Beethoven
Pina Carmirelli (violin) Concert Tours (Meloclassic)
A significant discographical addition [SG]
Beethoven: Symphony No 3; Schubert: Symphony No 9 (ICA Classics)
Boult in spirited form in his twilight years: no let-up in authority from the doyen of British conductors [JW]
Olga Samaroff & Frank La Forge (piano): The Complete Recordings (APR)
Highly enjoyable playing by two pioneers of American pianism [RCh]
Isolde Menges (violin) (Biddulph)
A great artist’s important legacy restored, including first recordings of Beethoven, Bach and Vaughan Williams [JW]
Beethoven: The String Quartets (Candle Row Press)
A lively introduction to this music written with humour, erudition and enthusiasm [DMD]
Beethoven & Dean: Piano Concertos (Orchid Classics)
A refreshing and compelling pairing of two piano concertos [WH]
Beethoven & Brahms: Symphonies (RCO Live)
One of the finest orchestral discs to have come my way for a very long time [JQ]
Radu Lupu (piano): Live Vol. 1 (Doremi)
Some welcome additions to the pianist’s discography [SG]
Beethoven: Symphonies 5 & 6 (Hänssler Classic)
Expect to be surprised, moved and possibly irritated [CC]
Beethoven: Symphony No 3 (Channel Classics)
Fischer balances the suavely light and the resiliently heroic [MG]
475 Jahre Sächsische Staatskapelle Dresden (Profil)
Many first-class performances to celebrate the 475th anniversary of the Staatskapelle Dresden [MC]
Beethoven: Piano Concerto No 1 & Piano Sonata No 14 (Deutsche Grammophon)
Overall, this is an unsatisfying and disappointing CD [PBW]
Beethoven: The Complete Symphonies (National Symphony Orchestra)
Not distinguished or consistent enough to rank alongside the best cycles [JQ]
Joseph Szigeti (violin): Complete AFRS Recordings and Live Performances (Biddulph)
An attractive programme of rare items from Szigeti’s discography [JW]
Beethoven: String Quartets Vol 1 (Chandos)
A very promising beginning to the Doric’s Beethoven cycle, marked by excellent engineering, superb emotion, and precise attention to detail [MZ]
Toscanini: The 1939 Beethoven Cycle (Pristine Audio)
One of the finest Beethoven Symphony cycles in the best remasterings [DF]
Wilhelm Kempff (piano) Live Concert Edition (Meloclassic)
Indispensable for Kempff fans [SG]
Beethoven: Works for cello and piano (Naxos)
(Déjà Review) An outstanding first instalment of Beethoven’s complete works for cello and piano [KS]
Beethoven: Complete Works for Solo Piano Vol 4 (BIS)
(Déjà Review) Another success … carry on collecting with pleasure [TH]
Mischa Levitzki (piano): Complete HMV Recordings (APR)
This splendid twofer just shouldn’t be missed [SG]
Beethoven: Piano Sonatas No. 21, 23 (Deutsche Grammophon)
A glimpse into Serkin’s final thoughts in works always central to his repertoire [SG]
Beethoven: Complete Symphonies (National Symphony Orchestra)
A mercilessly rushed series of performances which almost invariably sacrifices grandeur in favour of mere propulsion [RMo]
Michael Spyres (tenor) In The Shadows (Erato)
I enjoyed some unhackneyed repertoire and the marvellous singing [GF]
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