Recordings of Beethoven Piano Cycles
prepared by Jens Laurson

 

Part 1 30s, 40s & 50s

Part 2 60s

Part 3 70s & 80s

Part 4 90s

Part 5 00s

This survey is meant to list all complete sets of Beethoven's Piano Sonatas and their availability in different markets, not to review them. 

For those of you wanting to let me know about series that I have apparently missed, please wait for my last instalment.

	Ian Hobson 1992 - 1996 - Zephyr Availability: Country / Label USA UK France Germany Zephyr Yes (Yes) (Yes) Yes
	Alfredo Perl 1992- 1996 - Oehms Classics Availability: Country / Label USA UK France Germany Oehms (Yes) Yes No Yes
	Alfred Brendel III 1992 - 1996 - Philips (digital) This cycle dominated the digital age and contributed in good part to Brendel being the face of Beethoven for so many listeners. Availability: Country / Label USA UK France Germany Philips Yes (Yes) (Yes) (Yes)
	Malcom Bilson & Students 199? - 1996 - Claves Played by Bilson and six students of his, on nine different fortepianos from around the time of the composition dates of the respective sonatas. Availability (other than directly from Claves): Country / Label USA UK France Germany Claves No (Yes) No (Yes)

	Michael Houstoun 1994 - 1996 - Morrison Music Trust Kiwi-Beethoven on a Steinway D. Still available in four volumes from the Music Trust itself and sources in New Zealand (Triton Music Ltd.) Available internationally through digital distribution via iTunes music store, emusic.com and the Naxos digital music library. Country / Label USA UK France Germany Trust CDs No No No No
	Jean-Bernard Pommier 1991 - 1997 - Erato Availability: Country / Label USA UK France Germany Erato Partly & Used Yes (Yes) Yes
	Russell Sherman 1993 - 1997 - GM Recordings Availability: Most of the five volumes are still available; the complete set isn't. Available used or imported outside the US. Country / Label USA UK France Germany GM R 1 - 2 - 3 4 - 5 1 - 2 - 3 4 - 5 1 - 2 - 3 4 - 5 1 - 2 - 3 4 - 5
	Robert Taub 1994 - 1997 - Vox Availability: In five volumes, spottily available. Volume four seems completely oop. Country / Label USA UK France Germany Vox partly 1 - 2 - 3 4 - 5 No No
	Georges Pludermacher 1998 - Transart live Live recordings from the National Music Conservatory Reims on a Steinway with a fourth, "harmonic", pedal. Availability: Pricey on CDs but incredibly cheap ($16 for the 10 CD set) as mp3 downloads. Country / Label USA UK France Germany Transart Yes mp3 Yes Yes Yes
	Aldo Ciccolini 1985 - 1999 - Bongiovanni Availability: Looks like it has already been discontinued outside Germany and France, just two years after re-issue. Country / Label USA UK France Germany Thorofon No No Yes Yes
	Gotthard Kladetzky 19?? - 1998 - Koch Schwann Only in the UK do seem (some of) the individual volumes still available on the used CD market.
	André DeGroote 1998 - Naxos (BeNeLux), Solal Availability: Originally recorded (at the Brussels Royal Conservatoire) for Naxos, but deleted when they closed their Benelux branch. Just now re-issued by Solal. Country / Label USA UK France Germany Solal No No Yes Yes
	Yukio Yokoyama 1998- 1999 - Sony (Japan) Availability: Made for--and sold on--the Japanese market. Available used and as imports, though. Country / Label USA UK France Germany Sony (Yes) (Yes) (Yes) Yes

 

Robert Silverman 1999 - Orpheum Masters Recorded 'into' and then reproduced from a Bösendorfer Reproducing Piano. Read about the process here. No longer availabile.

>>> Part 5: 2000s

This survey was originally published on the Ionarts blog.

If you have additional information about recording dates, availability, cover art -- or corrections and additions -- your input is much appreciated.

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