Beethoven:Piano Sonatas Nos. 21, 30 & 32 / Piano Concerto No. 4 / (33) Diabeli Variations, Opp. 53, 58, 109, 111, 120 (Great Pianists of the 20th Century)

To many, Artur Schnabel made Beethoven famous (and vice versa). Between 1932 and 1935, he recorded the first complete cycle of Beethoven's piano sonatas, a collection that--even after decades of new interpreters--still stands the test of time. While this double-CD anthology of Schnabel's Beethoven, in Philips's Great Pianists series, only focuses on three of the sonatas, the collection chosen is a true testament to the pianist's insight into the composer. On the Waldstein Sonata, Schnabel transitions from a furious-paced Allegro con brio to a snail's-paced Introduzione without ever sounding ponderous. The 1933 recording of Concerto No. 4 with the London Philharmonic Orchestra reveals the pianist's lighter side: the finale ends in a delicate, yet playful, fashion. The Diabelli Variations from a few years later follows a similar, equally delightful form. Included are two previously unreleased-to-CD recordings from 1942: Schnabel's accounts of Beethoven's late Piano Sonatas Opp. 109 and 111. Though not a far departure from his earlier recordings, they're a fascinating document: No. 111 sounds truly menacing. Though Schnabel's style wasn't faultless, the emotional depth he brought to these works has rightfully made him a legend. --Jason Verlinde