Beethoven: The Complete Piano Sonatas (14 CDs plus Book)

 
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LUDWIG van BEETHOVEN
Beethoven: The Complete Piano Sonatas (14 CDs plus Book)
Michael Houstoun (piano)

[ Rattle / 14 CD Box Set ]

Release Date: Wednesday 15 October 2014

"Outstanding Beethoven all round. The special attraction is the rare spiritual dimension in Houstoun's playing of the serene finales... It's as though Beethoven were no longer of this planet when he wrote them". - The Listener BEST CLASSICAL CDs 2014

Throughout 2013, Chamber Music New Zealand's ReCycle Series featured acclaimed New Zealand pianist Michael Houstoun performing the complete Beethoven piano sonatas. Michael recorded the sonatas with producer Kenneth Young and Rattle engineer Steve Garden, and the resulting 14-CD set.

This set of recordings retains the identical concert programming of the ReCycle Series. The fourteen CDs of this album are divided into seven programmes (or concerts) comprised of two discs that represent the first and second half of each concert respectively. In doing this, the hope is to offer listeners a sense of the concert experience, but also to retain a carefully curated and very satisfying appreciation of these remarkable works of musical art.

Michael Houstoun is not only New Zealand's foremost Beethoven pianist, he ranks among the great Beethoven pianists of our age. He celebrated his 60th birthday with this historic cycle of the Beethoven piano sonatas, a body of work that constitutes some of the supreme treasures of human artistic endeavour.

Written over the length of Beethoven's creative life - from the early Op 2 dedicated to Haydn to the mighty Op 111, which takes the piano into the realms of pure imagination - these works constitute the "New Testament" of the piano repertoire.

Tracks:

Programme One
Disc One (CD 1)
1 Sonata No.7 In D, Op.10 No.3 - 1. Presto
2 Sonata No.7 In D, Op.10 No.3 - 2. Largo E Mesto
3 Sonata No.7 In D, Op.10 No.3 - 3. Menuetto (Allegro)
4 Sonata No.7 In D, Op.10 No.3 - 4. Rondo (Allegro)
5 Sonata No.13 In E Flat, Op.27 No.1 - 1. Andante - Allegro - Tempo I
6 Sonata No.13 In E Flat, Op.27 No.1 - 2. Allegro Molto E Vivace
7 Sonata No.13 In E Flat, Op.27 No.1 - 3. Adagio Con Espressione
8 Sonata No.13 In E Flat, Op.27 No.1 - 4. Allegro Vivace - Tempo I - Presto
9 Sonata No.9 In E, Op.14 No.1 - 1. Allegro
10 Sonata No.9 In E, Op.14 No.1 - 2. Allegretto
11 Sonata No.9 In E, Op.14 No.1 - 3. Rondo (Allegro Comodo)

Disc Two (CD 2)
1 Sonata No.12 In A Flat, Op.26 - 1. Andante Con Variazioni
2 Sonata No.12 In A Flat, Op.26 - 2. Scherzo (Allegro Molto)
3 Sonata No.12 In A Flat, Op.26 - 3. Marcia Funebre Sulla Morte D'un Eroe
4 Sonata No.12 In A Flat, Op.26 - 4. Allegro
5 Sonata No.21 In C, Op.53 - ''Waldstein'' - 1. Allegro Con Brio
6 Sonata No.21 In C, Op.53 - ''Waldstein'' - 2. Introduzione (Adagio Molto)
7 Sonata No.21 In C, Op.53 - ''Waldstein'' - 3. Rondo (Allegretto Moderato - Prestissimo)

Programme Two
Disc One (CD 3)
1 Sonata No.20 In G, Op.49 No.2 - 1. Allegro Ma Non Troppo
2 Sonata No.20 In G, Op.49 No.2 - 2. Tempo Di Menuetto
3 Sonata No.3 In C, Op.2 No.3 - 1. Allegro Con Brio
4 Sonata No.3 In C, Op.2 No.3 - 2. Adagio
5 Sonata No.3 In C, Op.2 No.3 - 3. Scherzo (Allegro)
6 Sonata No.3 In C, Op.2 No.3 - 4. Allegro Assai
7 Sonata No.24 In F Sharp, Op.78 ''For Therese'' - 1. Adagio Cantabile - Allegro Ma Non Troppo
8 Sonata No.24 In F Sharp, Op.78 ''For Therese'' - 2. Allegro Vivace

Disc Two (CD 4)
1 Sonata No.16 In G, Op.31 No.1 - 1. Allegro Vivace
2 Sonata No.16 In G, Op.31 No.1 - 2. Adagio Grazioso
3 Sonata No.16 In G, Op.31 No.1 - 3. Rondo (Allegretto)
4 Sonata No.23 In F Minor, Op.57 - ''Appassionata'' - 1. Allegro Assai
5 Sonata No.23 In F Minor, Op.57 - ''Appassionata'' - 2. Andante Con Moto
6 Sonata No.23 In F Minor, Op.57 - ''Appassionata'' - 3. Allegro Ma Non Troppo

Programme Three
Disc One (CD 5)
1 Sonata No.19 In G Minor, Op.49 No.1 - 1. Andante
2 Sonata No.19 In G Minor, Op.49 No.1 - 2. Rondo (Allegro)
3 Sonata No.6 In F, Op.10 No.2 - 1. Allegro
4 Sonata No.6 In F, Op.10 No.2 - 2. Allegretto
5 Sonata No.6 In F, Op.10 No.2 - 3. Presto
6 Sonata No.11 In B Flat, Op.22 - 1. Allegro Con Brio
7 Sonata No.11 In B Flat, Op.22 - 2. Adagio Con Molto Espressione
8 Sonata No.11 In B Flat, Op.22 - 3. Menuetto
9 Sonata No.11 In B Flat, Op.22 - 4. Rondo (Allegretto)

Disc Two (CD 6)
1 Sonata No.17 In D Minor, Op.31 No.2 - ''Tempest'' - 1. Largo - Allegro
2 Sonata No.17 In D Minor, Op.31 No.2 - ''Tempest'' - 2. Adagio
3 Sonata No.17 In D Minor, Op.31 No.2 - ''Tempest'' - 3. Allegretto
4 Sonata No.28 In A, Op.101 - 1. Etwas Lebhaft Und Mit Der Innigsten Empfindung
5 Sonata No.28 In A, Op.101 - 2. Lebhaft, Marschmäßig (Vivace Alla Marcia)
6 Sonata No.28 In A, Op.101 - 3. Langsam Und Sehnsuchtsvoll (Adagio Ma Non Troppo, Con Affetto)
7 Sonata No.28 In A, Op.101 - 4. Geschwind, Doch Nicht Zu Sehr Und Mit Entschlossen - Heit (Allegro)

Programme Four
Disc One (CD 7)
1 Sonata No.5 In C Minor, Op.10 No.1 - 1. Allegro Molto E Con Brio
2 Sonata No.5 In C Minor, Op.10 No.1 - 2. Adagio Molto
3 Sonata No.5 In C Minor, Op.10 No.1 - 3. Finale (Prestissimo)
4 Sonata No.10 In G, Op.14 No.2 - 1. Allegro
5 Sonata No.10 In G, Op.14 No.2 - 2. Andante
6 Sonata No.10 In G, Op.14 No.2 - 3. Scherzo (Allegro Assai)
7 Sonata No.22 In F, Op.54 - 1. In Tempo D'un Menuetto
8 Sonata No.22 In F, Op.54 - 2. Allegretto

Disc Two (CD 8)
1 Sonata No.29 In B Flat, Op.106 - ''Hammerklavier'' - 1. Allegro
2 Sonata No.29 In B Flat, Op.106 - ''Hammerklavier'' - 2. Scherzo
3 Sonata No.29 In B Flat, Op.106 - ''Hammerklavier'' - 3. Adagio Sostenuto
4 Sonata No.29 In B Flat, Op.106 - ''Hammerklavier'' - 4. Largo - Allegro Risoluto

Programme Five
Disc One (CD 9)
1 Sonata No.2 In A, Op.2 No.2 - 1. Allegro Vivace
2 Sonata No.2 In A, Op.2 No.2 - 2. Largo Appassionato
3 Sonata No.2 In A, Op.2 No.2 - 3. Scherzo (Allegretto)
4 Sonata No.2 In A, Op.2 No.2 - 4. Rondo (Grazioso)
5 Sonata No.8 In C Minor, Op.13 - ''Pathétique'' - 1. Grave - Allegro Di Molto E Con Brio
6 Sonata No.8 In C Minor, Op.13 - ''Pathétique'' - 2. Adagio Cantabile
7 Sonata No.8 In C Minor, Op.13 - ''Pathétique'' - 3. Rondo (Allegro)

Disc Two (CD 10)
1 Sonata No.18 In E Flat, Op.31 No.3 - ''La Chasse'' - 1. Allegro
2 Sonata No.18 In E Flat, Op.31 No.3 - ''La Chasse'' - 2. Scherzo (Allegretto Vivace)
3 Sonata No.18 In E Flat, Op.31 No.3 - ''La Chasse'' - 3. Menuetto (Moderato E Grazioso)
4 Sonata No.18 In E Flat, Op.31 No.3 - ''La Chasse'' - 4. Presto Con Fuoco
5 Sonata No.30 In E, Op.109 - 1. Vivace, Ma Non Troppo - Adagio Espressivo - Tempo I
6 Sonata No.30 In E, Op.109 - 2. Prestissimo
7 Sonata No.30 In E, Op.109 - 3. Gesangvoll, Mit Innigster Empfindung

Programme Six
Disc One (CD 11)
1 Sonata No.4 In E Flat, Op.7 - 1. Allegro Molto E Con Brio
2 Sonata No.4 In E Flat, Op.7 - 2. Largo, Con Gran Espressione
3 Sonata No.4 In E Flat, Op.7 - 3. Allegro
4 Sonata No.4 In E Flat, Op.7 - 4. Rondo (Poco Allegretto E Grazioso)
5 Sonata No.14 In C Sharp Minor, Op.27 No.2 - ''Moonlight'' - 1. Adagio Sostenuto
6 Sonata No.14 In C Sharp Minor, Op.27 No.2 - ''Moonlight'' - 2. Allegretto
7 Sonata No.14 In C Sharp Minor, Op.27 No.2 - ''Moonlight'' - 3. Presto

Disc Two (CD 12)
1 Sonata No.15 In D, Op.28 - ''Pastorale'' - 1. Allegro
2 Sonata No.15 In D, Op.28 - ''Pastorale'' - 2. Andante
3 Sonata No.15 In D, Op.28 - ''Pastorale'' - 3. Scherzo (Allegro Assai)
4 Sonata No.15 In D, Op.28 - ''Pastorale'' - 4. Rondo (Allegro Ma Non Troppo)
5 Sonata No.31 In A Flat, Op.110 - 1. Moderato Cantabile Molto Espressivo
6 Sonata No.31 In A Flat, Op.110 - 2. Allegro Molto
7 Sonata No.31 In A Flat, Op.110 - 3. Adagio Ma Non Troppo

Programme Seven
Disc One (CD 13)
1 Sonata No.1 In F Minor, Op.2 No.1 - 1. Allegro
2 Sonata No.1 In F Minor, Op.2 No.1 - 2. Adagio
3 Sonata No.1 In F Minor, Op.2 No.1 - 3. Menuetto (Allegretto)
4 Sonata No.1 In F Minor, Op.2 No.1 - 4. Prestissimo
5 Sonata No.25 In G, Op.79 - 1. Presto Alla Tedesca
6 Sonata No.25 In G, Op.79 - 2. Andante
7 Sonata No.25 In G, Op.79 - 3. Vivace
8 Sonata No.26 In E Flat, Op.81a - ''Les Adieux'' - 1. Das Lebewohl (Adagio - Allegro)
9 Sonata No.26 In E Flat, Op.81a - ''Les Adieux'' - 2. Abwesendheit (Andante Espressivo)
10 Sonata No.26 In E Flat, Op.81a - ''Les Adieux'' - 3. Das Wiedersehn (Vivacissimamente)

Disc Two (CD 14)
1 Sonata No.27 In E Minor, Op.90 - 1. Mit Lebhaftigkeit Und Durchaus Mit Empfindung Und Ausdruck
2 Sonata No.27 In E Minor, Op.90 - 2. Nicht Zu Geschwind Und Sehr Singbar Vorgetragen
3 Sonata No.32 In C Minor, Op.111 - 1. Maestoso - Allegro Con Brio Ed Appassionato
4 Sonata No.32 In C Minor, Op.111 - 2. Arietta (Adagio Molto Semplice E Cantabile)

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