Alfred Brendel: The Complete Vox, Turnabout and Vanguard Solo Recordings [Box Set]

• Main performer: Alfred Brendel
• Booklet languages: English
• Time: 891:05

Review

This gargantuan 35-disc set of Alfred Brendel's complete Vox, Turnabout, and Vanguard recordings released in late 2008, concurrent with his retirement from concert life, will be mandatory listening for anyone who reveres the Austrian virtuoso. When these recordings were made between 1955 and 1975, Brendel was at the start of his international career, and his performances here have a fire, energy, and a drama that his later recordings sometimes lack. Brendel devotees, however, may also find his performances lack the intellectual rigor of his middle period recordings and the poetic depths of his later recordings. Compare his demonic account of Mozart's Twentieth Concerto here, for instance, with his more elegant later account. The difference is clear.

Indeed, Brendel recorded the same repertoire over and over again during his career, and more often than not his later recordings have more to offer. The Beethoven piano sonatas issued here, for instance, are the first of three complete sets of those works that Brendel recorded. That doesn't mean this package does not contain excellent performances: Brendel's Liszt sonata is brilliant and his Diabelli Variations are full of character. But it does mean that few of these performances represent definitive Brendel except for the few works he only recorded once. Of those, his accounts of Mussorgsky's Pictures at an Exhibition, Balakirev's Islamey, and especially Stravinsky's Three Movements from Petroushka are absolutely worth hearing. The monaural and stereo sound, though clearly antique, is for the most part clean and acceptable. ~ James Leonard, All Music Guide

Performances

Composer	Title	Time
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart	Piano Concerto No. 9 in E flat major ("Jeunehomme," "Jenamy"), K. 271	34:03
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart	Piano Concerto No. 14 in E flat major, K. 449	21:39
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart	Piano Concerto No. 17 in G major, K. 453	30:16
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart	Piano Concerto No. 25 in C major, K. 503	30:39
Franz Joseph Haydn	Keyboard Concerto in D major, H. 18/11	18:59
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart	Piano Concerto No. 19 in F major, K. 459	30:14
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart	Piano Concerto No. 20 in D minor, K. 466	30:43
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart	Piano Concerto No. 22 in E flat major, K. 482	33:51
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart	Piano Concerto No. 27 in B flat major, K. 595	31:37
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart	Rondo for piano & orchestra in D major, K. 382	10:05
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart	Piano Sonata No. 8 in A minor, K. 310 (K. 300d)	16:24
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart	Movement for violin & piano (or piano solo) in C minor (fragment), K. 396 (K. 385f)	9:17
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart	Rondo for piano No. 3 in A minor, K. 511	11:27
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart	Variations (9) on a minuet by Duport for piano in D major, K. 573	13:49
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart	Concerto for 2 pianos & orchestra in E flat major ("Concerto No. 10"), K. 365 (K. 316a)	24:38
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart	Sonata for 2 pianos in D major, K. 448 (K. 375a)	21:49
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart	Fugue for 2 pianos in C minor, K. 426	4:12
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart	Quintet for piano, oboe, clarinet, horn & bassoon in E flat major, K. 452	23:21
Ludwig van Beethoven	Piano Concerto No. 1 in C major, Op. 15	38:26
Ludwig van Beethoven	Piano Concerto No. 2 in B flat major, Op. 19	30:39
Ludwig van Beethoven	Piano Concerto No. 3 in C minor, Op. 37	34:30
Ludwig van Beethoven	Piano Concerto No. 4 in G major, Op. 58	33:12
Ludwig van Beethoven	Piano Concerto No. 5 in E flat major ("Emperor"), Op. 73	39:03
Ludwig van Beethoven	Fantasia for piano, chorus, and orchestra ("Choral Fantasy"), Op. 80	20:27
Ludwig van Beethoven	Piano Sonata No. 29 in B flat major ("Hammerklavier"), Op. 106	43:17
Ludwig van Beethoven	Piano Sonata No. 32 in C minor, Op. 111	24:19
Ludwig van Beethoven	Piano Sonata No. 28 in A major, Op. 101	19:40
Ludwig van Beethoven	Piano Sonata No. 30 in E major, Op. 109	17:25
Ludwig van Beethoven	Piano Sonata No. 31 in A flat major, Op. 110	18:05
Ludwig van Beethoven	Piano Sonata No. 27 in E minor, Op. 90	13:06
Ludwig van Beethoven	Piano Sonata No. 23 in F minor ("Appassionata"), Op. 57	24:04
Ludwig van Beethoven	Piano Sonata No. 22 in F major, Op. 54	12:02
Ludwig van Beethoven	Piano Sonata No. 26 in E flat major ("Les Adieux"), Op. 81a	15:00
Ludwig van Beethoven	Piano Sonata No. 16 in G major, Op. 31/1	22:39
Ludwig van Beethoven	Piano Sonata No. 17 in D minor ("Tempest"), Op. 31/2	21:25
Ludwig van Beethoven	Piano Sonata No. 18 in E flat major ("Hunt"), Op. 31/3	21:32
Ludwig van Beethoven	Piano Sonata No. 21 in C major ("Waldstein"), Op. 53	24:43
Ludwig van Beethoven	Piano Sonata No. 19 in G minor, Op. 49/1	7:36
Ludwig van Beethoven	Piano Sonata No. 1 in F minor, Op. 2/1	17:08
Ludwig van Beethoven	Piano Sonata No. 25 in G major ("Cuckoo"), Op. 79	9:29
Ludwig van Beethoven	Piano Sonata No. 5 in C minor, Op. 10/1	18:53
Ludwig van Beethoven	Piano Sonata No. 6 in F major, Op. 10/2	13:58
Ludwig van Beethoven	Piano Sonata No. 9 in E major, Op. 14/1	13:48
Ludwig van Beethoven	Piano Sonata No. 10 in G major, Op. 14/2	14:35
Ludwig van Beethoven	Piano Sonata No. 13 in E flat major ("Quasi una fantasia"), Op. 27/1	15:44
Ludwig van Beethoven	Piano Sonata No. 14 in C sharp minor ("Moonlight"), Op. 27/2	16:06
Ludwig van Beethoven	Piano Sonata No. 15 in D major ("Pastoral"), Op. 28	24:51
Ludwig van Beethoven	Piano Sonata No. 7 in D major, Op. 10/3	23:43
Ludwig van Beethoven	Piano Sonata No. 2 in A major, Op. 2/2	23:53
Ludwig van Beethoven	Piano Sonata No. 3 in C major, Op. 2/3	27:10
Ludwig van Beethoven	Piano Sonata No. 8 in C minor ("Pathétique"), Op. 13	19:17
Ludwig van Beethoven	Piano Sonata No. 11 in B flat major, Op. 22	24:46
Ludwig van Beethoven	Piano Sonata No. 12 in A flat major ("Funeral March"), Op. 26	19:43
Ludwig van Beethoven	Piano Sonata No. 24 in F sharp major ("A Thérèse"), Op. 78	9:45
Ludwig van Beethoven	Piano Sonata No. 4 in E flat major ("Grand Sonata"), Op. 7	28:59
Ludwig van Beethoven	Piano Sonata No. 20 in G major, Op. 49/2	8:13
Ludwig van Beethoven	Quintet for piano, oboe, clarinet, horn & bassoon in E flat major, Op. 16	26:18
Ludwig van Beethoven	Rondo for piano & orchestra in B flat major, WoO 6	10:07
Ludwig van Beethoven	Variations (15) and fugue on a theme from "Prometheus" for piano in E flat major ("Eroica Variations"), Op. 35	22:49
Ludwig van Beethoven	Piano Sonata No. 20 in G major, Op. 49/2	8:11
Ludwig van Beethoven	Variations (5) on "Rule Britannia," for piano in D major, WoO 79	4:37
Ludwig van Beethoven	Variations (7) on "God Save the King," for piano in C major, WoO 78	8:52
Ludwig van Beethoven	Variations (12) on a Russian Dance from Wranitzky's "Das Waldmädchen," for piano in A major, WoO 71	11:45
Ludwig van Beethoven	Variations (6) on an original theme for piano in F major, Op. 34	12:50
Ludwig van Beethoven	Variations (6) on an original theme, for piano in D major, Op. 76	5:48
Ludwig van Beethoven	Variations (32) on an original theme for piano in C minor, WoO 80	11:14
Ludwig van Beethoven	Variations (7) on Winter's "Kind willst du," for piano in F major, WoO 75	10:57
Ludwig van Beethoven	Variations (24) on Righini's arietta "Venni Amore," for piano in D major, WoO 65	16:04
Ludwig van Beethoven	Variations (6) on "Nel Cor Più" from Paisiello's La molinara, for piano in G major, WoO 70	4:44
Ludwig van Beethoven	Variations (8) on "Tändeln und Scherzen," for piano in F major, WoO 76	8:18
Ludwig van Beethoven	Variations (13) on Dittersdorf's "Es war einmal ein alter Mann," for piano in A major, WoO 66	12:07
Ludwig van Beethoven	Variations (10) on Salieri's "La Stessa, le Stessissima," for piano in B flat major, WoO 73	9:43
Ludwig van Beethoven	Variations (6) on a Swiss song for piano in F major, WoO 64	2:54
Ludwig van Beethoven	Variations (9) on Paisiello's "Quant è Più Bello," for piano in A major, WoO 69	5:31
Ludwig van Beethoven	Variations (6) on an original theme for piano in G major, WoO 77	4:54
Ludwig van Beethoven	Variations (8) on Grétry's "Une fièvre brûlante," for piano in C major, WoO 72	6:48
Ludwig van Beethoven	Rondo for piano in G major, Op. 51/2	9:50
Ludwig van Beethoven	Allegretto for piano in C minor, WoO 53	3:54
Ludwig van Beethoven	Ecossaises (6) for piano, WoO 83 (spurious)	2:01
Ludwig van Beethoven	Bagatelle for piano in A minor ("Für Elise"), WoO 59	2:49
Ludwig van Beethoven	Polonaise for piano in C major, Op. 89	5:31
Ludwig van Beethoven	Variations (33) on a waltz by Diabelli, for piano in C major ("Diabelli Variations"), Op. 120	53:00
Ludwig van Beethoven	Bagatelles (11) for piano, Op. 119	15:00
Ludwig van Beethoven	Bagatelles (6) for piano, Op. 126	19:56
Ludwig van Beethoven	Rondo a Capriccio for piano in G major ("Rage Over a Lost Penny"), Op. 129	6:15
Ludwig van Beethoven	Rondo for piano in C major, Op. 51/1	5:53
Ludwig van Beethoven	Bagatelles (7) for piano, Op. 33	19:36
Ludwig van Beethoven	Andante for piano in F major ("Andante favori") WoO 57	8:58
Ludwig van Beethoven	Bagatelle for piano in B flat major, WoO 60	1:14
Franz Schubert	Piano Sonata No. 19 in C minor, D. 958	28:57
Franz Schubert	Piano Sonata No. 15 in C major ("Relique"), D. 840	20:02
Franz Schubert	German Dances (16) and Ecossaises (2) for piano, D. 783 (Op. 33) (No. 1)	0:47
Franz Schubert	German Dances (16) and Ecossaises (2) for piano, D. 783 (Op. 33) (No. 2)	1:02
Franz Schubert	German Dances (16) and Ecossaises (2) for piano, D. 783 (Op. 33) (No. 3)	0:31
Franz Schubert	German Dances (16) and Ecossaises (2) for piano, D. 783 (Op. 33) (No. 4)	0:34
Franz Schubert	German Dances (16) and Ecossaises (2) for piano, D. 783 (Op. 33) (No. 5)	0:40
Franz Schubert	German Dances (16) and Ecossaises (2) for piano, D. 783 (Op. 33) (No. 7)	0:59
Franz Schubert	German Dances (16) and Ecossaises (2) for piano, D. 783 (Op. 33) (No. 8)	0:28
Franz Schubert	German Dances (16) and Ecossaises (2) for piano, D. 783 (Op. 33) (No. 13)	0:37
Franz Schubert	German Dances (16) and Ecossaises (2) for piano, D. 783 (Op. 33) (No. 14)	0:40
Franz Schubert	German Dances (16) and Ecossaises (2) for piano, D. 783 (Op. 33) (No. 9)	0:25
Franz Schubert	German Dances (16) and Ecossaises (2) for piano, D. 783 (Op. 33) (No. 10)	1:10
Franz Schubert	German Dances (16) and Ecossaises (2) for piano, D. 783 (Op. 33) (No. 11)	0:26
Franz Schubert	German Dances (16) and Ecossaises (2) for piano, D. 783 (Op. 33) (No. 12)	0:27
Franz Schubert	German Dances (16) and Ecossaises (2) for piano, D. 783 (Op. 33) (No. 15)	0:47
Franz Schubert	German Dances (16) and Ecossaises (2) for piano, D. 783 (Op. 33) (No. 16)	0:30
Franz Schubert	German Dances (16) and Ecossaises (2) for piano, D. 783 (Op. 33) (No. 6)	0:33
Franz Schubert	Impromptus (4) for piano, D. 899 (Op. 90)	25:33
Franz Schubert	Moments musicaux (6) for piano, D. 780 (Op. 94)	25:44
Franz Schubert	Pieces (3) for piano (impromptus), D. 946	23:44
Franz Schubert	Fantasia for piano in C major ("Wanderer"), D. 760 (Op. 15)	22:20
Franz Schubert	Impromptus (4) for piano, D. 935 (Op. posth. 142)	30:21
Franz Schubert	Fantasia for piano in C major ("Wanderer"), D. 760 (Op. 15)	22:02
Frédéric Chopin	Polonaise for piano No. 6 in A flat major ("Héroique"), Op. 53, CT. 155	6:47
Frédéric Chopin	Polonaises (2) for piano, Op. 40, CT. 152-153	6:05
Frédéric Chopin	Polonaise for piano No. 5 in F sharp minor, Op. 44, CT. 154	11:28
Frédéric Chopin	Polonaise-fantasy for piano No. 7 in A flat major, Op. 61, CT. 156	12:04
Frédéric Chopin	Andante spianato and Grande Polonaise for piano & orchestra, Op. 22	13:49
Robert Schumann	Fantasie (Obolen auf Beethovens Monument) for piano in C major, Op. 17	31:56
Robert Schumann	Symphonic Etudes ("Etudes in the form of variations") for piano (2 versions), Op. 13	25:49
Franz Liszt	Piano Concerto No. 1 in E flat major, S. 124 (LW H4)	19:18
Franz Liszt	Piano Concerto No. 2 in A major, S. 125 (LW H6)	21:47
Franz Liszt	Totentanz, for piano, S. 525 (LW A62)	17:05
Franz Liszt	Malédiction, for piano & string orchestra (or string sextet), S. 121 (LW H1)	14:32
Franz Liszt	Piano Sonata in B minor, S. 178 (LW A179)	28:50
Franz Liszt	Aprés une lecture du Dante II, fantasia quasi sonata, for piano (Années II/7) S. 161/7 (LW 159/7)	16:00
Franz Liszt	Bagatelle sans tonalité, for piano, S. 216a (LW A338)	2:47
Franz Liszt	Csárdás macabre, for piano, S. 224 (LW A313)	7:01
Franz Liszt	La Lugubre gondola I, for piano (in 6/8), S. 200/1 (LW A319a)	6:57
Franz Liszt	Mephisto Waltz, for orchestra No. 1 (Der Tanz in der Dorfschenke; Episoden No. 2), S. 110/2 (LW G16/2)	11:14
Franz Liszt	Réminiscences de Lucia di Lammermoor (I & II), transcription for piano (after Donizetti), S. 397 (LW A22)	5:31
Franz Liszt	Miserere du Trovatore, transcription for piano (after Verdi) , S. 433 (LW A199)	8:14
Franz Liszt	Réminiscences de Norma, transcription for piano (after Bellini), S. 394 (LW A77)	15:44
Franz Liszt	Overture zu Oberon, transcription for piano (after von Weber), S. 574 (LW A122)	9:08
Franz Liszt	Bénédiction et serment de Benvenuto Cellini (after Berlioz), for piano, S. 396 (LW A178)	7:24
Franz Liszt	Pilgerchor aus Tannhäuser (I & II), transcription for piano (after Wagner), S. 443 (LW A210)	5:17
Franz Liszt	Paganini Etudes (6), for piano (Grandes Études de Paganini), S. 141 (LW A173)	26:21
Franz Liszt	Petrarch Sonnets II (3), for piano (Années II/4-6), S.161/4-6 (LW A55/4-6)	19:04
Franz Liszt	Venezia e Napoli II (3), for piano (Années, supplement to II), S. 162 (LW A197)	9:20
Franz Liszt	Harmonies poétiques et réligieuses, for piano (early version of Pensée des morts), S.154 (LW A18) (Invocation)	7:11
Franz Liszt	Harmonies poétiques et réligieuses, for piano (early version of Pensée des morts), S.154 (LW A18) (Bénédiction de Dieu dans la solitude)	15:41
Franz Liszt	Harmonies poétiques et réligieuses, for piano (early version of Pensée des morts), S.154 (LW A18) (Pensées des morts)	11:20
Franz Liszt	Harmonies poétiques et réligieuses, for piano (early version of Pensée des morts), S.154 (LW A18) (Funérailles)	10:55
Franz Liszt	Harmonies poétiques et réligieuses, for piano (early version of Pensée des morts), S.154 (LW A18) (Cantique d'amour)	6:20
Franz Liszt	Hungarian Rhapsody, for piano No. 15 in A minor (Rákóczi-Marsch III), S. 244/15 (LW A132/15)	5:38
Franz Liszt	Hungarian Rhapsody, for piano No. 3 in B flat minor, S. 244/3 (LW A132/3)	5:34
Franz Liszt	Hungarian Rhapsody, for piano No. 2 (the "original" No. 2) in C sharp minor (I & II), S. 244/2 (LW A132/2)	10:32
Franz Liszt	Hungarian Rhapsody, for piano No. 13 in A minor, S. 244/13 (LW A132/13)	9:37
Franz Liszt	Hungarian Rhapsody, for piano No. 8 in F sharp minor ("Lento a capriccio"), S. 244/8 (LW A132/8)	7:32
Franz Liszt	Hungarian Rhapsody, for piano No. 17 in D minor, S. 244/17 (LW A132/17)	3:22
Franz Liszt	Csárdás obstinée, for piano, S. 225/2 (LW A333)	3:16
Modest Mussorgsky	Pictures at an Exhibition (Kartinki s vïstavski), for piano	30:21
Igor Stravinsky	Petrushka, movements (3) for piano	16:25
Mily Balakirev	Islamey, Oriental fantasy for piano	8:49
Arnold Schoenberg	Piano Concerto, Op. 42	21:04
Sergey Prokofiev	Piano Concerto No. 5 in G major, Op. 55	21:55