Favorite recording of Beethoven Cello Sonatas?

Posted by: mutterback on 16 August 2013

I've come to realize that the Beethoven Cello Sonatas are probably the piece (s?) of music I listen to most frequently.  I listen to a lot of music of all sorts, but keep coming back to these, and have for years.

 

My two favorites are Fournier/Kempff (DG) and Harrel/Ashkenzay (London).  My LP of the Fournier just got a bad scratch - entirely my fault - and so am looking to buy another version. I'm open to LP, CD or high res downloads.

 

Thank you for the recommendations!

Posted on: 16 August 2013 by Richard Dane

The one I tend to turn to most is a lovely 2LP set on Philips by Richter and Rostropovich.

 

Posted on: 16 August 2013 by mutterback

Thank you!  Originals are several $100 in OK condition.... but there is a Speakers Corner reissue.  Anyone have experience with that?

Posted on: 16 August 2013 by mutterback

And a mysterious vinyl pre-order on Amazon for Sept. 10.... hmm.

Posted on: 17 August 2013 by Richard Dane

The Speakers Corner reissues are of a high quality, nicely pressed on 180g vinyl. I have quite a few of them.  The early ones were a bit hit or miss - Maag's Mendelssohn in Scotland in particular being a total disaster compared to either the original or even an AoD Decca reissue.  However, they obviously learned a lot from those early days and my most recent SC LP was a Mercury Janos Starker box set, which sounds fabulous.

Posted on: 17 August 2013 by hungryhalibut

Thanks for bringing this to my attention. I've ordered it on CD for £10.

Posted on: 03 April 2014 by mutterback
Originally Posted by Richard Dane:

The one I tend to turn to most is a lovely 2LP set on Philips by Richter and Rostropovich.

 

Just getting around to tracking this down. There seem to be Dutch and Italian pressings of this.  Dutch ones going for 10x the price of the Italian ones.  Does it matter?  

 

Also a  version with a black and white cover. Is this an earlier recording? This one is dated 1964. Can't seem to find a date for the one you posted, above. Thanks!

 

Thanks

Posted on: 03 April 2014 by CFMF

There is a very nice recording of these sonatas by Fournier and Gulda on DG...

 

BBM

Posted on: 03 April 2014 by Aleg
Originally Posted by mutterback:
Originally Posted by Richard Dane:

The one I tend to turn to most is a lovely 2LP set on Philips by Richter and Rostropovich.

 

Just getting around to tracking this down. There seem to be Dutch and Italian pressings of this.  Dutch ones going for 10x the price of the Italian ones.  Does it matter?  

 

Also a  version with a black and white cover. Is this an earlier recording? This one is dated 1964. Can't seem to find a date for the one you posted, above. Thanks!

 

Thanks

Of course Dutch are best :-()

 

 I enjoy these 2 CD's from Anne Gastinel and Francois Frederique Guy

 

http://www.qobuz.com/album/ann...-piano/0822189003197

 

 

 

and

 

http://www.qobuz.com/album/ann...-n01-3/0822189003296

 

 

Posted on: 03 April 2014 by Clive B

I have not heard this Rostropovich/Richter recording, but I note a number of different releases seem to be available.

 

Personally I have a soft spot for du Pré, and the version with Barenboim is rather enjoyable.

 

Posted on: 03 April 2014 by kuma
 

Originally Posted by Richard Dane: The Speakers Corner reissues are of a high quality, nicely pressed on 180g vinyl. I have quite a few of them.  The early ones were a bit hit or miss - Maag's Mendelssohn in Scotland in particular being a total disaster compared to either the original or even an AoD Decca reissue.  However, they obviously learned a lot from those early days and my most recent SC LP was a Mercury Janos Starker box set, which sounds fabulous.

Richard,

 

I can't say the same thing with thier even newer Gould Box set.

Disaster.

They are just not consistent.

 

I was looking at that very Beethoven's Cello Concerto box set but prehaps mutterback can take a gamble and report back!

Posted on: 03 April 2014 by George J

I used to have the Richter-Rostrpovich recording on Philips LPs, and the vinyl was superb, but I could not get on with the performances for some reason. 

 

I suppose that those mint LPs would be worth a lot of money if I had not parted with them in 1991,

 

My favourite performances though are from Fournier and Schnabel on German HMV in the Dacapo series of re-issues of 78s on vinyl.

 

This I have in transfers to CD now in iTunes. The original LPs were as clean as vinyl comes, and the German pressings were pristine when I made the transfer.

 

Fournier is partnered by a pianist in Schnabel who on occasion could be wilful and rather odd in the solo piano music [Sonatas and many more], but here he is a model of collaboration with Fournier without ever becoming a mere accompanist.

 

This recording has been re-issued in decent transfers on Naxos, and is quite cheap. The music making is so acute and full of wisdom and the recording is acceptable if obviously not modern. I have yet to find anything that yields as much pleasure in this music for me as these performances.

 

ATB from George

 

 

Posted on: 03 April 2014 by George J

Sonata Number 4 as mentioned immediately above:

 

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ElS7XbyhXyQ

 

ATB from George

Posted on: 04 April 2014 by Spotlight Kid

Does anyone have any experience of the 24 bit download of the Bibliothèque Nationale de France recording by Fournier & Gulda available on Qobuz for only €5.99?

 

http://www.qobuz.com/album/bee...-gulda/3610154216874

 

Are any of these very cheap BNdF downloads worth having?

Posted on: 04 April 2014 by CFMF

I don't know anything about the download, but I do know that the duo of Fournier and Gulda are excellent in this music.