Ronald Brautigam – Beethoven: The Complete Piano Sonatas (2014) [eClassical FLAC 24bit/44,1/88,2kHz]

Dutch pianist Ronald Brautigam divides his interpretive energies equally between the fortepiano and the conventional concert grand. Born in Amsterdam, Brautigam first studied with Dutch pianist Jan Wijn and later studies took him to the U.K. and to America, where he took classes with Rudolf Serkin. Brautigam first came to prominence in 1984 when he was awarded the Netherlands Music Prize, the highest distinction the Netherlands bestows on musicians.

The 32 Piano Sonatas by Ludwig van Beethoven are often referred to as the ‘New Testament’ of the keyboard literature, following on the ‘Old Testament’ of J.S. Bach’s 48 preludes and fugues in the Well-Tempered Clavier. Composed over a period of almost three decades, from 1795 to 1822, the sonatas constitute a fascinating panorama of an artistic career which underwent numerous changes – not to say upheavals – but nevertheless remained remarkably consistent.

Ever since the first recording of the entire cycle, by Artur Schnabel in the 1930s, a number of the world’s leading pianists have given us their performances of this monumental collection on disc. One of the latest cycles is that of Ronald Brautigam, released on single discs between 2004 and 2010. Performed on the fortepiano, as part of a series of Beethoven’s complete solo keyboard works, Brautigam’s recordings have been described as ‘riveting’, ‘compelling’ and ‘revolutionary’. The eight discs with the 32 sonatas are now being released as a boxed set, along with a ninth disc containing the early, unnumbered sonatas.

Contributing factors to the ‘refreshing directness’ that reviewers have experienced in these performances are the widely praised recorded sound and the carefully selected instruments, built by Paul McNulty after originals from 1788-1819 by the foremost Viennese makers of fortepianos. For this boxed set, the original SACD format has been retained – along with the possibility of listening to the performances in surround – thus offering the opportunity of sharing the experience of one reviewer: ‘One has almost the impression of being a contemporary of Beethoven’s: one of the first, infinitely startled – not to say shocked – witnesses to this music’ (Süddeutsche Zeitung).

Producer for this Bundle, as indeed basically all records with Ronald Brautigam, is Ingo Petry.

Tracklist:

Disc One:
01 – Sonata No.8 in C minor, Op.13, Pathètique – I. Grave – Allegro di molto e con brio
02 – Sonata No.8 in C minor, Op.13, Pathètique – II. Adagio cantabile
03 – Sonata No.8 in C minor, Op.13, Pathètique – III. Rondo. Allegro
04 – Sonata No.9 in E major, Op.14, No.1 – I. Allegro
05 – Sonata No.9 in E major, Op.14, No.1 – II. Allegretto
06 – Sonata No.9 in E major, Op.14, No.1 – III. Rondo. Allegro comodo
07 – Sonata No.10 in G major, Op.14, No.2 – I. Allegro
08 – Sonata No.10 in G major, Op.14, No.2 – II. Andante
09 – Sonata No.10 in G major, Op.14, No.2 – III. Scherzo. Allegro assai
10 – Sonata No.11 in B flat major, Op.22 – I. Allegro con brio
11 – Sonata No.11 in B flat major, Op.22 – II. Adagio con molto espressione
12 – Sonata No.11 in B flat major, Op.22 – III. Minuetto
13 – Sonata No.11 in B flat major, Op.22 – IV. Rondo. Allegretto

Previously released in 2004 as BIS-SACD-1362 | 24bit/88kHz transfer.

Disc Two:
01 – Sonata No.1 in F minor, Op.2 No.1 – I. Allegro
02 – Sonata No.1 in F minor, Op.2 No.1 – II. Adagio
03 – Sonata No.1 in F minor, Op.2 No.1 – III. Menuetto. Allegretto
04 – Sonata No.1 in F minor, Op.2 No.1 – IV. Prestissimo
05 – Sonata No.2 in A major, Op.2 No.2 – I. Allegro vivace
06 – Sonata No.2 in A major, Op.2 No.2 – II. Largo appassionato
07 – Sonata No.2 in A major, Op.2 No.2 – III. Scherzo. Allegretto
08 – Sonata No.2 in A major, Op.2 No.2 – IV. Rondo. Grazioso
09 – Sonata No.3 in C major, Op.2 No.3 – I. Allegro con brio
10 – Sonata No.3 in C major, Op.2 No.3 – II. Adagio
11 – Sonata No.3 in C major, Op.2 No.3 – III. Scherzo. Allegro
12 – Sonata No.3 in C major, Op.2 No.3 – IV. Allegro assai
13 – Sonata No.19 in G minor, Op.49 No.1 – I. Andante
14 – Sonata No.19 in G minor, Op.49 No.1 – II. Rondo. Allegro
15 – Sonata No.20 in G major, Op.49 No.2 – I. Allegro, ma non troppo
16 – Sonata No.20 in G major, Op.49 No.2 – II. Tempo di Menuetto

Previously released in 2005 as BIS-SACD-1363 | 24bit/88kHz transfer.

Disc Three:
01 – Sonata No.4 in E flat major, Op.7 – I. Allegro molto e con brio
02 – Sonata No.4 in E flat major, Op.7 – II. Largo, con gran espressione
03 – Sonata No.4 in E flat major, Op.7 – III. Allegro
04 – Sonata No.4 in E flat major, Op.7 – IV. Rondo. Poco allegretto e grazioso
05 – Sonata No.5 in C minor, Op.10 No.1 – I. Allegro molto e con brio
06 – Sonata No.5 in C minor, Op.10 No.1 – II. Adagio molto
07 – Sonata No.5 in C minor, Op.10 No.1 – III. Finale. Prestissimo
08 – Sonata No.6 in F major, Op.10 No.2 – I. Allegro
09 – Sonata No.6 in F major, Op.10 No.2 – II. Allegretto
10 – Sonata No.6 in F major, Op.10 No.2 – III. Presto
11 – Sonata No.7 in D major, Op.10 No.3 – I. Presto
12 – Sonata No.7 in D major, Op.10 No.3 – II. Largo e mesto
13 – Sonata No.7 in D major, Op.10 No.3 – III. Menuetto. Allegro
14 – Sonata No.7 in D major, Op.10 No.3 – IV. Rondo. Allegro

Previously released in 2006 as BIS-SACD-1472 | 24bit/88kHz transfer.

Disc Four:
01 – Sonata No.12 in A flat major, Op.26 – I. Andante con variazioni
02 – Sonata No.12 in A flat major, Op.26 – II. Scherzo. Allegro molto
03 – Sonata No.12 in A flat major, Op.26 – III. Marcia funebre sulla morte d’un Eroe
04 – Sonata No.12 in A flat major, Op.26 – IV. Allegro
05 – Sonata No.13 in E flat major, Op.27 No.1 – I. Andante – Allegro (attacca)
06 – Sonata No.13 in E flat major, Op.27 No.1 – II. Allegro molto e vivace (attacca)
07 – Sonata No.13 in E flat major, Op.27 No.1 – III. Adagio con espressione (attacca)
08 – Sonata No.13 in E flat major, Op.27 No.1 – IV. Allegro vivace – Presto
09 – Sonata No.14 in C sharp minor, Op.27 No.2 ‘Mondschein’ – I. Adagio sostenuto (attacca)
10 – Sonata No.14 in C sharp minor, Op.27 No.2 ‘Mondschein’ – II. Allegretto
11 – Sonata No.14 in C sharp minor, Op.27 No.2 ‘Mondschein’ – III. Presto agitato
12 – Sonata No.15 in D major, Op.28 ‘Pastorale’ – I. Allegro
13 – Sonata No.15 in D major, Op.28 ‘Pastorale’ – II. Andante
14 – Sonata No.15 in D major, Op.28 ‘Pastorale’ – III. Scherzo. Allegro vivace
15 – Sonata No.15 in D major, Op.28 ‘Pastorale’ – IV. Rondo. Allegro ma non troppo

Previously released in 2006 as BIS-SACD-1473 | 24bit/44,1kHz transfer.

Disc Five:
01 – Sonata No.16 in G major, Op.31 No.1 – I. Allegro vivace
02 – Sonata No.16 in G major, Op.31 No.1 – II. Adagio grazioso
03 – Sonata No.16 in G major, Op.31 No.1 – III. Rondo. Allegretto
04 – Sonata No.17 in D minor, Op.31 No.2, ‘Der Sturm’ – I. Largo – Allegro
05 – Sonata No.17 in D minor, Op.31 No.2, ‘Der Sturm’ – II. Adagio
06 – Sonata No.17 in D minor, Op.31 No.2, ‘Der Sturm’ – III. Allegretto
07 – Sonata No.18 in E flat major, Op.31 No.3 – I. Allegro
08 – Sonata No.18 in E flat major, Op.31 No.3 – II. Scherzo. Allegretto vivace
09 – Sonata No.18 in E flat major, Op.31 No.3 – III. Menuetto. Moderato e grazioso
10 – Sonata No.18 in E flat major, Op.31 No.3 – IV. Presto con fuoco

Previously released in 2007 as BIS-SACD-1572 | 24bit/44,1kHz transfer.

Disc Six:
01 – Sonata No.21 in C major, ‘Waldstein’, Op.53 – I. Allegro con brio
02 – Sonata No.21 in C major, ‘Waldstein’, Op.53 – II. Introduzione. Adagio molto (attacca subito il Rondo)
03 – Sonata No.21 in C major, ‘Waldstein’, Op.53 – III. Rondo. Allegretto moderato – Prestissimo
04 – Sonata No.22 in F major, Op.54 – I. In Tempo d’un Menuetto
05 – Sonata No.22 in F major, Op.54 – II. Allegretto – Più Allegro
06 – Sonata No.23 in F minor, ‘Appassionata’, Op.57 – I. Allegro assai
07 – Sonata No.23 in F minor, ‘Appassionata’, Op.57 – II. Andante con moto (attacca lAllegro)
08 – Sonata No.23 in F minor, ‘Appassionata’, Op.57 – III. Allegro ma non troppo – Presto
09 – Sonata No.24 in F sharp major, Op.78 – I. Adagio cantabile – Allegro ma non troppo
10 – Sonata No.24 in F sharp major, Op.78 – II. Allegro vivace
11 – Sonata No.25 (Sonatine) in G major, Op.79 – I. Presto alla tedesca
12 – Sonata No.25 (Sonatine) in G major, Op.79 – II. Andante
13 – Sonata No.25 (Sonatine) in G major, Op.79 – Vivace

Previously released in 2008 as BIS-SACD-1573 | 24bit/44,1kHz transfer.

Disc Seven:
01 – Sonata No.26 in E flat major, Op.81a ‘Das Lebewohl’ – I. Das Lebewohl (Les Adieux)
02 – Sonata No.26 in E flat major, Op.81a ‘Das Lebewohl’ – II. Abwesenheit (L’Absence)
03 – Sonata No.26 in E flat major, Op.81a ‘Das Lebewohl’ – III. Das Wiedersehen (Le Retour)
04 – Sonata No.27 in E minor, Op.90 – I. Mit Lebhaftigkeit und durchaus mit Empfindung und Ausdruck
05 – Sonata No.27 in E minor, Op.90 – II. Nicht zu geschwind und sehr singbahr vorgetragen
06 – Sonata No.29 in B flat major, Op.106 ‘Hammerklavier’ – I. Allegro
07 – Sonata No.29 in B flat major, Op.106 ‘Hammerklavier’ – II. Scherzo. Assai vivace
08 – Sonata No.29 in B flat major, Op.106 ‘Hammerklavier’ – III. Adagio sostenuto (Appassionato e con molto sentimento)
09 – Sonata No.29 in B flat major, Op.106 ‘Hammerklavier’ – IV. Largo – Allegro risoluto – Fuga a tre voci, con alcune licenze

Previously released in 2009 as BIS-SACD-1612 | 24bit/44,1kHz transfer.

Disc Eight:
01 – Sonata No.28 in A major, Op.101 – I. Etwas lebhaft und mit der innigsten Empfindung (Allegretto, ma non troppo)
02 – Sonata No.28 in A major, Op.101 – II. Lebhaft. Marschmäßig (Vivace alla Marcia)
03 – Sonata No.28 in A major, Op.101 – III. Langsam und sehnsuchtsvoll (Adagio, ma non troppo, con affetto)
04 – Sonata No.28 in A major, Op.101 – IV. Geschwinde, doch nicht zu sehr, und mit Entschlossenheit (Allegro)
05 – Sonata No.30 in E major, Op.109 – I. Vivace, ma non troppo
06 – Sonata No.30 in E major, Op.109 – II. Prestissimo
07 – Sonata No.30 in E major, Op.109 – Gesangvoll, mit innigster Empfindung (Andante molto cantabile ed espressivo)
08 – Sonata No.31 in A flat major, Op.110 – I. Moderato cantabile molto espressivo
09 – Sonata No.31 in A flat major, Op.110 – II. Allegro molto
10 – Sonata No.31 in A flat major, Op.110 – III. Adagio ma non troppo – Fuga: Allegro ma non troppo
11 – Sonata No.32 in C minor, Op.111 – I. Maestoso – Allegro con brio ed appassionato
12 – Sonata No.32 in C minor, Op.111 – II. Arietta (Adagio molto semplice e cantabile)

Previously released in 2010 as BIS-SACD-1613 | 24bit/44,1kHz transfer.

Disc Nine:
01 – 3 Sonatas, WoO47 (‘Kurfürsten Sonatas’) – No.1 in E flat major – I. Allegro cantabile
02 – 3 Sonatas, WoO47 (‘Kurfürsten Sonatas’) – No.1 in E flat major – II. Andante
03 – 3 Sonatas, WoO47 (‘Kurfürsten Sonatas’) – No.1 in E flat major – III. Rondo vivace
04 – 3 Sonatas, WoO47 (‘Kurfürsten Sonatas’) – No.2 in F minor – I. Larghetto maestoso – Allegro assai
05 – 3 Sonatas, WoO47 (‘Kurfürsten Sonatas’) – No.2 in F minor – II. Andante
06 – 3 Sonatas, WoO47 (‘Kurfürsten Sonatas’) – No.2 in F minor – III. Presto
07 – 3 Sonatas, WoO47 (‘Kurfürsten Sonatas’) – No.3 in D major – I. Allegro
08 – 3 Sonatas, WoO47 (‘Kurfürsten Sonatas’) – No.3 in D major – II. Menuetto sostenuto – [6 variations] 09 – 3 Sonatas, WoO47 (‘Kurfürsten Sonatas’) – No.3 in D major – III. Scherzando. Allegro, ma non troppo
10 – Zwei Sätze einer Sonatine, WoO50 – I.
11 – Zwei Sätze einer Sonatine, WoO50 – II. Allegretto
12 – 2 Leichte Sonatinen, Kinsky-Halm Anh. 5 – No.1 in G major – I. Moderato
13 – 2 Leichte Sonatinen, Kinsky-Halm Anh. 5 – No.1 in G major – II. Romanze
14 – 2 Leichte Sonatinen, Kinsky-Halm Anh. 5 – No.2 in F major – I. Allegro assai
15 – 2 Leichte Sonatinen, Kinsky-Halm Anh. 5 – No.2 in F major – II. Rondo. Allegro
16 – Zwei Stücke für Klavier (Orphika) – ‘Leichte Sonate’, WoO51 – I. Allegro
17 – Zwei Stücke für Klavier (Orphika) – ‘Leichte Sonate’, WoO51 – II. Adagio