Complete Beethoven sonata cycle recorded live in Hong Kong by Konstantin Lifschitz issued on CD and now vinyl – how they compare
- Pianist’s live Beethoven cycle from 2017, released earlier as a CD box set, has now had a limited-edition vinyl release. The Post sampled both for comparison
- Some movements benefit from the greater fullness, depth and warmth of the 12-inch LP, while others sound better on CDs, which deliver greater clarity
As a year of great peril for the performing arts draws to a close, with concert cancellations putting a major dampener on celebrations of the 250th anniversary of composer Ludwig van Beethoven’s birth, a recently released 12-inch vinyl box set recording of the composer’s complete piano sonatas recorded in Hong Kong has come as a seasonal blessing.
Beethoven’s sonatas were composed at different stages of his life, and there are marked stylistic differences between the early ones – written when he was in his 20s and influenced by fellow composers Mozart and Haydn – and those of his middle and late periods.
To this day, mastering all 32 pieces remains one of the highest achievements of a pianist. Sometimes, it becomes a lifelong obsession. Daniel Barenboim has just issued his fifth recording of the full cycle at the age of 78, adding to other recent releases of the sonatas by Jonathan Bliss, Igor Levit and Lifschitz.
Lifschitz chose to take on the challenge of performing the 32 sonatas in eight concerts over a 10-day period in the bright and vibrant acoustic of HKU’s Grand Hall. It was a challenge that paid off, and the recordings vividly capture Lifschitz’s technically assured artistry, all with remarkably little sound interference.
Barring occasional slips and imperfections in articulation, which are part and parcel of live performances, this set allows both Lifschitz and the Steinway piano he plays to shine, with only the short and enthusiastic bursts of applause following each sonata to remind listeners of the live audience.