Review: Bavouzet's Reference Haydn Piano Sonatas

[@jeffjensen4901]

Great review. I’ve been waiting years for this box, and it’s amazing!

[@alanmcginn4796]

Box ordered! I was waiting for this set. Early Christmas present for me. Haha

[@RobertJonesWightpaint]

Looks like a set I have to get my itchy fingers on - thanks a lot for bringing it to our attention. And while I'm tapping at the keyboard, may I say that your podcasts/vids cheer me up no end; I love the passion, the knowledge, the information you provide, and your sense of humour. Friend, I'll keep on listening!

[@DavesClassicalGuide]

Thank you!

[@soozb15]

Thank you Dave! I'll be buying this as a Christmas treat for myself. You probably know this, but a Bavouzet Haydn recording, released years ago, had booklet notes written by his friend Zoltán Kocsis: 'Haydn without wig' was the title. Perfect 😁

[@UlfilasNZ]

Interesting how so many of the best Haydn pianists have surnames starting with B. Brautigam, Buchbinder, Brendel, Bavouzet, András Biff.

[@DavesClassicalGuide]

Bubinstein, Borowitz, Barrau, Bargerich...the list goes on.

[@zdl1965]

Beno Bando on Baxos@@DavesClassicalGuide

[@UlfilasNZ]

Are you a fan of Bornsheim? I note her cycle hasn't been reviewed by yourself or Jed. I find it very enjoyable, helped by the nice variety of instruments.@@DavesClassicalGuide

[@UlfilasNZ]

I forget Beghin! Quite good too!

[@olliepops1124]

I just found Biff’s old London Records Haydn sonatas yesterday morning. Biff’s beautiful Bach is under-appreciate too. London released his 2 & 3 Part Inventions from around the same time as his aforementioned Haydn albums.

[@fransmeersman2334]

I like the sonatas by Buchbinder very much. On You Tube I like to listen to Ilse von Alpenheim and sometimes to Timofeyeva. After your enthusiastic talk I'll try to get this Bavouzet box for my Christmas.

[@leestamm3187]

Coincidentally, I also enjoy the Alpenheim set quite often on KZbin.

[@philippecassagne3192]

Thanks, Dave. Looks very interesting. So far, I own the Richter, Gould and Brendel recordings, which I find very satisfactory, but they did not record the whole set.

[@dranfox]

Perhaps it's time for a survey of all the available Haydn piano sonata sets. At quick glance, there are about a dozen (!!) of them out there, some by familiar artists and some by not-so-familiar ones, and with various instruments. I'd love to hear your opinions on them and the interpretive choices that the music presents.

[@wzdavi]

I saw this boxed set, advertised on one of my subscriptions sites. I'm not to familiar with the pianist, so I'll give it a listen. In my mind, classifying this as a reference recording, is a big deal must listen.

[@skeptical_Inquirer200]

I've listened to both this and the Ekatarina Derzhavina set. I think the latter is more exciting and imaginative.

[@DavesClassicalGuide]

I sure don't.

[@Andrew87394]

I am sure the Bavouzet traversal is very fine, but Derzhavina's is so tinglingly fresh, so teeming with fantasy, and such a constant source of joy and delight.That hint of a mischievous smile of her's on the cover says everything!

[@pepehaydn7039]

Hello David: I would Like to See a Review of Carmen Piazzini's complete Haydn's sonatas. For me she is the very Best.

[@jeffheller642]

Funny, I have the Buchbinder which I've begun to feel is so overshadowed by the accompanied sonatas (piano trios) as to seem redundant. Somethin tells me the Bavouzet set would breathe new life into this marvelous in its own right cycle.

[@classicallpvault]

What's your opinion of John McCabe's complete Haydn piano sonatas, released in the 1970s on Decca?

[@maudia27]

I would like to listen how he compares with Hamelin - and why he is better...or not.

[@DavesClassicalGuide]

Sounds like a very enjoyable project for you.

[@maudia27]

@@DavesClassicalGuide Yes. I will do. But you are the professional and you could help us. By the way - this could be an interesting series - compare two performances pinpointing the major differences. A battle between x and y.

[@DavesClassicalGuide]

I make comparisons between new releases and "reference recordings" all the time, but I'm not really interested in that question (as you formulate it), sorry to say. What matters to me is where a newcomer fits in the general discography of the work. A/B comparisons such as you suggest are too limiting, and they falsely tend to limit the range of legitimate interpretive options by requiring us to pick "the best." Music doesn't work that way.

[@Clementkouroukis]

I thought the Brautigam was the greatest Haydn set ever recorded?

[@DavesClassicalGuide]

Check your dates, and instruments.

[@philippecassagne3192]

@@DavesClassicalGuide Paradoxically, maybe, I find Brautigam better in Beethoven's "variations and bagatelles" : that 6 CD album is really very, very good.