Beethoven bagatelle recommendations please

[Guest]

If I were to invest in a set of Beethoven bagatelles, which would be a good starting place?

The two individual sets I've found but not thoroughly sampled are:

1. Mikhail Pletnev on DG
2. Steven Osborne on Hyperion

I'm leaning more towards Pletnev at present.

I know Brendel has a set but I'm not a fan of his playing.

Looking forward to having some (any!) feedback on a thread I've started here.

[Pianorak]

Stephen Kovacevich for the complete Beethoven Bagatelles.

But being a fan of Pletnev I'd also get the 2CD set you mention which has some interesting more out of the way pieces.

[Richard Tarleton]

Stephen Kovacevich for the complete Beethoven Bagatelles.

[vinteuil]

if you're interested in the sound-world of Historically Informed Performance Practice - Ronald Brautigam (volume 10 of his complete B'ven piano works), on copies of Walter and Graf pianos from Beethoven's period, gives one of the most exciting performances of the Bagatelles I've heard in a long time...

If the sound of the 'modern' piano is more to your taste - I wd agree with Pianorak - Stephen Kovacevich.

[Thropplenoggin]

Thanks for the suggestions thus far.

I have Kovacevich's first set of Diabelli Variations and love how its both played and recorded. My only worry with later Kovacevich - one that put me off buying his Beethoven sonatas - is its so close-miked that you can often hear this sort of gasping sigh sound, which I think is the pedals being depressed. I found it really off-putting. Is this the case with the bagatelles?

>vinteuil: I'm new(ish) to classical music and like some HIPP (Quatour Mosaïques, for example) but haven't adjusted to fortepianos yet. I expect this will change in time.

[LeMartinPecheur]

Thanks for the suggestions thus far.

I have Kovacevich's first set of Diabelli Variations and love how its both played and recorded. My only worry with later Kovacevich - one that put me off buying his Beethoven sonatas - is its so close-miked that you can often hear this sort of gasping sigh sound, which I think is the pedals being depressed. I found it really off-putting. Is this the case with the bagatelles?

There is (was) a Kovacevich recording of the Bagatelles on Philips that is from roughly the same period as the Diabellis (1975 as against 1968 I think). Philips didn't generally shove their microphones under the piano lid in those days.

I'm happy with this disc but I see there are mixed views on Amazon. You have to go to Marketplace to get it there, but it is still affordable.

[Richard Tarleton]

Yes it's a 1974 recording, without extraneous sound.

[Richard Tarleton]

I've just remembered Jacob Lateiner - his version much played on Radio3/Third in late 60's-early 70's.

I used to have an LP by Kempff, bought second hand from Moores but so scratched it was unbearable. I heard Bernard Roberts play Op 126 and talk interestingly about how the pieces use the extremes of the keyboard.

[Bryn]

I have not heard the Pletnev double album but am surprised to note that it appears not to include the Bagatelles, i.e. the Op. 126 set. Can this be true?

I tend to favour performances of these miniature wonders on period instruments (or modern copies of such), but on modern beefed up instruments I too would go for Kovacevich (both vintages).

[Thropplenoggin]

I have not heard the Pletnev double album but am surprised to note that it appears not to include the Bagatelles, i.e. the Op. 126 set. Can this be true?

Indeed it is. Though it does contain some hard to find WOo variations and the sound and playing are just gorgeous: here's Op.33, no. 7: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9RbztCI0GX4

[amateur51]

I've just remembered Jacob Lateiner - his version much played on Radio3/Third in late 60's-early 70's.

I used to have an LP by Kempff, bought second hand from Moores but so scratched it was unbearable. I heard Bernard Roberts play Op 126 and talk interestingly about how the pieces use the extremes of the keyboard.

Thanks so much for the Lateiner link, Richard Tarleton - I played this album a lot when I had a turntable.

What a shame there isn't more Beethoven from him

[aeolium]

There was a recording by Andras Schiff on the restored 1817 Broadwood piano owned by Beethoven - Gramophone review here.

I think it may be on this disc though there are no details given. There might be another incarnation of the recording somewhere.

[amateur51]

There was a recording by Andras Schiff on the restored 1817 Broadwood piano owned by Beethoven - Gramophone review here.

I think it may be on this disc though there are no details given. There might be another incarnation of the recording somewhere.

If you click on the images of the back of the CD you'll find that you're right aeolium

[aeolium]

Thanks am51 <knock head against wall emoticon>

[Thropplenoggin]

It's interesting that no one's recommended the Osborne account, which received strong reviews on its release, though not from BBC Music Magazine.

On another forum, someone suggested Rudolf Buchbinder. on Apex.