Beethoven — Piano Sonatas Volume 6

Piano Sonata No. 19 in G minor, Op. 49 No. 1
Piano Sonata No. 20 in G major, Op. 49 No. 2
Piano Sonata No. 21 in C major, Op. 53 “Waldstein”
Piano Sonata No. 23 in F minor, Op. 57 “Appassionata”

Catalog: CACD 8007-2 • Status: Identified

CD Covers

Hatto cover — Concert Artist 8007-2 • Joyce Hatto

Telarc 80293 cover — Telarc 80293 • John O’Conor

Telarc 80185 cover — Telarc 80185 • John O’Conor

Telarc 80160 cover — Telarc 80160 • John O’Conor

Yablonskaya cover — ProPiano 224 514 • Oxana Yablonskaya

Pletnev cover — Virgin 59142 • Mikhail Pletnev

Perl cover — Arte Nova 74321 34012 • Alfredo Perl

Capsule Summary

This CD was issued in three versions: 2003, 2005, and 2006. The 2003 edition uses John O’Conor’s Telarc performances for the Op. 49 sonatas. The Appassionata is a composite of performances by Mikhail Pletnev and Alfredo Perl, while the Waldstein is taken from John O’Conor except for the opening and close of the finale, which are played by Oxana Yablonskaya.

In the 2005 edition, the Op. 49 sonatas are replaced by performances from Alfredo Perl, while John O’Conor is used for the complete Appassionata and Waldstein. Several tracks are subject to tempo manipulation. The 2006 release has slightly different track placement and improved sound, but is otherwise identical to the 2005 edition.

Sources

John O’Conor — Telarc 80293 (Sonatas Op. 49 Nos. 1 & 2 on 2003 issue)
John O’Conor — Telarc 80185 (Sonata, Op. 53 “Waldstein”)
John O’Conor — Telarc 80160 (Sonata, Op. 57 “Appassionata”)
Alfredo Perl — Arte Nova 74321 34012 (Sonatas, Op. 49 Nos. 1 & 2 on 2005–06 issues; portions of 2003 Appassionata)
Oxana Yablonskaya — ProPiano 224 514 — (portion of 2003 Waldstein finale)
Mikhail Pletnev — Virgin 59142 (portions of 2003 Appassionata)

Track Evidence

Track 1: Sonata No. 19 in G minor, Op. 49 No. 1 – First movement

2003 release:

John O’Conor (4:22)

Hatto 2003 (4:22)

2005 release:

Alfredo Perl (4:12)

Hatto 2005 (4:21)

Hatto 2005 is slowed down by 2.59%.

Track 2: Sonata No. 19 in G minor, Op. 49 No. 1 – Second movement

2003 release:

John O’Conor (3:34)

Hatto 2003 (3:34)

2005 release:

Alfredo Perl (3:09)

Hatto 2005 (3:17)

Hatto 2005 is slowed down by 4.13%.

Track 3: Sonata No. 20 in G major, Op. 49 No. 2 – First movement

2003 release:

John O’Conor (4:29)

Hatto 2003 (4:29)

2005 release:

Alfredo Perl (4:21)

Hatto 2005 (4:32)

Hatto 2005 is slowed down by 4.11%.

Track 4: Sonata No. 20 in G major, Op. 49 No. 2 – Second movement

2003 release:

John O’Conor (3:11)

Hatto 2003 (3:11)

2005 release:

Alfredo Perl (2:55)

Hatto 2005 (3:04)

Hatto 2005 is slowed down by 4.67%.

Track 5: Sonata No. 21 in C major, Op. 53 “Waldstein” – First movement

John O’Conor (9:52)

Hatto 2003 (9:52)

Hatto 2005 (10:15)

Hatto is slowed down by 3.86%.

Track 6: Sonata No. 21 in C major, Op. 53 “Waldstein” – Second movement

John O’Conor (3:55)

Hatto 2003 (3:55)

Hatto 2005 (4:04)

Hatto is slowed down by 4.03%.

Track 7: Sonata No. 21 in C major, Op. 53 “Waldstein” – Third movement

2003 release:

Oxana Yablonskaya (10:01)

John O’Conor (9:37)

Hatto 2003 (9:49)

Yablonskaya plays the opening 1:56. O’Conor then plays measures from 1:56 to 7:34 (bars 102–399), after which Yablonskaya plays the remainder of the movement.

2005 release:

John O’Conor (9:37)

Hatto 2005 (9:31)

Hatto is sped up by 3.88%.

Track 8: Sonata No. 23 in F minor, Op. 57 “Appassionata” – First movement

2003 release:

Alfredo Perl (10:26)

Mikhail Pletnev (11:00)

Hatto 2003 (10:38)

Perl plays the opening 32 seconds. Pletnev then plays until 2:47. Perl returns until 5:59, after which Pletnev plays until 9:46. Perl then finishes off the movement.

2005 release:

John O’Conor (9:45)

Hatto 2005 (9:45)

Track 9: Sonata No. 23 in F minor, Op. 57 “Appassionata” – Second movement

2003 release:

Mikhail Pletnev (6:46)

Alfredo Perl (5:45)

Hatto 2003 (6:39)

Pletnev plays until the start of Variation 2 (3:34) after which Perl plays until the slow rolled diminished chord at the end of the movement, at which point Pletnev returns. For simplicity, this diminished chord has been moved to the third movement waveform rather than have Pletnev appear here for a single chord.

2005 release: