Beethoven Piano Your resource for the piano music of Ludwig van Beethoven

author: Ludwig van Beethoven asin: 0486413985 binding: Paperback list price: $3.95 USD amazon price: $3.95 USD

One of Beethoven's most admired and widely performed piano concertos, perfectly designed and profoundly poetic. This convenient and economic volume — meticulously reproduced with bar-numbered movements — will be the perfect edition for classroom and concert hall alike.

asin: B00081U6T6 binding: Audio CD list price: $16.99 USD amazon price: $16.99 USD

This CD presents Beethoven's immortal "Appassionata" sonata in three separate performances on different instruments, all played by virtuoso keyboardist, Lambert Orkis. Beethoven himself regarded the f minor sonata to be his finest sonata at the time that he wrote it (1805), and Carl Czerny, a student of Beethoven's points out that whatever considerable powers a pianist needed for Beethoven's sonatas prior to this composition, this work required the doubling of those abilities. When Beethoven composed the "Appassionata", a consensus regarding how a piano should sound had not been achieved. Indeed, the instrument was in the throes of a rapid evolutionary development. The three instruments used in this recording are based upon Viennese piano building designs and represent three snapshots in time of Viennese piano evolution. Lambert Orkis has received international recognition as chamber musician, interpreter of contemporary music, and performer on period instr! uments. He has appeared world-wide in recital with violinist Anne-Sophie Mutter since 1988 and with cellist Mstislav Rostropovich since 1983. A multi-Grammy Award nominee, his large discography comprises works of the Classical, Romantic and Modern eras. Mr. Orkis can be heard on the following Bridge CDs: George Crumb: A Little Suite for Christmas; Richard Wernick: Sonata "Reflections of a Dark Light" (BRIDGE 9003); Richard Wernick: Piano Concerto (BRIDGE 9082); Richard Wernick: Piano Sonata No. 2; James Primosch: Sonata-Fantasia (BRIDGE 9131).

author: BEETHOVEN L asin: 063409906X binding: Paperback list price: $9.95 USD amazon price: $9.95 USD

Schirmer Performance Editions are designed for piano students and their teachers as well as for professional pianists. Pedagogical in nature, these editions offer insightful interpretive suggestions, pertinent fingering, and historical and stylistic commentary. Prepared by renowned artists/teachers, these publications provide an accurate, well-informed score resource for pianists. Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827) is renowned for his large-scale, innovative piano sonatas and concertos, and these works hold a prominent and lasting place in the concert repertoire. Yet nestled beneath the larger works for which he is most often lauded lies a vast collection of short piano solos that he crafted throughout his career. These miniatures often display the same careful writing and attention to detail as his longer works. Some were actually intended as pedagogical studies; many derive their style from the popular dance music of the period and reflect Beethoven's love of simple, everyday pleasures. Editor and recording artist: Matthew Edwards

asin: B000207M0E binding: Audio CD list price: $14.99 USD amazon price: $14.99

3 CD Digipack.

asin: B0000029CU binding: Audio CD list price: $11.98 USD amazon price: $9.99 USD

Surprisingly, this seems to be the only coupling of the three most popular Clarinet Trios in the repertoire. The all-star ensemble, all musicians who have frequently performed together, turns out extremely fine performances of all three works. If the Brahms seems like the most thoroughly understood, in its combination of warmth and impulse, the other two works are nearly as fine. Very good sound, resonant and very well balanced, completes a total winner of a disc. --Leslie Gerber