Beethoven: Piano Sonatas CD

 Classical Beethoven Piano Playing
Arthur Rubinstein plays these "named" sonatas in a very plain, straight, and un-nuanced manner...that is to say, he lets Beethoven's music speak for itself, and it does that gorgeously under his hands. I haven't heard these interpretations for ages, and find they simply aren't likely to be bettered. Additionally, the piano recording from the early 1970s is amazingly clear, and while not quite up to the best of today's standards, are very clean and well-recorded. Want to introduce someone to the beauty of classical music? Buy this CD for them and you will be deemed a benefactor!
Submitted by poppynogood (Iowa City, IA) 
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 Rubenstein and SACD, what more could you want?
SACD, for those with players that utilize the extended dynamic range, have far more presence and depth than CDs, and Rubinstein was certaintly among the top handful of pianists of all time. So the programming consists of warhorses, but these sonatas are popular for a reason. I have no regrets about adding these recordings to other versions I already had. They are magical. The sensitivity of touch is just unbelieveable.
Submitted by jweitzenfeld (East Windsor, NJ) 
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 Elegant
Beautiful phrasing and sounding great. Does not reach the dynamic intensity of, say, Paul Lewis or Alfredo Perl, but very enjoyable nonetheless.
Submitted by Ron (Brisbane Australia) 
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 Refined and honest
These sonatas are great, but Rubinstein makes them not 10 times as big as they are. All nuances come off very well. Good sound. A beautiful cd at bargain price.
Submitted by rijsbenj (The Netherlands) 
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