Ludwig van Beethoven John O039Conor - Beethoven The Complete Piano Sonatas Box Set (101 tracks) +Album Reviews

Sublime playing, best in the mid-to-late sonatas.

madamemusico | Cincinnati, Ohio USA | 12/13/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Though several fine pianists (and Daniel Barenboim) have all taken a stab at the complete piano sonatas of Beethoven, among them Wilhelm Kempff, Alfred Brendel, Claude Frank and Russell Sherman-all of whom had wonderful moments in their sets-the only two pianists who have truly captured the Beethovian magic throughout their cycles were Artur Schnabel and John O'Conor, for completely opposite reasons.

Schnabel was probably the only pianist of his era who played the piano in a manner reminiscent of Glenn Gould. He preferred an instrument with a lean tone, used the sustain pedal very rarely, and worked very hard to bring out inner voices, counterpoint, fugues and canons. He played all of the fast movements at Beethoven's written tempi, even when his flawed technique was not up to the task (the worst example being the first movement of the "Hammerklavier"), and all of the slow movements slower than written. In many of these he was able to bring out a "spiritual" quality that went straight to the heart of those Beethoven-lovers who saw his music in this vein. Yet in relistening to his complete set, modern ears hear more problems in the later sonatas (22-32) than our forebears probably heard: inaccurate playing of syncopated rhythms, for example in Sonata No. 29, and sometimes clumsy handling of some of those slow movements (i.e., the first movement of Sonata No. 12). In many other sonatas, however-including the Op. 49 pair, which were, after all, very early sonatas simply published in the middle of the series-his approach was nonpareil and still remains an object-lesson for aspiring Beethoven pianists.

O'Conor, by contrast, uses a rich-toned Steinway, is a master technician and a master of pedal effects. His Beethoven does not always follow the written dynamic contrasts, especially in most of the early sonatas (1-11), because, as he told me, "the fortepianos of Beethoven's time were incapable of them." Historically accurate, but not necessarily the composer's intentions. We know that he was delighted when more powerful pianos appeared, shortly before he lost his hearing for good (around 1805), and that he stated to friends that he thought of all his sonatas being played on that kind of instrument.

Yet, paradoxically, O'Conor's more legato phrasing and singing tone often brings out the very best in Beethoven, particularly in sonatas 22-32 but also in numbers 12, 14 ("Moonlight") and 16, where he scores many points in continuity over Schnabel. Moreover, he, too, brings out many of the inner voices whenever contrapuntal effects are called for, and combined with his sterling technique and "binding" of phrases, this can create a mesmerizing effect. I therefore feel that the best of both pianist's sets can combine to make a very satisfying set of the 32 sonatas.

Your choice between them will, of course, be a matter of personal taste, but I can assure you that EMI's remastering of the Schnabel recordings is nothing less than miraculous. Only rarely does one hear even the merest swish of the old 78-rpm records. They are noiseless, bringing out the very finest nuance of Schnabel's playing. And the O'Conor set is, of course, digital, though I find that boosting the treble is sometimes necessary as Telarc has always tended to prefer somewhat dull sound.

"

The definitive complete sonata set

madamemusico | 03/04/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"It was about a year ago when I was reading reviews, much as you are doing now, trying to find the best complete set of Beethoven sonatas. I wanted the entire set from one performer, not a hodge-podge collection from various artists. So I wanted to make sure that I bought the best performance. As it turns out, John O'Conor was the only pianist with consistently good reviews. I bought this set, and have not been dissappointed.At first I was trying to compare the quality to the set of Mozart sonatas by Andras Schiff that I own, but quickly became aware that these sonatas are something different entirely. John O'Conor plays these sonatas (especially the latter ones) with just the right amount of passion, emotion, and force. He is more than up to the task technically, which becomes evident very quickly. His strokes are clean and distinct. The recordings are also second to none. They are simply outstanding. There is no backgroup fuzz or sound inconsistencies of any kind. All you hear is the beautiful piano as if it were played in some kind of vacuum. Its not like the set of Beethoven piano concertoes that I own where I swear I can hear people talking in the background, and hear the performer breathing, turning sheet music, or other oddities. A truly excellent recording job.I have heard various interpretations of these sonatas by various performers, and I compare all of them to John O'Conor's performances. For one reason or another, every sonata in this set seems to have something more, an extra "umph" that sets it apart from other performances. This, I feel, becomes apparent to even the novice listener. Just listen to the "Waldstein", "Tempest" or "Hammerklavier" and you will understand for yourself. They are truly inspired performances. I can't stop thinking that this is how Beethoven would have played his pieces if he were here today. Mr. O'Conor is a tribute to his profession and this is THE definitive set of Beethoven sonatas. The resonable price doesn't hurt either! I would recommend this set to anyone."

May it never leave the catalog ...

Daniel J. Rose | Shrewsbury, MA USA | 12/10/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is deceptively simple playing, and simply breathtaking. I first heard Mr. O'conor on my car radio playing the Sonata #2 and could not believe my ears. I think I either sat in the parking lot or pulled over to be sure I did not miss the name of the performer.I had been mostly "away" from music for a number of years. Back then, my favorite pianists for most everything were Sviatislav Richter and Aldo Ciccolini, and more recently, Konstantin Lifschitz. Certainly, Richter has left us one of the all-time performances of the "Appassionata," but I was totally unprepared for John O'Conor's unassuming brilliance and generosity of spirit when I first heard it. From the reviewer in Ithaca, it is now clear to me that his approach to Beethoven is a completely honest reflection of his own personality, which must be a gift to all who know him.Most other reviewers have amply described what I can only call a remarkable slight of hand in his playing of these pieces, probably something that one can only hear in a chamber or solo setting that is as closely miked as this one. Of course, his pure and full tone comes, in part, from the remarkable Hamburg Steinway that he plays throughout, and that notably takes prominent credit on every disc. But, as any one who has tried and failed knows, even on the best of pianos the result can only match the skill of the performer, and in Mr. O'conor, this piano merely amplifies his already infinitely sensitive touch. Combined with impeccable precision and a flexibility of tempo that never loses the meter, he gives us a kind of relaxed intensitiy that never takes itself too seriously, yet never wavers in its fidelity of purpose.Mr. O'Conor manages, in every bar, to strike the crystal with perfection and back away from its endless song. In short, he opens Beethoven for all but the dullest ear to see. Thus, I can only hope that this recording of the complete Beethoven sonata cycle never leaves the catalog and generously rewards Mr. O'Conor, as it does us, into a long and fulfilling life."

Outstanding performances in peerless sound

madamemusico | 03/23/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is indeed an outstanding traversal of Beethoven's cornerstone of the piano repertoire. O'Conor brings great sensitivity to these works - a welcome relief from the relentless aggression so many of today's pianists bring to Beethoven. His performances are stunningly musical. I prefer them to the other versions I have, which are some of the most famous ever made! At a good price, and with great sound (clear and lifelike), it is a great buy. -- On a side note, John O'Conor is the most charming man you could meet. I heard him in Upstate NY (I was in college), when he graciously substituted at the last minute for the ailing Tackas Quartet, since he was in NYC at the time. I ran into him at the train station after the concert, and we talked for another hour. In spite of a long concert, he answered all the questions a piano student would ask. Since I had already been a fan, I didn't miss the Tackas a bit."

Beethoven P Sonatas w O'Conor: Deceptively easeful yet heart

Dan Fee | Berkeley, CA USA | 04/20/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I've been a fan of Irish pianist John O'Conor ever since I picked up a used copy of his Telarc recording of the Schubert Impromptus, plus I think a Trout Quintet with the Cleveland Quartet. I think getting Schubert right on a modern piano is quite difficult. Too many repeated notes that tend to come out clunky sounding and percussive, when actually Schubert was using them to keep the harmony going while he played out his long, lyric motives. I am happy to put O'Conor on my Schubert shelf, right along with Lili Kraus and the absolutely phenomenal Arcadi Volodos.

I read in the booklet that Mr. O'Conor won first prize in the Vienna Beethoven competition (1973, by unanimous jury vote) and first prize in the Bosendorfer Competition, after. Equally to the point he has performed complete cycles of the Beethoven sonatas in New York, Boston, and London.

I agree with the other reviewers who like this set. Let me explain my positive responses.

First off, the sound is superior. The piano as it happens is difficult to record well as an instrument, partly because of the challenge of striking just the right balance between the immediate sounding board resonances from whatever instrument is being played, and the intermediate air space right around that chosen piano, and finally the remainder of the room or hall acoustic. Large halls usually don't help, just because the large modern concert auditorium is a Late Romantic/Modern expansion, and most of the earlier rooms or halls were much more intimate. Like expanded palace salons or ballrooms or conservatories.

Mechanics Hall in Worcester, Massachusetts, USA, helps return us to this smaller venue; but the challenges of recorded balance are still there to test the recording engineer. The piano in question is a fine example of the Hamburg Steinway, and the engineer does as good a job as I have heard lately of getting the three zones of articulation and ambience in good order.

Now a good instrument and a workable recording balance are not much unless the player knows what he wants to do, relative to his repertoire. Happily again, my ears tell me that Mr. O'Conor has an intelligent, warm, and incisive musical view of Beethoven in these core keyboard literature sonatas.

Though the pianist studied with Wilhelm Kempff, he is not simply an extension of Kempff when it comes to Beethoven. He does achieve a similarly clean and direct approach as I think I recall from the Kempff sets; but he brings additional warmth and even a playful wit that perhaps we don't often enough link to Beethoven's style. Conductor Eugen Jochum supposedly once remarked to an orchestra, The sforzando is the key to playing Beethoven. Neglect the sforzando and the vigor tends to droop.

Mr. O'Conor is not a droopy sounding Beethovenian. He has a smiling and deft way with inner voices, always in keeping with where Beethoven's harmony is going next. He can play loud, but never gets metallic or percussive in a modern sense. In the first rounds, I thought maybe I would find his playfulness eventually too arch, too much imposed on the music from the outside; but I'm almost all the way to the last disc in this set, and I think I can safely conclude that the wit of Beethoven is drawn out successfully here, reminding us that making music is at least as fun as it may be deep.

I hear this approach as giving me a wonderful sense of Beethoven the human being, rather than the larger than life Romantic Giant that a later era perceived and dramatized. This reminds me, if anything, of Bruno Walter's approach to Beethoven - plenty of punch, but not just only muscularity.

I think this set goes way up toward the top, along with my other great favorite (whose sound is not quite so good as this one), i.e., Anton Kuerti. I have never finally warmed up to the Goode set, partly because to me the piano sound comes through as so relentlessly grey-toned. I suspect that if Bruce Hungerford had been able to finish his cycle of the 32 sonatas, I would have had a third candidate, while as it is I must make do with he could leave behind for us. Lili Kraus didn't do the Beethoven sonatas on disc, so far as I know, but I imagine that if she had, her approach might have sounded a bit like John O'Conor. Brilliant, but nevertheless very warm, full of heart. Playful, but capable of communicating the deeper intelligence of Beethoven's harmonic plans.

Five stars. I think Mr. O'Conor must have been happy to record this set, and I for one am quite happy to be able to hear it."

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