dvw@petrus.UUCP (Dan V. Wilson) (10/15/85)
[glorp!]
I have a two-CD set of Beethoven piano sonatas that I would like to
recommend. Since they come from what seemed to me to be a bizarre source,
here is all the gory details:
Beethoven: Sonata No. 8 in C minor, "Pathetique"
Sonata No. 14 in C# minor, "Moonlight"
Sonata No. 15 in D major, "Pastoral"
Sonata No. 17 in D minor, "Tempest"
Sonata No. 25 in G major
Sonata No. 26 in Eb major, "Les Adieux"
Sonata No. 27 in E minor
Richard Goode, Piano
Book of the Month Club 31-7510 (2 CDs)
Available from: Book of the Month Club
Camp Hill, PA 17012
Book of the Month Club??? For CDs???? Well, the CDs are digitally
mastered, and made by Nimbus in England. They are also CHEAP - I was able
to get them at the member rate through a friend for about $22 (the
non-member price is $24.95 plus shipping).
I learned of these CDs in a rave review in the July-August '85 issue of
Fanfare. I also like the performances VERY much. Goode plays these sonatas
with a strength of musical line that I find very appealing. Anyone who
appreciates the singing musical line that Furtwaengler brought to many of
his performances will like Goode's rendition of these sonatas. From the
review: "[Goode] take great liberties with meter, never violates pulse. In
an integrating approach of sound instinct, intelligence, and good sense,
every detail is treated in a fundamentally vocal manner, in a real singing
line." I could not have said it better myself.
The sound of this two CD set is excellent. I recommend them highly. BOMC
has also issued these performances on two cassettes or three disks, at the
same price as the CD set(!).
Dan Wilson
dvw@bellcore.ARPA
{ihnp4, allegra, ucbvax}!bellcore!dvw