Beethoven: the best recordings from the past two years
Wednesday, July 3, 2024
All of these Beethoven recordings were chosen as Editor's Choice or Recording of the Month in Gramophone magazine from 2022 to today
Ludwig van Beethoven's music continues to inspire great new recordings from today's artists, recordings that can challenge the long-standing classic interpretations. Each of the albums below was named Editor's Choice or Recording of the Month in Gramophone magazine from 2022 to today, some have won Gramophone Awards, and each recording has something new to say about Beethoven's music.
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Orchestral
Beethoven Complete Symphonies
Potsdam Chamber Academy / Antonello Manacorda (Sony Classical)
In perhaps the most competitive of all symphonic fields, Antonello Manacorda brings us a Beethoven cycle that’s hugely impressive and highly enjoyable.
Beethoven Symphony No 6 Stucky Silent Spring
Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra / Manfred Honeck (Reference Recordings)
Manfred Honeck and his Pittsburgh players offer a fascinating Pastoral and thought-provoking pairing, in first-class sound.
Beethoven ‘Révolution, Vol 2’ Symphonies Nos 6-9
Le Concert des Nations / Jordi Savall
Alia Vox
This is a thrilling, physical, probingly musical and invigoratingly alive-feeling period performance set of Beethoven symphonies, and a triumphant second half of conductor Jordi Savall’s full cycle.
Beethoven. Schulhoff Piano Concertos
Herbert Schuch pf WDR Symphony Orchestra / Tung‑Chieh Chuang
AVI-Music
Engaging Beethoven from Herbert Schuch, coupled with Schulhoff’s lesser-heard Concerto, both wonderfully performed.
Beethoven Five Piano Concertos
Haochen Zhang pf Philadelphia Orchestra / Nathalie Stutzmann
BIS
Van Cliburn Gold Medal winner and Avery Fisher Prize recipient, Haochen Zhang now adds a hugely impressive Beethoven concerto set to his list of achievments.
Beethoven Piano Concertos
Garrick Ohlsson pf Grand Teton Music Festival Orchestra / Sir Donald Runnicles
Reference Recordings
We explored the background to these Beethoven concertos in May – the rapport between its artists is wonderful to hear.
Beethoven Piano Concertos Nos 1 & 3
Kristian Bezuidenhout fp Freiburg Baroque Orchestra / Pablo Heras-Casado
Harmonia Mundi
Kristian Bezuidenhout completes his super set of the Beethoven concertos with this joyously spirited pairing of Nos 1 and 3.
Beethoven Violin Concerto. ‘Kreutzer’ Sonata
Double Sens / Nemanja Radulović vn
Warner Classics
Nemanja Radulovic´ brings real character to his reading of the Beethoven Violin Concerto and has nothing to fear from a catalogue packed with famed accounts.
Chamber
Beethoven Violin Sonatas Nos 3, 7 & 8
Antje Weithaas vn Dénes Várjon pf
AVI-Music
Antje Weithaas and Dénes Várjon are back with a second volume of Beethoven sonatas, and it’s one that finds them exploring his music with genuine insight, bringing rich rewards.
Beethoven Violin Sonatas Nos 1, 5 (‘Spring’), 6 & 10
Antje Weithaas vn Dénes Várjon pf (AVI-Music)
The culmination of Antje Weithaas and Dénes Várjon’s Beethoven sonata cycle reflects throughout their rewarding connection both to the music and to each other.
Beethoven Piano Trio No 7, ‘Archduke’. Symphony No 4
Leonidas Kavakos vn Yo‑Yo Ma vc Emanuel Ax pf (Sony Classical)
Three star soloists clearly enjoying a project as fascinating as it is rewarding: this time it’s Beethoven’s Fourth transcribed.
Beethoven Piano Trios, Vol 2
Sitkovetsky Trio
BIS
Two Beethoven trios brilliantly presented by the Sitkovetsky Trio: an excellent interpretation of an earlier work in the genre, and a tender, poetic performance of the magnificent Archduke.
Beethoven. Franck. Schumann Violin Sonatas
Renaud Capuçon vn Martha Argerich pf
DG
A record of a poignant occasion for two of today’s finest artists, captured together in an evening of wonderful music-making.
Beethoven Two Cello Sonatas, Op 102. Bagatelles
Roel Dieltiens vc Andreas Staier fp (Harmonia Mundi)
A glorious recording that reminds us of the many different styles and sound worlds period performance can delight us with, from two really excellent interpreters.
Instrumental
Beethoven Piano Sonatas Nos 30‑32
Anne Queffélec pf Mirare
Drawing on decades of wisdom, Anne Queffélec offers us an album of Beethoven’s last three piano sonatas rich in imaginative personality and spiritual depth, and reflecting a clear joy in this timeless music.
Beethoven Symphony No 3, ‘Eroica’ (transcr Liszt) Mozart Piano Concerto No 20, K466 (transcr Alkan)
Paul Wee pf
BIS
Pianist Paul Wee proves himself a master of these treacherously demanding transcriptions, sweeping aside the technical challenges to present these great works with consummate musicianship.
Beethoven. Brahms. Mozart ‘Variations’
Simon Trpčeski pf
Linn
Three masters of variation form – Beethoven, Brahms and Mozart – are explored, and very clearly enjoyed, by pianist Simon Trpčeski on this delightful album.
Beethoven ‘Diabelli’ Variations
Mitsuko Uchida pf
Decca
This revelatory recording of the Diabelli Variations – Mitsuko Uchida’s first solo album for almost a decade – stands out as a dazzling addition to this work’s rich interpretative history. A superb release.
Vocal
Beethoven Missa solemnis
Sols; La Capella Nacional de Catalunya; Le Concert des Nations / Jordi Savall
Alia Vox
Jordi Savall draws on all his experience of Beethoven’s music to offer a Missa solemnis rich in dignity, drama and devotion.
‘Russian Roots’
Katharina Konradi sop Trio Gaspard
Chandos
Kyrgyzstan soprano Katharina Konradi and Trio Gaspard offer us a diverse range of Russian-related works spanning centuries – from Beethoven to Auerbach, via Weinberg – all brilliantly performed.
