Beethoven: Complete Works for Solo Piano - Rudolf Buchbinder (2012)

Rudolf Buchbinder is firmly established as one of the most important pianists on the international scene, he is a regular guest of such renowned orchestras as the Berlin Philharmonic, Vienna Philharmonic, New York Philharmonic, Orchestre National de France, London Philharmonic, National Symphony, and the Philadelphia Orchestra. He has collaborated with the world’s most distinguished conductors including Abbado, Dohnányi, Dudamel, Frühbeck de Burgos, Giulini, Harnoncourt, Maazel, Masur, Mehta, Saraste, Sawallisch and Thielemann and is a regular guest at the Salzburger Festspiele and other major festivals around the world.

Composer: Ludwig van Beethoven
Performer: Rudolf Buchbinder

Reviews: Between the early 1970s and early 1980s Rudolf Buchbinder recorded Beethoven’s complete solo piano music, surpassing Alfred Brendel’s similarly comprehensive survey from the early 1960s in terms of sonic and artistic consistency. In the main, Buchbinder’s Beethoven fuses the best of disparate yet equally valid traditions, from Kempff’s tasteful rhetorical gestures and Serkin’s gaunt propulsion to Gieseking’s Apollonian poise and Backhaus’ communicative immediacy.

In the sonatas, tempos are generally faster and phrasing is less subjective yet no less flexible in comparison to Buchbinder’s live 2010/11 remakes. The sonatas also are arranged into sensibly contrasting CD-length programs, rather than in numerical order. I prefer certain earlier readings, like the tauter “Hammerklavier”, Op. 2 No. 2’s more straightforward Rondo (sound sample), the leaner and brisker “Appassionata” central variations, and a far less pulled about Op. 90 second movement. The numerous variation sets also benefit from Buchbinder’s suavely unified tempo relationships and vivid characterizations.

Incidentally, Buchbinder recorded the complete collection of variations Anton Diabelli commissioned from various composers. Only Beethoven’s monumental Op. 120 contribution is included here, yet you certainly can’t complain about Buchbinder’s dramatically charged and spiritually uplifting interpretation. Buchbinder won’t displace your favorite versions of individual sonatas or variation sets, yet his finished technique and sense of style certainly lend distinction to this bargain-priced, 15-CD boxed set. It is the finest complete Beethoven solo piano music cycle on the market featuring a single pianist.

Tracklisting:

1. Bagatelles (7) for Piano, Op. 33 by Ludwig van Beethoven
Performer: Rudolf Buchbinder (Piano)
Period: Classical
Written: 1801-1802; Vienna, Austria

2. Bagatelles (11) for Piano, Op. 119 by Ludwig van Beethoven
Performer: Rudolf Buchbinder (Piano)
Period: Classical
Written: 1820-1822; Vienna, Austria

3. Allegretto for Piano in C major, WoO 56 by Ludwig van Beethoven
Performer: Rudolf Buchbinder (Piano)
Period: Classical
Written: 1803; Vienna, Austria

4. Presto for Piano in C minor, WoO 52 by Ludwig van Beethoven
Performer: Rudolf Buchbinder (Piano)
Period: Classical
Written: ?1795; Vienna, Austria

5. Bagatelles (6) for Piano, Op. 126 by Ludwig van Beethoven
Performer: Rudolf Buchbinder (Piano)
Period: Classical
Written: 1824; Vienna, Austria

6. Sonata for Piano no 1 in F minor, Op. 2 no 1 by Ludwig van Beethoven
Performer: Rudolf Buchbinder (Piano)
Period: Classical
Written: 1793-1795; Vienna, Austria

7. Sonata for Piano no 3 in C major, Op. 2 no 3 by Ludwig van Beethoven
Performer: Rudolf Buchbinder (Piano)
Period: Classical
Written: 1794-1795; Vienna, Austria

8. Sonata for Piano no 4 in E flat major, Op. 7 by Ludwig van Beethoven
Performer: Rudolf Buchbinder (Piano)
Period: Classical
Written: 1796-1797; Vienna, Austria

9. Sonata for Piano no 5 in C minor, Op. 10 no 1 by Ludwig van Beethoven
Performer: Rudolf Buchbinder (Piano)
Period: Classical
Written: 1795-1797; Vienna, Austria

10. Sonata for Piano no 6 in F major, Op. 10 no 2 by Ludwig van Beethoven
Performer: Rudolf Buchbinder (Piano)
Period: Classical
Written: 1796-1797; Vienna, Austria

11. Sonata for Piano no 7 in D major, Op. 10 no 3 by Ludwig van Beethoven
Performer: Rudolf Buchbinder (Piano)
Period: Classical
Written: 1797-1798; Vienna, Austria

12. Sonata for Piano no 8 in C minor, Op. 13 "Pathétique" by Ludwig van Beethoven
Performer: Rudolf Buchbinder (Piano)
Period: Classical
Written: 1797-1798; Vienna, Austria

13. Sonata for Piano no 9 in E major, Op. 14 no 1 by Ludwig van Beethoven
Performer: Rudolf Buchbinder (Piano)
Period: Classical
Written: 1798; Vienna, Austria

14. Sonata for Piano no 10 in G major, Op. 14 no 2 by Ludwig van Beethoven
Performer: Rudolf Buchbinder (Piano)
Period: Classical
Written: 1799; Vienna, Austria

15. Sonata for Piano no 11 in B flat major, Op. 22 by Ludwig van Beethoven
Performer: Rudolf Buchbinder (Piano)
Period: Classical
Written: 1800; Vienna, Austria

16. Sonata for Piano no 12 in A flat major, Op. 26 "Funeral March" by Ludwig van Beethoven
Performer: Rudolf Buchbinder (Piano)
Period: Classical
Written: 1800-1801; Vienna, Austria

17. Sonata for Piano no 13 in E flat major, Op. 27 no 1 "Quasi una fantasia" by Ludwig van Beethoven
Performer: Rudolf Buchbinder (Piano)
Period: Classical
Written: 1800-1801; Vienna, Austria

18. Sonata for Piano no 14 in C sharp minor, Op. 27 no 2 "Moonlight" by Ludwig van Beethoven
Performer: Rudolf Buchbinder (Piano)
Period: Classical
Written: 1801; Vienna, Austria

19. Sonata for Piano no 15 in D major, Op. 28 "Pastoral" by Ludwig van Beethoven
Performer: Rudolf Buchbinder (Piano)
Period: Classical
Written: 1801; Vienna, Austria

20. Sonata for Piano no 16 in G major, Op. 31 no 1 by Ludwig van Beethoven
Performer: Rudolf Buchbinder (Piano)
Period: Classical
Written: 1802; Vienna, Austria

21. Sonata for Piano no 17 in D minor, Op. 31 no 2 "Tempest" by Ludwig van Beethoven
Performer: Rudolf Buchbinder (Piano)
Period: Classical
Written: 1802; Vienna, Austria

22. Sonata for Piano no 18 in E flat major, Op. 31 no 3 by Ludwig van Beethoven
Performer: Rudolf Buchbinder (Piano)
Period: Classical
Written: 1802; Vienna, Austria

23. Sonata for Piano no 19 in G minor, Op. 49 no 1 by Ludwig van Beethoven
Performer: Rudolf Buchbinder (Piano)
Period: Classical
Written: 1797; Vienna, Austria

24. Sonata for Piano no 20 in G major, Op. 49 no 2 by Ludwig van Beethoven
Performer: Rudolf Buchbinder (Piano)
Period: Classical
Written: 1796; Vienna, Austria

25. Sonata for Piano no 21 in C major, Op. 53 "Waldstein" by Ludwig van Beethoven
Performer: Rudolf Buchbinder (Piano)
Period: Classical
Written: 1803-1804; Vienna, Austria

26. Sonata for Piano no 22 in F major, Op. 54 by Ludwig van Beethoven
Performer: Rudolf Buchbinder (Piano)
Period: Classical
Written: 1804; Vienna, Austria

27. Sonata for Piano no 23 in F minor, Op. 57 "Appassionata" by Ludwig van Beethoven
Performer: Rudolf Buchbinder (Piano)
Period: Classical
Written: 1804-1805; Vienna, Austria

28. Sonata for Piano no 24 in F sharp major, Op. 78 by Ludwig van Beethoven
Performer: Rudolf Buchbinder (Piano)
Period: Classical
Written: 1809; Vienna, Austria

29. Sonata for Piano no 25 in G major, Op. 79 by Ludwig van Beethoven
Performer: Rudolf Buchbinder (Piano)
Period: Classical
Written: 1809; Vienna, Austria

30. Sonata for Piano no 26 in E flat major, Op. 81a "Les Adieux" by Ludwig van Beethoven
Performer: Rudolf Buchbinder (Piano)
Period: Classical
Written: 1809-1810; Vienna, Austria

31. Sonata for Piano no 27 in E minor, Op. 90 by Ludwig van Beethoven
Performer: Rudolf Buchbinder (Piano)
Period: Classical
Written: 1814; Vienna, Austria

32. Sonata for Piano no 28 in A major, Op. 101 by Ludwig van Beethoven
Performer: Rudolf Buchbinder (Piano)
Period: Classical
Written: 1816; Vienna, Austria

33. Sonata for Piano no 29 in B flat major, Op. 106 "Hammerklavier" by Ludwig van Beethoven
Performer: Rudolf Buchbinder (Piano)
Period: Classical
Written: 1817-1818; Vienna, Austria

34. Sonata for Piano no 30 in E major, Op. 109 by Ludwig van Beethoven
Performer: Rudolf Buchbinder (Piano)
Period: Classical
Written: 1820; Vienna, Austria

35. Sonata for Piano no 31 in A flat major, Op. 110 by Ludwig van Beethoven
Performer: Rudolf Buchbinder (Piano)
Period: Classical
Written: 1821-1822; Vienna, Austria

36. Sonata for Piano no 32 in C minor, Op. 111 by Ludwig van Beethoven
Performer: Rudolf Buchbinder (Piano)
Period: Classical
Written: 1821-1822; Vienna, Austria

37. Sonata for Piano no 2 in A major, Op. 2 no 2 by Ludwig van Beethoven
Performer: Rudolf Buchbinder (Piano)
Period: Classical
Written: 1794-1795; Vienna, Austria

38. Variations (9) for Piano in C minor on a March by Dressler, WoO 63 by Ludwig van Beethoven
Performer: Rudolf Buchbinder (Piano)
Period: Classical
Written: 1782; Bonn, Germany

39. Variations (8) for Piano in F major on a theme by Süssmayr, WoO 76 by Ludwig van Beethoven
Performer: Rudolf Buchbinder (Piano)
Period: Classical
Written: 1799; Vienna, Austria

40. Variations (8) for Piano in C major on a theme by Grétry, WoO 72 by Ludwig van Beethoven
Performer: Rudolf Buchbinder (Piano)
Period: Classical
Written: 1796; Vienna, Austria

41. Variations (7) for Piano in F major on a theme by Winter, WoO 75 by Ludwig van Beethoven
Performer: Rudolf Buchbinder (Piano)
Period: Classical
Written: 1799; Vienna, Austria

42. Variations (7) for Piano in C major on "God Save the King", WoO 78 by Ludwig van Beethoven
Performer: Rudolf Buchbinder (Piano)
Period: Classical
Written: 1802-1803; Vienna, Austria

43. Variations (6) for Harp/Piano in F major on a Swiss Song, WoO 64 by Ludwig van Beethoven
Performer: Rudolf Buchbinder (Piano)
Period: Classical
Written: by 1793; Bonn, Germany

44. Variations (6) for Piano on an Original Theme in D major, Op. 76 by Ludwig van Beethoven
Performer: Rudolf Buchbinder (Piano)
Period: Classical
Written: 1809; Vienna, Austria

45. Variations (5) for Piano on "Rule Britannia", WoO 79 by Ludwig van Beethoven
Performer: Rudolf Buchbinder (Piano)
Period: Classical
Written: 1803; Vienna, Austria

46. Variations (33) for Piano on a Waltz by Diabelli in C major, Op. 120 by Ludwig van Beethoven
Performer: Rudolf Buchbinder (Piano)
Period: Classical
Written: 1819-1823; Vienna, Austria

47. Variations (32) for Piano in C minor on an Original Theme, WoO 80 by Ludwig van Beethoven
Performer: Rudolf Buchbinder (Piano)
Period: Classical
Written: 1806; Vienna, Austria

48. Variations (24) for Piano on Righini's "Venni amore", WoO 65 by Ludwig van Beethoven
Performer: Rudolf Buchbinder (Piano)
Period: Classical
Written: 1790-1791; Bonn, Germany

49. Variations (15) and Fugue for Piano in E flat major, Op. 35 "Eroica" by Ludwig van Beethoven
Performer: Rudolf Buchbinder (Piano)
Written: 1802

50. Variations (13) for Piano in A major on a theme of von Dittersdorf, WoO 66 by Ludwig van Beethoven
Performer: Rudolf Buchbinder (Piano)
Period: Classical
Written: 1792; Bonn, Germany

51. Variations (12) for Piano on Haibel's "Menuet à la Viganò", WoO 68 by Ludwig van Beethoven
Performer: Rudolf Buchbinder (Piano)
Period: Classical
Written: 1795; Vienna, Austria

52. Variations (12) for Piano in A major on a theme of Wranitzky, WoO 71 by Ludwig van Beethoven
Performer: Rudolf Buchbinder (Piano)
Period: Classical
Written: 1796-1797; Vienna, Austria

53. Variations (10) for Piano on Salieri's "La stressa le stessissima", WoO 73 by Ludwig van Beethoven
Performer: Rudolf Buchbinder (Piano)
Period: Classical
Written: 1799; Vienna, Austria

54. Sonatas (3) for Piano, WoO 47: no 3 in D major by Ludwig van Beethoven
Performer: Rudolf Buchbinder (Piano)
Period: Classical
Written: ?1783; Bonn, Germany

55. Rondo for Piano in G major, Op. 51 no 2 by Ludwig van Beethoven
Performer: Rudolf Buchbinder (Piano)
Period: Classical
Written: ?1798; Vienna, Austria

56. Rondo for Piano in C major, Op. 51 no 1 by Ludwig van Beethoven
Performer: Rudolf Buchbinder (Piano)
Period: Classical
Written: ?1797; Vienna, Austria

57. Rondo a capriccio for Piano in G major, Op. 129 "Rage Over a Lost Penny" by Ludwig van Beethoven
Performer: Rudolf Buchbinder (Piano)
Period: Classical
Written: 1795; Vienna, Austria

58. Polonaise for Piano in C major, Op. 89 by Ludwig van Beethoven
Performer: Rudolf Buchbinder (Piano)
Period: Classical
Written: 1814; Vienna, Austria

59. Andante for Piano in F major, WoO 57 "Andante Favori" by Ludwig van Beethoven
Performer: Rudolf Buchbinder (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1803; Vienna, Austria

60. Allegretto quasi andante for Piano in G minor, WoO 61a by Ludwig van Beethoven
Performer: Rudolf Buchbinder (Piano)
Period: Classical
Written: 1825; Vienna, Austria


















Thanks to the original releaser