Maurizio PolliniBEETHOVEN: Complete Piano Sonatas [Maurizio Pollini]

This review is addressed to those who are already familiar with Maurizio Pollini's approach to Beethoven's piano sonatas, and may be considering either buying the box or buying the missing album(s) to complete one's collection. The recordings were done between 1975 and 2014, and as a rule every sonata was played in concerts many times over many years before the recording. Needless to say that Mr. Pollini's mastery of the piano reached a level that is technically near perfection and thus very hard to exceed.The product: The cover shows a nice photo, but the overall presentation is of the average (poor) quality that became standard now-a-days, that is a rather fragile card box containing 8 CDs in plain card sleeves and a booklet with a list of tracks, recording dates, and a well-written but rather superficial essay by Paolo Petazzi introducing Beethoven's sonatas. The liner notes of the original album releases were made available on-line at the Deutsche Grammophon site (how long will this information be available?). All recordings have been previously released (the latest album was released almost simultaneously with this box). One recording of each sonata was included, the latest recording being chosen when more than one was available (that was the case in Sonatas # 11, #17, and #21). Sonatas #12 and #21 were presented in live recordings, and the overall sonatas in studio recordings.What you don't get in this box: The original albums (10 CDs in 9 albums, plus a bonus CD accompanying one of the albums) include studio recordings of Sonatas #17 and # 21, a live recording of Sonata #11, and a bonus CD with live recordings of Sonatas #23 and #24 that were not included in the box. The original album with live recordings of Sonatas #11, #12, and #21 includes the music scores with synchronized playing cursor ("CD-pluscore") that is also missing (Addendum: That album was released in 1998; the "CD-pluscore" function is not supported in recent Windows versions).Summarizing, 5 stars for the music, interpretations, and recording quality, but only 3 stars for the physical product presentation, considering its durability and lack of extra material.

Of course, the playing is excellent, but does nobody else find the audible mannerisms of so many pianists a distraction and an irritation? The particular beauty of recordings can be that, unlike in the concert hall, they can be heard in a purity of silence, so it is disappointing when the interpreters lack the self-discipline to play in silence. Pollini's very audible and emphatic intakes of breath overlay the recordings, as does frequent tuneless hummings and background audible expressions of emotion. I had hoped for a silent set of recordings since in the Brendel set which I also have, his accompanying whimperings, sobbings, gruntings and hummings have become a profound irritation (albeit his interpretation is probably nonetheless unsurpassed). Does nobody in the recording process have the courage to confront the egos and tell them to be quiet for the sake of the purity of the recordings? Or do they do this because they want their presence to be noticed in addition to the music? They manage to restrain themselves when when they are playing as accompanists or in chamber music.

Item very good value for money. Loads of music taking very little shelf space

Wonderful recording, Very different from other recordings I have heard ( Gilels, Brendel, Rösel, Anne Øland etc)

Excellent performances

I love it

Good recording and superb playing.

It is fair to say that Maurizio Pollini's cycle has had the longest gestation period of any Beethoven Sonata traversal - from the now legendary mid-70s recordings of the late Sonatas to op. 31, only just released, it spans nearly 40 years. It's a very fine cycle that deserves to be considered among the top recommendations in Beethoven. Pollini's late Sonatas need no further recommendation from me - they are justly considered classics of the catalogue, and in my opinion the Hammerklavier and op. 111 especially contain some of the best Beethoven playing ever to be put to disc.In general, Pollini's Beethoven is on the energetic/kinetic end of the scale - similar to Stephen Kovacevich's cycle among modern readings, I would say - as opposed to more moderate pianists like Kempff and Brendel or 'philosophical' ones like Arrau (I use these adjectives as broad generalisations that don't necessarily apply to every instance of their playing of course). Like Kovacevich, Pollini shines in the big middle-period Sonatas, and gives us a Waldstein Sonata full of bounding energy and momentum, but not lacking in warmth either (the brief slow movement is amazing). Of course, one of the criticisms people love to level at Pollini is that his playing is too cool, machine-like, or that it lacks expression or feeling, but examples like the slow movement of the Waldstein or the late Sonatas reveal lots of warmth and humanity in Pollini's playing. His Beethoven is heroic and also has a heart.There is, however, one caveat that prevents me from unreservedly recommending this release: some of the more recent performances are not at the same level as the earlier ones. This can be seen in the 'Tempest' Sonata for example: included here is Pollini's new version (recorded alongside the other op. 31 Sonatas), which is considerably terser and more impatient than his fantastic earlier account. The mystery, sense of wonder and patiently built-up drama of the earlier version is replaced by more vehemence - all the notes are perfectly executed, as you'd expect from Pollini, but the expressiveness that characterises his earlier playing (yes, there is a lot of expressiveness in Pollini's playing, despite what his detractors might claim) is largely gone. Other examples include the first three Sonatas or op. 10 no. 2. I mentioned Kovacevich earlier as a reference point in terms of Pollini's style and, while Kovacevich has been criticised for lacking charm in Beethoven, he showcases the smaller works' humour and quirky nature more readily than the more strait-laced Pollini.Naturally, no single cycle of the Beethoven Sonatas can be an across-the-board winner. Despite the caveats, Pollini's cycle is worth buying not only for his outstanding 'big' Sonatas and the integrity of his playing throughout, but as a fascinating record of how his playing style developed over the years.