Alfred Brendel - Beethoven - Complete Piano Sonatas [CD]

I have several sets of the complete Beethoven Sonatas, including Schnabel, Barenboim, Biret, Lewis, Nat, Gulda, Badura-Skoda and Kempff, together with Solomon's incomplete but still satisfying traversal. I also possess many separate recordings of individual sonatas. ALL have many things to commend them.

I would say that -overall- this early recording by Brendel is my favourite. It's just so musical throughout; everything just feels "right". The young pianist (who recorded two later sets, in the '70s and '90s) is here at his freshest, most nimble and dexterous. Of course, in the later sets, he shows us a masterly musician fully developed, with many different things to say about this fabulous music. However, in the early set -originally Vox LPs from the early '60s- Brendel is full of respect for Beethoven, yet still gives us enough individuality to finish the journey with us applauding his, Brendel's, budding genius.

Barenboim (the earliest of his sets) is more individual, Biret perhaps more sheerly musical, Lewis more technically precise, Gulda (live), Solomon and Kempff (the mono set) probably the absolute epitomy of Beethoven pianism (if there IS such a thing)...but this Brendel set, in excellent refurbished sound, is my favourite. Let's see what I have to say in five years time...!