BEETHOVEN: CONCERTOS, SONATAS, VARIATIONS – ALFRED BRENDEL (10 CDS) DOCUMENT

The early recordings by Alfred Brendel (born January 5, 1931) always found the collectors’ special interest, as they mark the beginning of probably the longest career of one of the most important European pianists of the 20th century. It is therefore astonishing that attempts were made early on to conceal or even change the correct recording data on releases. The productions documented on this 10-CD box – in particular the Beethoven Piano Sonatas and Variations – are based on the discographic information provided by Alfred Brendel himself. For that reason alone they should be considered authentic. The sonatas 2 to 14, which were not included here, were recorded by Brendel in December 1962 and January 1963, so that the recordings of all 32 sonatas were complete at his 32nd birthday. Brendel did not start out as a “wunderkind”. In addition to music, philosophy, literature and painting were among the preferred areas of interest for this – also intellectually – exceptional artist, to whom the Universities of London, Oxford, Yale and Cologne, among others, awarded honorary doctorates.

Beethoven: Piano Concerto No. 5 in E flat major, Op. 73 ‘Emperor’
Wiener Symphoniker
Heinz Wallberg
Beethoven: Eroica Variations, Op. 35
Beethoven: Piano Concerto No. 4 in G major, Op. 58
Wiener Symphoniker
Zubin Mehta
Beethoven: Variations (12) on a Russian Dance, WoO 71
Beethoven: Piano Concerto No. 3 in C minor, Op. 37
Vienna Pro Musica Orchestra
Heinz Wallberg
Beethoven: Variations (6) on an original theme ‘Die Ruinen von Athen’, Op. 76
Beethoven: Variations (5) on ‘Rule Britannia’, WoO 79
Beethoven: Variations (7) on ‘God save the King’, WoO 78
Beethoven: Variations (6) for Piano on an Original Theme in F major, Op. 34
Beethoven: Variations (32) on an Original Theme in C minor, WoO 80
Beethoven: Variations (7) on the Quartet ‘Kind, willst du ruhig schlafen’, WoO 75
Beethoven: Variations (8) in F major on Tändeln und Scherzen (by Süssmayr), WoO 76
Beethoven: Variations (13) on the Arietta ‘Es war ein alter Mann’, WoO 66
Beethoven: Variations (6) in F major on a Swiss Song, WoO 64
Beethoven: Variations (6) on an original theme in G major for Piano, WoO 77
Beethoven: Variations (24) on Righini’s Arietta ‘Venni amore,’ WoO 65
Beethoven: Variations (6) in G major on the duet ‘Nel cor più non mi sento’ from the opera La Molinara by Giovanni Paisiello, WoO 70
Beethoven: Variations (10) in B-flat major on the duet ‘La stessa, la stessissima’ from the opera Falstaff by Antonio Salieri, WoO 73
Beethoven: Variations (9) on the Aria ‘Quant’ è più bello’, WoO 69
Beethoven: Variations (8) on the Romance ‘Une fièvre brûlante’, WoO 72
Beethoven: Piano Sonata No. 26 in E flat major, Op. 81a ‘Les Adieux’
Beethoven: Piano Sonata No. 25 in G major, Op. 79
Beethoven: Piano Sonata No. 1 in F minor, Op. 2 No. 1
Beethoven: Piano Sonata No. 14 in C sharp minor, Op. 27 No. 2 ‘Moonlight’
Beethoven: Piano Sonata No. 15 in D major, Op. 28 ‘Pastorale’
Beethoven: Piano Sonata No. 13 in E flat major, Op. 27 No. 1 ‘Quasi una fantasia’
Beethoven: Piano Sonata No. 21 in C major, Op. 53 ‘Waldstein’
Beethoven: Piano Sonata No. 19 in G minor, Op. 49 No. 1
Beethoven: Piano Sonata No. 20 in G major, Op. 49 No. 2
Beethoven: Piano Sonata No. 24 in F sharp major, Op. 78
Beethoven: Piano Sonata No. 23 in F minor, Op. 57 ‘Appassionata’
Beethoven: Piano Sonata No. 17 in D minor, Op. 31 No. 2 ‘Tempest’
Beethoven: Piano Sonata No. 18 in E flat major, Op. 31 No. 3 ‘The Hunt’
Beethoven: Piano Sonata No. 22 in F major, Op. 54
Beethoven: Piano Sonata No. 16 in G major, Op. 31 No. 1
Beethoven: Piano Sonata No. 29 in B-flat major, Op. 106 ‘Hammerklavier’
Beethoven: Piano Sonata No. 27 in E minor, Op. 90
Beethoven: Piano Sonata No. 30 in E major, Op. 109
Beethoven: Piano Sonata No. 28 in A major, Op. 101
Beethoven: Piano Sonata No. 31 in A flat major, Op. 110
Beethoven: Piano Sonata No. 32 in C minor, Op. 111