No. 14 In C Sharp Minor, Op. 27, No. 2 - Moonlight: Allegretto
Sonata No. 14 In C Sharp Minor, Op. 27, No. 2 - Moonlight: Presto agitato
Sonata No. 15 In D, Op. 28 - Pastoral: Allegro
Sonata No. 15 In D, Op. 28 - Pastoral: Andante
Sonata No. 15 In D, Op. 28 - Pastoral: Scherzo
Sonata No. 15 In D, Op. 28 - Pastoral: Rondo
Sonata No. 21 In C, Op. 53 - Waldstein: Allegro con brio
Sonata No. 21 In C, Op. 53 - Waldstein: Introduzione. Adagio molto
Sonata No. 21 In C, Op. 53 - Waldstein: Rondo. Allegretto moderato. Prestissimo

Tracks:

Sonata No. 23 In F Minor, Op. 57 - Appassionata: Allegro assai
Sonata No. 23 In F Minor, Op. 57 - Appassionata: Andante con moto
Sonata No. 23 In F Minor, Op. 57 - Appassionata: Allegro ma non troppo
Sonata No. 26 In E Flat, Op. 90 - Les Adieux: Adagio. Allegro
Sonata No. 26 In E Flat, Op. 90 - Les Adieux: Andante espressivo
Sonata No. 26 In E Flat, Op. 90 - Les Adieux: Vivacissimamente
Sonata No. 29, Op. 106 - Hammerklavier: Allegro
Sonata No. 29, Op. 106 - Hammerklavier: Scherzo. Assai vivace
Sonata No. 29, Op. 106 - Hammerklavier: Adagio sostenuto
Sonata No. 29, Op. 106 - Hammerklavier: Largo. Allegro risoluto

Amazon.com

When compact discs first came out, the first thing many longtime collectors wanted to know was, When does Schnabel's Beethoven become available? That the pianist's pioneering recordings of Beethoven's 32 Sonatas for Piano have been in print almost continuously since 1935 testifies to the esteem in which they continue to be held. Schnabel's performances are best heard in Pearl's five full-priced sets (about $180), rather than in EMI's less expensive box set (just under $80). Listeners who cannot afford such an investment owe it to themselves to investigate this two-disc sampler from Pearl, featuring Sonatas Nos. 8 ("Pathétique"), 14 ("Moonlight"), 15 ("Pastoral"), 21 ("Waldstein"), 23 ("Appassionata"), 26 ("Les Adieux"), and 29 ("Hammerklavier"). Schnabel was a founding father of musical modernism, which demanded that music be performed exactly as written, with the performer serving as no more than a transparent medium. Fortunately, Schnabel's ideology was not consistent with his practice. His softening of melodic contours, his free changing of tempos, his imaginative use of tone colors, his mailed-fist-in-a-velvet-glove power, and the unearthly beauty of his singing legato in pianissimo passages were those of a full-blown Romantic pianist. Certainly, no one ever served Beethoven's music better. Whether in the chain-reaction explosions of the "Appassionata," the sustained reveries of the opening movement of the "Moonlight," or the contrapuntal complexities of the finale of the "Hammerklavier," Schnabel never failed to demonstrate a genius for keeping the listener's ears in a state of perpetual expectation. --Stephen Wigler

Customer Reviews:

Definitive reissue of these definitive performances.......2005-12-19

I've heard many reissues of these performances --- the Seraphim LPs, the EMI and Naxos CDs. Without question the Pearl series far exceeds the others in its fresh sound. The Pearl series sounds unfiltered --- it has the greatest surface noise, but for the first time you can actually hear the sparkle and vibrancy of Schnabel's piano --- almost like a modern recording with a lot of noise. That sparkle gives the music a psychoacoustic aliveness that is profoundly important to the emotional impact. The engineering of the new Naxos series puts the musician behind a veil of 70 years. The Pearl series brings Schanbel into your room now. The mind can filter out the surface noise and hear the vibrancy present. Perhaps someday computers will be able to do this for us (perhaps they already can---listen to the Sony reissue of Louis Armstrong's Hot 5 and 7s). As to the performances --- I've focus on the sound, because the performances are simply essential to any lover of Beethoven; when I sit down and close my eyes and listen, Schnabel more than any interpreter evokes a stream of images, moments, characters, feelings, and indescribable stories that inhabit Beethoven's musical world. It's not simply that I like Schnabel's performances. I like many other pianists' performances. But Schnabel opens the gates of the imagination.

Striking Performances - Excellent Sound.......2002-02-08

Schnabel's performances are quite amazing. I could not disagree more with the reviewer who found the performance of the 29th Sonata to be a 'disaster' - it's true that Schnabel drops a few notes here and there, but the performance is so fiery and energetic that it doesn't matter. I spent months listening to the Kempff recording (which I quite respect and do not mean to insult) trying to understand what I'd been told was a great masterpiece - it just didn't grab me. With that preparation, however, when I first heard the Schnabel recording it was like being struck by lightning - I was riveted, transfixed. It spoke directly to me. You can't beat that.

I don't normally consider myself an audiophile - I'm usually happy to sacrifice a little sound quality for price (and certainly for performance) considerations, but although I've not heard the EMI box, I have heard CD reissues of this material that sound AWFUL. The Pearl editions are worth the extra money. The 'hiss' that was complained of in another review has been removed from other editions at the expense of the music. Besides, you can always turn down the treble a notch if you need to.

This is a fine sampler, but save up and get all 5 volumes of the Pearl set.

Make this your starting point.......2002-01-24

I think this compilation serves as an excellent sampler of the entire Pearl series of Schnabel's Beethoven recordings. The first item, the "Pathetique" Sonata, sets the stage for Schnabel's unique music-making: a fierce, driving First Movement (with liberal accelerandi applied to the Coda); a meditative, rapt Slow Movement; and again, a charged Finale. Schnabel makes no attempt to smooth over or prettify the music; all the raw emotion is here. For those who have heard the "Moonlight" Sonata too often, Schnabel's deeply felt and yet totally unsentimental approach will be a revelation. The "Hammerklavier" Sonata will come as a shock at first, with a First Movement tempo so furious that the pianist's fingers occasionally derail. And yet, repeated hearings have convinced me that this is the way the music must go, hectic, frantic, manic. After hearing this sampler, begin saving up for all 5 of the Pearl volumes.

Average customer rating:

Definitive reissue of the definitive performances
The way Beethoven himself would have played it
Not merely historic, but definitive!

Schnabel plays Beethoven, 5

Manufacturer: Pearl
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Classical | Box Sets | Stores | Music
Similar Items:

Beethoven: The Complete Piano Sonatas
Vaughan Williams: Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis; Fantasia on

ASIN: B000000WPA
Release Date: 1995-02-28

Tracks:

Sonata No. 28 in A, op. 101: Allegretto, ma non troppo
Sonata No. 28 in A, op. 101: Vivace alla Marcia
Sonata No. 28 in A, op. 101: Adagio, ma non troppo, con affetto
Sonata No. 28 in A, op. 101: Allegro
Sonata No. 29 In B Flat 'Hammerklavier,' Op. 106: Allegro
Sonata No. 29 In B Flat 'Hammerklavier,' Op. 106: Scherzo. Assai vivace
Sonata No. 29 In B Flat 'Hammerklavier,' Op. 106: Adagio sostenuto
Sonata No. 29 In B Flat 'Hammerklavier,' Op. 106: Largo. Allegro risoluto

Tracks:

Sonata No. 30 In E, Op. 109: Vivace, ma non troppo
Sonata No. 30 In E, Op. 109: Prestissimo
Sonata No. 30 In E, Op. 109: Andante molto cantabile ed espressivo
Sonata No. 31 In A Flat, Op. 110: Moderato cantabile molto espressivo
Sonata No. 31 In A Flat, Op. 110: Allegro molto
Sonata No. 31 In A Flat, Op. 110: Adagio, ma non troppo. Fuga.
Sonata No. 32 In C Minor, Op. 111: Maestoso. Allegro con brio ed appassionato.
Sonata No. 32 In C Minor, Op. 111: Arietta. Adagio molto semplice e cantabile

Tracks:

Diabelli Variations, op. 120: Vivace
Diabelli Variations, op. 120: Variation 1 : Alla Marcia maestoso
Diabelli Variations, op. 120: Variation 2 : Poco allegro
Diabelli Variations, op. 120: Variation 3 : L'istesso tempo
Diabelli Variations, op. 120: Variation 4 : Un poco piu vivace
Diabelli Variations, op. 120: Variation 5 : Allegro vivace
Diabelli Variations, op. 120: Variation 6 : Allegro ma non troppo e serioso
Diabelli Variations, op. 120: Variation 7 : Un poco piu allegro
Diabelli Variations, op. 120: Variation 8 : Poco vivace
Diabelli Variations, op. 120: Variation 9 : Allegro pesante e risoluto
Diabelli Variations, op. 120: Variation 10 : Presto
Diabelli Variations, op. 120: Variation 11 : Allegretto
Diabelli Variations, op. 120: Variation 12 : Un poco piu moto
Diabelli Variations, op. 120: Variation 13 : Vivace
Diabelli Variations, op. 120: Variation 14 : Grave e maestoso
Diabelli Variations, op. 120: Variation 15 : Presto scherzando
Diabelli Variations, op. 120: Variation 16 : Allegro
Diabelli Variations, op. 120: Variation 17 : (not marked)
Diabelli Variations, op. 120: Variation 18 : Poco moderato
Diabelli Variations, op. 120: Variation 19 : Presto
Diabelli Variations, op. 120: Variation 20 : Andante
Diabelli Variations, op. 120: Variation 21 : Allegro con brio
Diabelli Variations, op. 120: Variation 22 : Allegro molto alla 'Notte e giorno faticar'
Diabelli Variations, op. 120: Variation 23 : Allegro assai
Diabelli Variations, op. 120: Variation 24 : Fughetta. Andante
Diabelli Variations, op. 120: Variation 25 : Allegro
Diabelli Variations, op. 120: Variation 26 : Piacerole
Diabelli Variations, op. 120: Variation 27 : Vivace
Diabelli Variations, op. 120: Variation 28 : Allegro
Diabelli Variations, op. 120: Variation 29 : Adagio, ma non troppo
Diabelli Variations, op. 120: Variation 30 : Andante, sempre cantabile
Diabelli Variations, op. 120: Variation 31 : Largo, molto espressivo
Diabelli Variations, op. 120: Variation 32 : Fuga. Allegro
Diabelli Variations, op. 120: Variation 33 : Tempo di Minuetto moderato
Bagatelles, Op. 126: No. 1 In G : Andante con moto
Bagatelles, Op. 126: No. 2 In G Minor : Allegro
Bagatelles, Op. 126: No. 3 In E Flat : Andante
Bagatelles, Op. 126: No. 4 In B Minor : Presto
Bagatelles, Op. 126: No. 5 In G : Quasi allegretto
Bagatelles, Op. 126: No. 6 In E Flat : Presto

Amazon.com

Seth Winner's expert remastering reveals a wider range of color, inflection, and expression to Artur Schnabel's late Beethoven than one divines from EMI's earlier, plummier transfers. While the great pianist's fingers occasionally derail in the Hammerklavier's outer movements, or Op. 101's treacherous march and fugue movements, his fusion of architecture and passion elsewhere verges on the clairvoyant. His cloudy, bone-chilling trills in the finales of Op. 109 and 111, once heard, will stick forever in your inner ear. --Jed Distler

Customer Reviews:

Definitive reissue of the definitive performances.......2005-12-19

The way Beethoven himself would have played it.......2005-08-30

When I hear Schnabel play Beethoven's sonatas I can't help feeling that this is the way Beethoven himself would have played them. The fiery impetuosity and ethereal vision and resolute courage and defiance imbue these interpretations. Schnabel has come down from the fiery bush to reveal to us the spirit of Beethoven (as it were). In any case, if you want to really understand and feel Beethoven, there is no other in my opinion than the great Schnabel: he is the measure by which all who have so far come after him should be measured. And these Pearl recordings are the best I've heard so far. It sounds the truest to the actual performance. The others I've heard (from EMI) are good but seem to have more distortion in the actual piano sounds due to filtering out the noise. But I do recommend the "Waldstein" recording by Schnabel from the EMI Great Recordings series. Others don't even come close; when you've heard this one, the others will seem but feeble attempts of mere earthlings.

Not merely historic, but definitive!.......2002-01-20

Generally, we think of "historic" reissues as something for the specialist, as an interesting glimpse of musical practices and conceptions from the past. This is not the case here. Artur Schnabel, like the conductor Wilhelm Furtwaengler, continues to live as a supreme Beethoven interpreter, in this case, of the piano music. This final volume, contaning the works of the composer's last period, provides the strongest evidence of such supremacy. No matter what other recording of the Beethoven Sonatas you may fancy, this final Volume is a must for everyone. It will probably make you want to ge the entire set and discard whatever version you have now. I have had versions of some of the individual sonatas by other pianists, but now I only own Schnabel's.
I first heard these performances in the wretched EMI LP transfers back in the Sixties. They were thin-sounding and muffled; hearing the earlier Victor LPs was an amazing experience and showed me how variable transfers of 78 RPM material can be. I wound up discarding the EMI's and getting all of the Victor LPs. I am happy to say that the Pearl transfers are if anything even clearer and more impactful in sound. It really is like playing good 78 copies in mint condition.
The performance of the "Hammerklavier" Sonata is undoubtedly the most controversial one in this volume, if not in the entire series. Particularly, the headlong pacing in the First Movement has come in for criticism. Having lived with this performance for several decades, I am convinced that this is the way it should sound. One must not forget that the "Hammerklavier" was written in a period of extreme emotional stress for Beethoven; given his manic-depressive tendencies, it should not be surprising that these should spill over into his compositions. Schnabel's is the only rendition which fully explores the manic qualities of the First and Final Movements, and the deep depression of the Adagio (this is surely the most despairing movement that Beethoven ever wrote). Other performances just don't cut the mustard.

Artur Schnabel Plays Beethoven. Piano Concerto No. 1 in C Major, Op. 15. Piano Concerto No. 2 in B Flat Major, Op. 19.

Average customer rating:

Artur Schnabel Plays Beethoven. Piano Concerto No. 1 in C Major, Op. 15. Piano Concerto No. 2 in B Flat Major, Op. 19.

Manufacturer: Arabesque
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD
ASIN: B000P9EGCE

Average customer rating:

Artur Schnabel Plays Beethoven

Manufacturer: Pearl
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Fantasies | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music
ASIN: B000000WP7
Release Date: 1994-11-29

Average customer rating:

Definitive reissue of the definitive performances
Schnabel is king!

Schnabel Plays Beethoven, Vol. III

Manufacturer: Pearl
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music
ASIN: B000000WOY
Release Date: 1994-11-29

Tracks:

Sonata No. 14 In C# Minor, Op. 27 No. 2: Adagio sostenuto
Sonata No. 14 In C# Minor, Op. 27 No. 2: Allegretto
Sonata No. 14 In C# Minor, Op. 27 No. 2: Presto agitato
Sonata No. 15 In D, Op. 28: Allegro
Sonata No. 15 In D, Op. 28: Andante
Sonata No. 15 In D, Op. 28: Scherzo
Sonata No. 15 In D, Op. 28: Rondo
Sonata No. 16 In G, Op. 31 No. 1: Allegro vivace
Sonata No. 16 In G, Op. 31 No. 1: Adagio grazioso
Sonata No. 16 In G, Op. 31 No. 1: Rondo. Allegretto.
Six Variations On An Original Theme In F, Op. 34: Tema : Adagio. Cantabile.
Six Variations On An Original Theme In F, Op. 34: Variation I
Six Variations On An Original Theme In F, Op. 34: Variation II. Allegro, ma non troppo.
Six Variations On An Original Theme In F, Op. 34: Variation III : Allegretto
Six Variations On An Original Theme In F, Op. 34: Variation IV : Tempo di Minuetto
Six Variations On An Original Theme In F, Op. 34: Variation V : Marcia. Allegretto
Six Variations On An Original Theme In F, Op. 34: Variation VI : Allegretto

Tracks:

Sonata No. 17 In D Minor, Op. 31 No. 2: Largo. Allegro
Sonata No. 17 In D Minor, Op. 31 No. 2: Adagio
Sonata No. 17 In D Minor, Op. 31 No. 2: Allegretto
Sonata No. 18 In E-Flat, Op. 31 No. 3: Allegro
Sonata No. 18 In E-Flat, Op. 31 No. 3: Scherzo. Allegretto vivace
Sonata No. 18 In E-Flat, Op. 31 No. 3: Menuetto. Moderato e grazioso
Sonata No. 18 In E-Flat, Op. 31 No. 3: Presto con fuoco
Bagatelles, Op. 33: No.1 In E-Flat
Bagatelles, Op. 33: No. 2 In C
Bagatelles, Op. 33: No. 3 In F
Bagatelles, Op. 33: No. 4 In A
Bagatelles, Op. 33: No. 5 In C
Bagatelles, Op. 33: No. 6 In D
Bagatelles, Op. 33: No. 7 In A-Flat

Customer Reviews:

Definitive reissue of the definitive performances.......2005-12-19

Schnabel is king!.......2005-10-21

Anyone who has read my other reviews of the Schnable Beethoven series will know how I react to this kind of exalted music-making. So just forget other versions and get the complete Schnabel Beethoven recordings, already!

Artur Schnabel Plays Beethoven/ Piano Concerto No.5

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Artur Schnabel Plays Beethoven/ Piano Concerto No.5

Manufacturer: Arabesque
ProductGroup: Classical
Binding: Audio CD
ASIN: B000JJI67G

Product Description

1-2.concerto no.5 in e flat major op.73 3.polonaise in c major op.89 4.andante in f major op.170

Average customer rating:

Artur Schnabel Plays Beethoven

Manufacturer: Enterprise
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music
ASIN: B000003UBT
Release Date: 1996-10-01

Tracks:

Son No.30 in E, Op.109: I. Vivace Ma Non Troppo.
Son No.30 in E, Op.109: II. Prestissimo.
Son For Pno No.30 in E, Op.109: III. Gesangvoll, Mit Innigsten Empfindung.
Son For Pno No.31 in A Flat, Op.110: I. Moderato Cantabile, Molto Espressivo.
Son For Pno No.31 in A Flat, Op.110: II. Allegro Molto
Son For Pno No.31 in A Flat, Op.110: III. Adagio Ma Non Troppo
Son For Pno No.31 in A Flat, Op.110: IV. Fuga. Allegro Ma Non Troppo
Son For Pno No.32 in c, Op.111: I. Maestoso. Allegro Con Brio E Appassionato.
Son For Pno No.32 in c, Op.111: II. Arietta. Adagio Molto, Semplice E Cantabile

Average customer rating:

Artur Schnabel Plays Beethoven

Manufacturer: Enterprise
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music
ASIN: B000003UBX
Release Date: 1996-11-19

Tracks:

Son No.14 in c#, Op.27, No.2 'Moonlight': I. Adagio Sostenuto
Son No.14 in c#, Op.27, No.2 'Moonlight': II. Allegretto
Son No.14 in c#, Op.27, No.2 'Moonlight': III. Presto Agitato
Son No.21 in C, Op.53 'Waldstein': I. Allegro Con Brio
Son No.21 in C, Op.53 'Waldstein': II. Adagio Molto.
Son No.21 in C, Op.53 'Waldstein': III. Rondo. Allegro Moderato
Son No.23 in f, Op.57 'Appassionata': I. Allegro Assai
Son No.23 in f, Op.57 'Appassionata': II. Andante Con Moto
Son No.23 in f, Op.57 'Appassionata': III. Allegro Ma Non Troppo
Son No.26 in E flat, Op.81a 'Les Adieux': I. Adagio. Allegro. (Les Adieux)
Son No.26 in E flat, Op.81a 'Les Adieux': II. Andante Expressivo. (L'Absence)
Son No.26 in E flat, Op.81a 'Les Adieux': III. Vivacissimamente (Le Retour)

DONALD ISLER Plays Piano Works of SCHNABEL and BEETHOVEN

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DONALD ISLER Plays Piano Works of SCHNABEL and BEETHOVEN

Manufacturer: Kasp
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Classical | Indie Music | Stores | Music
ASIN: B000009MG3
Release Date: 2001-02-12

Tracks:

Son No.5 in c, Op.10 No.1: Molto Allegro E Con Brio
Son No.5 in c, Op.10 No.1: Adagio Molto
Son No.5 in c, Op.10 No.1: Finale: Prestissimo
Son No.30 in E, Op.109: Vivace Ma Non Troppo
Son No.30 in E, Op.109: Prestissimo
Son No.30 in E, Op.109: Andante Molto Cantabile Ed Espressivo
Seven Pieces: Largo
Seven Pieces: Allegretto
Seven Pieces: Andantino
Seven Pieces: Agitato, Vivace
Seven Pieces: Lento
Seven Pieces: Vivace
Seven Pieces: Con Moto
Dance Ste: Foxtrot
Dance Ste: First Rest/Wooing
Dance Ste: Waltz/Feelings
Dance Ste: Second Rest/Relating Atmospherically
Dance Ste: Towards Tomorrow/Affirmation

Album Description

Pianist Donald Isler gave a recital in tribute to Artur Schnabel at New York's Symphony Space some years ago. The program included two Schnabel compositions - the Seven Pieces of 1947, and the US premiere of the Dance Suite of 1921. The first recording of the Dance Suite, presented here, stems from that time.

The Seven Pieces, considered by many to be Schnabel's finest work for piano solo, were originally recorded by Helen Schnabel on an LP long out of print. The present recording is the only version currently available.

The two Beethoven Sonatas on this recording are a part of the core repertoire Schnabel performed, recorded, and taught to such effect that that his successors are still to some degree in his debt.

This recording, then, is a multiple tribute to one of the twentieth century's great musicians.

Plays Beethoven
Average customer rating:
Plays Beethoven
Artur Schnabel
Manufacturer: Enterprise
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD
ASIN: B00008F1L3
Release Date: 1994-01-04

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