now playing, the late piano sonatas of Goode's Beethoven cycle

start of Beethoven: No. 28 in A Major, Opus 101
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y3QMSNaq484&list=OLAK5uy_khz8jF98pUvoSpKfaAv8rRNmLkOf58B1U&index=88

start of Beethoven: No. 29 in B-Flat Major, Opus 106 (Hammerklavier)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pW62zW9-lio&list=OLAK5uy_khz8jF98pUvoSpKfaAv8rRNmLkOf58B1U&index=91

start of Beethoven: No. 30 in E Major, Opus 109
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z97Qwtak9Yc&list=OLAK5uy_khz8jF98pUvoSpKfaAv8rRNmLkOf58B1U&index=95

start of Beethoven: No. 31 in A-Flat Major, Opus 110
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NI2fru-m0gk&list=OLAK5uy_khz8jF98pUvoSpKfaAv8rRNmLkOf58B1U&index=98

start of Beethoven: No. 32 in C Minor, Opus 111
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1eopNqfNWJ0&list=OLAK5uy_khz8jF98pUvoSpKfaAv8rRNmLkOf58B1U&index=100

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_khz8jF98pUvoSpKfaAv8rRNmLkOf58B1U

>It's interesting that the great Beethoven sonata cycles areseldom the ones by the big-name virtuosos. Horowitz never attempted one. Neither did Rubinstein. Ashkenazy recorded them all, but with only partial success. Richter never managed all 32 works at one time, and Gilels died before completing his cycle. The most successful complete recordings--Schnabel, Kempff, Arrau, and Backhaus--are all by pianists with a solidly intellectual mindset, however powerful their technique. Goode joins this select company, turning in performances of uncompromising integrity and musical strength. Of course, his reputation as a musician's musician precedes him: here is a player sensitive to Beethoven's every nuance, presenting the composers thoughts with exemplary clarity and taste. This is the Beethoven cycle for the '90s. --David Hurwitz

now playing

start of Beethoven: Sonata Opus 10, No. 5 in C minor, No. 1
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UFsWQluZ1WY&list=OLAK5uy_khz8jF98pUvoSpKfaAv8rRNmLkOf58B1U&index=14

start of Beethoven: Sonata Opus 10, No. 6 in F Major, No. 2
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-AzVQEMMBM4&list=OLAK5uy_khz8jF98pUvoSpKfaAv8rRNmLkOf58B1U&index=17

start of Beethoven: Sonata Opus 10, No. 7 in D Major, No. 3
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eShtZicE6_g&list=OLAK5uy_khz8jF98pUvoSpKfaAv8rRNmLkOf58B1U&index=20

start of Beethoven: Sonata no. 4 in E-flat major, op. 7
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c9_GG678ItU&list=OLAK5uy_khz8jF98pUvoSpKfaAv8rRNmLkOf58B1U&index=23

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_khz8jF98pUvoSpKfaAv8rRNmLkOf58B1U

>It's interesting that the great Beethoven sonata cycles areseldom the ones by the big-name virtuosos. Horowitz never attempted one. Neither did Rubinstein. Ashkenazy recorded them all, but with only partial success. Richter never managed all 32 works at one time, and Gilels died before completing his cycle. The most successful complete recordings--Schnabel, Kempff, Arrau, and Backhaus--are all by pianists with a solidly intellectual mindset, however powerful their technique. Goode joins this select company, turning in performances of uncompromising integrity and musical strength. Of course, his reputation as a musician's musician precedes him: here is a player sensitive to Beethoven's every nuance, presenting the composers thoughts with exemplary clarity and taste. This is the Beethoven cycle for the '90s. --David Hurwitz

alright, let's give this Richard Goode Beethoven piano sonatas set a try

1st
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OUiPi-xWwuI&list=OLAK5uy_khz8jF98pUvoSpKfaAv8rRNmLkOf58B1U&index=2

2nd
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_0bckD_EOwE&list=OLAK5uy_khz8jF98pUvoSpKfaAv8rRNmLkOf58B1U&index=6

3rd
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8CLvQPxDvFA&list=OLAK5uy_khz8jF98pUvoSpKfaAv8rRNmLkOf58B1U&index=9

>It's interesting that the great Beethoven sonata cycles areseldom the ones by the big-name virtuosos. Horowitz never attempted one. Neither did Rubinstein. Ashkenazy recorded them all, but with only partial success. Richter never managed all 32 works at one time, and Gilels died before completing his cycle. The most successful complete recordings--Schnabel, Kempff, Arrau, and Backhaus--are all by pianists with a solidly intellectual mindset, however powerful their technique. Goode joins this select company, turning in performances of uncompromising integrity and musical strength. Of course, his reputation as a musician's musician precedes him: here is a player sensitive to Beethoven's every nuance, presenting the composers thoughts with exemplary clarity and taste. This is the Beethoven cycle for the '90s. --David Hurwitz

It's either this one or the Brendel set, which I still might opt for.