Track Listing

Disc 1:

1. Piano Sonata No. 1 in F minor, Op. 2/1: Allegro
2. Piano Sonata No. 1 in F minor, Op. 2/1: Adagio
3. Piano Sonata No. 1 in F minor, Op. 2/1: Meneutto, Allegretto
4. Piano Sonata No. 1 in F minor, Op. 2/1: Prestissimo
5. Piano Sonata No. 2 in A major, Op. 2/2: Allegro vivace
6. Piano Sonata No. 2 in A major, Op. 2/2: Largo appassionato
7. Piano Sonata No. 2 in A major, Op. 2/2: Scherzo, Allegretto
8. Piano Sonata No. 2 in A major, Op. 2/2: Rondo, Grazioso
9. Piano Sonata No. 3 in C major, Op. 2/3: Allegro con brio
10. Piano Sonata No. 3 in C major, Op. 2/3: Adagio
11. Piano Sonata No. 3 in C major, Op. 2/3: Scherzo, Allegro
12. Piano Sonata No. 3 in C major, Op. 2/3: Allegro assai

Disc 2:

1. Piano Sonata No. 5 in C minor, Op. 10/1: Allegro molto e con brio
2. Piano Sonata No. 5 in C minor, Op. 10/1: Adagio molto
3. Piano Sonata No. 5 in C minor, Op. 10/1: Finale, Prestissimo
4. Piano Sonata No. 6 in F major, Op. 10/2: Allegro
5. Piano Sonata No. 6 in F major, Op. 10/2: Allegretto
6. Piano Sonata No. 6 in F major, Op. 10/2: Presto
7. Piano Sonata No. 7 in D major, Op. 10/3: Presto
8. Piano Sonata No. 7 in D major, Op. 10/3: Largo e mesto
9. Piano Sonata No. 7 in D major, Op. 10/3: Menuetto, Allegro
10. Piano Sonata No. 7 in D major, Op. 10/3: Rondo, Allegro
11. Piano Sonata No. 8 in C minor ('Path�tique'), Op. 13: Grave - Allegro di molto e con brio
12. Piano Sonata No. 8 in C minor ('Path�tique'), Op. 13: Andante cantabile
13. Piano Sonata No. 8 in C minor ('Path�tique'), Op. 13: Rondo, Allegro

Disc 3:

1. Piano Sonata No. 4 in E flat major ('Grand Sonata'), Op. 7: Allegro molto e con brio
2. Piano Sonata No. 4 in E flat major ('Grand Sonata'), Op. 7: Largo, con gran espressione
3. Piano Sonata No. 4 in E flat major ('Grand Sonata'), Op. 7: Allegro
4. Piano Sonata No. 4 in E flat major ('Grand Sonata'), Op. 7: Rondo, Poco Allegretto e grazioso
5. Piano Sonata No. 9 in E major, Op. 14/1: Allegro
6. Piano Sonata No. 9 in E major, Op. 14/1: Allegretto
7. Piano Sonata No. 9 in E major, Op. 14/1: Rondo, Allegro comodo
8. Piano Sonata No. 10 in G major, Op. 14/2: Allegro
9. Piano Sonata No. 10 in G major, Op. 14/2: Andante
10. Piano Sonata No. 10 in G major, Op. 14/2: Scherzo, Allegro assai
11. Piano Sonata No. 13 in E flat major ('Quasi una fantasia'), Op. 27/1: Andante
12. Piano Sonata No. 13 in E flat major ('Quasi una fantasia'), Op. 27/1: Allegro molto e vivace
13. Piano Sonata No. 13 in E flat major ('Quasi una fantasia'), Op. 27/1: ADagio con espresione
14. Piano Sonata No. 13 in E flat major ('Quasi una fantasia'), Op. 27/1: Allegro vivace

Disc 4:

1. Piano Sonata No. 11 in B flat major, Op. 22: Allegro con brio
2. Piano Sonata No. 11 in B flat major, Op. 22: Adagio con molta espressione
3. Piano Sonata No. 11 in B flat major, Op. 22: Menuetto
4. Piano Sonata No. 11 in B flat major, Op. 22: Rondo, Allegretto
5. Piano Sonata No. 12 in A flat major ('Funeral March'), Op. 26: Andante con Variazoni
6. Piano Sonata No. 12 in A flat major ('Funeral March'), Op. 26: Scherzo, Allegro molto
7. Piano Sonata No. 12 in A flat major ('Funeral March'), Op. 26: Marcia funebre sulla morte d'un Eroe
8. Piano Sonata No. 12 in A flat major ('Funeral March'), Op. 26: Allegro
9. Piano Sonata No. 14 in C sharp minor ('Moonlight'), Op. 27/2: Adagio sostenuto
10. Piano Sonata No. 14 in C sharp minor ('Moonlight'), Op. 27/2: Allegretto
11. Piano Sonata No. 14 in C sharp minor ('Moonlight'), Op. 27/2: Presto agitato
12. Piano Sonata No. 27 in E minor, Op. 90: Mit Lebhaftigkeit und durchaus mit Empfindung und Ausdruck
13. Piano Sonata No. 27 in E minor, Op. 90: Nicht zu geschwind und sehr singbar vorgetragen

Disc 5:

1. Piano Sonata No. 15 in D major ('Pastoral'), Op. 28: Allegro
2. Piano Sonata No. 15 in D major ('Pastoral'), Op. 28: Andante
3. Piano Sonata No. 15 in D major ('Pastoral'), Op. 28: Scherzo, Allegro assai
4. Piano Sonata No. 15 in D major ('Pastoral'), Op. 28: Rondo, Allegro ma non troppo
5. Piano Sonata No. 16 in G major, Op. 31/1: Allegro vivace
6. Piano Sonata No. 16 in G major, Op. 31/1: Adagio grazioso
7. Piano Sonata No. 16 in G major, Op. 31/1: Rondo, Allegretto
8. Piano Sonata No. 17 in D minor ('Tempest'), Op. 31/2: Largo - Allegro
9. Piano Sonata No. 17 in D minor ('Tempest'), Op. 31/2: Adagio
10. Piano Sonata No. 17 in D minor ('Tempest'), Op. 31/2: Allegretto

Disc 6:

1. Piano Sonata No. 18 in E flat major ('Hunt'), Op. 31/3: Allegro
2. Piano Sonata No. 18 in E flat major ('Hunt'), Op. 31/3: Allegretto vivace
3. Piano Sonata No. 18 in E flat major ('Hunt'), Op. 31/3: Meneutto, Moderato e grazioso
4. Piano Sonata No. 18 in E flat major ('Hunt'), Op. 31/3: Presto con fuoco
5. Piano Sonata No. 19 in G minor, Op. 49/1: Andante
6. Piano Sonata No. 19 in G minor, Op. 49/1: Rondo, Allegro
7. Piano Sonata No. 20 in G major, Op. 49/2: Allegro ma non troppo
8. Piano Sonata No. 20 in G major, Op. 49/2: Tempo di Menuetto
9. Piano Sonata No. 21 in C major ('Waldstein'), Op. 53: Allegro con brio
10. Piano Sonata No. 21 in C major ('Waldstein'), Op. 53: Introduction, Adagio molto
11. Piano Sonata No. 21 in C major ('Waldstein'), Op. 53: Rondo, Allegretto moderato

Disc 7:

1. Piano Sonata No. 22 in F major, Op. 54: In tempo d'un Menuetto
2. Piano Sonata No. 22 in F major, Op. 54: Allegretto
3. Piano Sonata No. 23 in F minor ('Appassionata'), Op. 57: Allegro assai
4. Piano Sonata No. 23 in F minor ('Appassionata'), Op. 57: Andante con moto
5. Piano Sonata No. 23 in F minor ('Appassionata'), Op. 57: Allegro ma non troppo
6. Piano Sonata No. 24 in F sharp major ('A Th�r�se'), Op. 78: Adagio cantabile - Allegro ma non troppo
7. Piano Sonata No. 24 in F sharp major ('A Th�r�se'), Op. 78: Allegro vivace
8. Piano Sonata No. 25 in G major ('Cuckoo'), Op. 79: Presto alla tedesca
9. Piano Sonata No. 25 in G major ('Cuckoo'), Op. 79: Andante
10. Piano Sonata No. 25 in G major ('Cuckoo'), Op. 79: Vivace
11. Piano Sonata No. 26 in E flat major ('Les Adieux'), Op. 81a: Adagio - Allegro
12. Piano Sonata No. 26 in E flat major ('Les Adieux'), Op. 81a: Andante espressivo
13. Piano Sonata No. 26 in E flat major ('Les Adieux'), Op. 81a: Vivacissimamente

Disc 8:

1. Piano Sonata No. 28 in A major, Op. 101: Etwas lebhaft, und mit der innigsten Empfindung, Allegretto ma non troppo
2. Piano Sonata No. 28 in A major, Op. 101: Lebhaft, marschmabig, Vivace alla Marcia
3. Piano Sonata No. 28 in A major, Op. 101: Langsam und sehnsuchtsvoll, Adagio ma non troppo, con affetto
4. Piano Sonata No. 28 in A major, Op. 101: Geschwind, doch nicht zu sehr und mit Entschlossenheit, Allegro
5. Piano Sonata No. 29 in B flat major ('Hammerklavier'), Op. 106: Allegro
6. Piano Sonata No. 29 in B flat major ('Hammerklavier'), Op. 106: Scherzo, Assai vivace
7. Piano Sonata No. 29 in B flat major ('Hammerklavier'), Op. 106: Adagio sostenuto, Appassionato e on molto sentimento
8. Piano Sonata No. 29 in B flat major ('Hammerklavier'), Op. 106: Largo, Allegro risoluto / Fuga

Disc 9:

1. Piano Sonata No. 30 in E major, Op. 109: Vivace, ma non troppo
2. Piano Sonata No. 30 in E major, Op. 109: Prestissimo
3. Piano Sonata No. 30 in E major, Op. 109: Andante molto cantabile ed espressivo, Gesangvoll, mi innigster Empfindung
4. Piano Sonata No. 31 in A flat major, Op. 110: Moderato cantabile molto espressivo
5. Piano Sonata No. 31 in A flat major, Op. 110: Allegro molto
6. Piano Sonata No. 31 in A flat major, Op. 110: Adagio ma non troppo / Fuga, Allegro ma non troppo
7. Piano Sonata No. 32 in C minor, Op. 111: Maestoso / Allegro con brio ed appassionato
8. Piano Sonata No. 32 in C minor, Op. 111: Arietta, Adagio molto semplice e cantabile

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #14105 in Music
• Released on: 1999-11-09
• Number of discs: 9
• Format: Box set
• Dimensions: .66 pounds

Customer Reviews

A Wonderful Beethoven Sonata Cycle
This is one of the lesser stars of my classical CD collection. I find Barenboim's playing rich in elegant technique and warmth. Unlike Brendel, he views Beethoven with a deep emotional richness that is quite apparent throughout the entire sonata cycle. Barenboim shows that he is as comfortable playing Beethoven's early sonatas such as the Pathetique as he is with the later, more complex works like the Hammerklavier. Only Claudio Arrau and Wilhelm Kempff surpass Barenboim's combination of superb technique coupled with warm, passionate performances. Yet Barenboim's Deutsche Grammophon Beethoven sonata cycle is available at a far lower price than either Arrau's or Kempff's.

NOT a first or second or third or fourth choice for this set!
First the positive:

1. Excellent Sound.
2. Great Beauty of tone.
3. Great price.
4. Many moments of brilliance. (His Pathetique for example).

Now the Negative:

1. Often Lacks Energy.
2. Often Played too slow.
3. Too much Barenboim, not enough Beethoven. (overinterpreted)

To make it clear, I loved his "songs without words" (also on DG), and at first loved this set. With repeated hearings it became clear that the above issues necessitated a replacement. The real problem is consistency, when he's on he's ON, but when he's off, boy is he OFF!

Annie Fisher was recommended by my Music History professor and many others, so I will entrust this glorious music to her. Although over 100 bucks, I now love this music enough to want to have a great set. By the way a complete set by Backhaus is available, as is a cheap two fer of his Beethoven.

Elegant & Sophistcated Beethoven

Being used to heavy weight renditions of Beethoven Sonatas by Russian masters like Richter, Gilels, Vedernikov, Neuhaus, at first listening I had an impression that Barenboim's Beethoven is a little too light-weight, especially earlier sonatas, but after repeated listening I was quite taken by the noble beauty and delicacy of his playing. Waldstein, Moonlight & Pathetique Sonatas are exceptionally well played with refinement and inspiration.

Only thing I can not stand in this set is Appassionata Sonata played like Chopin Nocturne, which made me nearly fall asleep! I like unpredictable and uncompromising Beethoven played with extreme contrasts by Richter and Gilels, but Barenboim's interpretation was a revelation and quite refreshing experience to listen to this set.