Beethoven - The Violin Sonatas [Grumiaux]

Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827) - The Violin Sonatas

Arthur Grumiaux (violin)
Clara Haskil (piano)

Decca - 475 8460

Eac / Ape (img+cue+log) / Mp3 (lame vbr --alt preset)
Total playing time: 68:25 + 68:23 + 76:35
Full covers & booklet (scan @ 300dpi)

Recording dates:
September 1956 (Sonatas 2, 3, 8)
December 1956 (Sonatas 7, 10)
January 1957 (Sonatas 1, 4, 5)
September 1957 (Sonatas 6, 9)


Track listing:

CD 1
1. Sonata No 1 in D, op. 12, no. 1: I. Allegro con brio
2. Sonata No 1 in D, op. 12, no. 1: II. Tema con variazioni
3. Sonata No 1 in D, op. 12, no. 1: III. Rondo. Allegro
4. Sonata No 2 in A, op. 12, no. 2: I. Allegro vivace
5. Sonata No 2 in A, op. 12, no. 2: II. Andante piu tosto allegro
6. Sonata No 2 in A, op. 12, no. 2: III. Allegro piacevole
7. Sonata No 3 in E-flat, op. 12, no. 3: I. Allegro con spirito
8. Sonata No 3 in E-flat, op. 12, no. 3: II. Adagio
9. Sonata No 3 in E-flat, op. 12, no. 3: III. Rondo. Allegro molto
10. Sonata No 4 in a, op. 23: I. Presto
11. Sonata No 4 in a, op. 23: II. Andante scherzoso piu allegretto
12. Sonata No 4 in a, op. 23: III. Allegro molto

CD 2
1. Sonata No 5 in F, op. 24 "Spring": I. Allegro
2. Sonata No 5 in F, op. 24 "Spring": II. Adagio molto espressivo
3. Sonata No 5 in F, op. 24 "Spring": III. Scherzo, allegro molto
4. Sonata No 5 in F, op. 24 "Spring": IV. Rondo, allegro ma non troppo
5. Sonata No 6 in A, op. 30, no. 1: I. Allegro
6. Sonata No 6 in A, op. 30, no. 1: II. Adagio
7. Sonata No 6 in A, op. 30, no. 1: III. Allegretto con variazioni
8. Sonata No 7 in C minor, op. 30, no. 2: I. Allegro con brio
9. Sonata No 7 in C minor, op. 30, no. 2: II. Adagio cantabile
10. Sonata No 7 in C minor, op. 30, no. 2: III. Scherzo: Allegro
11. Sonata No 7 in C minor, op. 30, no. 2: III. Finale: Allegro

CD 3
1. Sonata No 8 in G, op. 30, no. 3: I. Allegro assai
2. Sonata No 8 in G, op. 30, no. 3: II. Tempo di menuetto ma molto moderato e grazioso
3. Sonata No 8 in G, op. 30, no. 3: III. Allegro vivace
4. Sonata No. 9 in A, op.47 "Kreutzer": I. Adagio sostenuto - Presto
5. Sonata No. 9 in A, op.47 "Kreutzer": II. Andante con variazoni
6. Sonata No. 9 in A, op.47 "Kreutzer": IIa. Var. I
7. Sonata No. 9 in A, op.47 "Kreutzer": IIb. Var. II
8. Sonata No. 9 in A, op.47 "Kreutzer": IIc. Var. III
9. Sonata No. 9 in A, op.47 "Kreutzer": IId. Var. IV
10. Sonata No. 9 in A, op.47 "Kreutzer": IIe. Coda: Molto adagio
11. Sonata No. 9 in A, op.47 "Kreutzer": III. Finale: Presto
12. Sonata No. 10 in G, op.96: I. Allegro moderato
13. Sonata No. 10 in G, op.96: II. Adagio espressivo
14. Sonata No. 10 in G, op.96: III. Scherzo. Allegro
15. Sonata No. 10 in G, op.96: IV. Poco allegretto

Info (from the liner notes):
During the first half of the eighteenth century (and earlier) the vast majority of sonatas for "one-line" instruments such as the violin, the cello, the flute, and the oboe, with keyboard accompaniment, were written on two staves, with the melodic line on top and a figured bass below it, to be amplified by the harpsichordist largely at his own discretion, and supported by a bass instrument such as a cello, a viola da gamba, or a bassoon. The attention was therefore focused on the melodic instrument, the accompaniment being of secondary importance (though of more or less prominence depending on the skill of the musician sitting at the harpsichord). All of Handel's sonatas except one — an early work for viola da gamba and harpsichord — follow this formula, as do several of Bach's. The more important of Bach's sonatas, however — six for violin, three for viola da gamba, and three for flute — anticipate later practice in that they contain fully written-out, obbligato harpsichord parts and that the two instruments are of equal importance. In the second half of the century, when the severity of the contrapuntal style yielded to the insinuating charm of the galant, the earlier relationship was reversed: the harpsichord (or, as the years went by, the piano) became the dominating factor in the partnership, and the violin or flute dwindled to a mere accompaniment which could often be omitted without seriously prejudicing the structure and flow of the music. The earliest of Mozart's violin sonatas are of this type, though those he wrote from 1778 onwards show a distinct, if gradual, reversion to the conception of the accompanied sonata as a true duo.
In Beethoven's ten sonatas for violin and piano the process is continued, and the stringed instrument achieves its full emancipation in the "Kreutzer" Sonata, composed in 1802-03. Their composition spans a period of fifteen years, from 1797 to 1812, and although they neither offer such a representative picture of his attitude to the duo sonata as do his five sonatas for cello and piano (which, though only half as numerous, cover a wider span — 1796 to 1815 — and are more evenly spaced) nor, since some of them were designed for various virtuoso acquaintances and not for Beethoven's own exclusive performance, form such an impressive and inexhaustible compendium of his art as do his thirty-two piano sonatas, they nevertheless include among their number at least three works that are among the very finest of their kind, and for whose loss music would be immeasurably the poorer.

Reviews:
Penguin Guide to Compact Discs:
The performances are wonderfully civilized and aristocratic and no one investing in them will regret it.

Amazon.com customer review:
This splendid three CD box set of Beethoven's complete Sonatas for Violin and Piano features perhaps the finest such duo of the mid-20th Century: Violinist Arthur Grumiaux and Pianist Clara Haskil. They are equally renowned for their Mozart performances and Grumiaux produced a splendid recording of the Bach solo Violin Sonatas and Partitas. Haskil's various Mozart recordings, especially of the Piano Concertos, are some of the finest, most lyrically eloquent ever made. Both musicians represent the summa of music's Germanic core at mid-century in its recorded state.

These three CDs place Beethoven's Sonatas in chronological order, making it easier to follow the progression of his musical thought and the evolution of his style. What one discovers quickly, aided by such splendid playing, is how swiftly (certainly by the Opus 30 Sonatas, written in 1802) Beethoven relinquished Mozartean lyricism in favor of a motoric rhythmic drive and much shorter melodic lines. There is often an expansion and contraction of the musical pulse (much like the intake and release of breath), frequently in the very same movement. This requires rhythmic flexibility, a subtly different, exquisitely free sense of time a la Furtwangler: a trait more common in the 40's and 50's than today's more rigid linearity. In other words, Beethoven had learned how to breath life into his music and Haskil and Grumiaux were positioned to express it effortlessly. That's what makes these recordings so good, so necessary for a serious Classical collection. Both performers are lyrical, capable of great beauty of tone, yet they are intellectual enough to convey the profound musical architecture of these pieces. You will enjoy these performances on several levels simultaneously: they are multi-dimensional performances as opposed to today's all-too-often 'single-note' musicality.

These recordings were made in early stereo between September 1956 and September 1957. They are beautifully recorded, clear and full with somewhat narrow separation. Comparing these to Mutter/Orkis and Argerich/Kremer, there is a beauty of tone and a level of confident music making that stands just slightly above. Beethoven's Sonatas are great enough to merit several different interpretations. One of them should be this set. Most strongly recommended.

Grumiaux interview - Gramophone 1971:



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