14.6.12

Beethoven Sonatas - A Survey of Complete Cycles
Ronald Brautigam's BIS Cycle


Supplemental post to my Survey of Complete Beethoven Sonata Cycles:

Overview of Ronald Brautigam's Beethoven Cycle of the complete works for piano, including all 38 [sic!] Sonatas, all the Variations, Bagatelles, and other addenda - published and unpublished. Performed on the gorgeous instruments of Paul McNulty this is a Beethoven cycle decidedly for all Beethoven-lovers, and in no way only for those usually interested in historical instruments and historically informed performances.


available at Amazon


available at Amazon
Volume 1

BIS-SACD-1362 (Sonatas 8 - 11)

Sonata No.8 in C minor, Op.13 (Pathétique);
Sonata No.9 in E major, Op.14 No.1;
Sonata No.10 in G major, Op.14 No.2;
Sonata No.11 in B flat major, Op.22


Availability:


Country / LabelUSAUKFranceGermany
BIS, v.1
Yes


Yes


Yes


Yes

available at Amazon
Volume 2


BIS-SACD-1363 (Sonatas 1-3, 19, 20)

Sonata No.1 in F minor, Op.2 No.1;
Sonata No.2 in A major, Op.2 No.2
Sonata No.3 in C major, Op.2 No.3
Sonata No.19 in G minor, Op.49 No.1
Sonata No.20 in G major, Op.49 No.2


Availability:


Country / LabelUSAUKFranceGermany
BIS, v.1
Yes


Yes


Yes


Yes

available at Amazon
Volume 3

BIS-SACD-1472 (Sonatas 4-7)

Sonata No.4 in E flat major, Op.7 (‘Die Verliebte’);
Sonata No.5 in C minor, Op.10 No.1;
Sonata No.6 in F major, Op.10 No.2;
Sonata No.7 in D major, Op.10 No.3


Availability:


Country / LabelUSAUKFranceGermany
BIS, v.1
Yes


Yes


Yes


Yes

available at Amazon
Volume 4

BIS-SACD-1473 (Sonatas 12-15)

Sonata No.12 in A flat major, Op.26;
Sonata No.13 in E flat major, Op.27 No.1;
Sonata No.14 in C sharp minor, Op.27 No.2 (‘Moonlight’);
Sonata No.15 in D major, Op.28 (‘Pastoral’)


Availability:


Country / LabelUSAUKFranceGermany
BIS, v.4
Yes


Yes


Yes


Yes

available at Amazon
Volume 5

BIS-SACD-1572 (Sonatas 16-18)

Sonata No.16 in G major, Op.31 No.1;
Sonata No.17 in D minor, Op.31 No.2 (‘Der Sturm’);
Sonata No.18 in E flat major, Op.31 No.3


Availability:


Country / LabelUSAUKFranceGermany
BIS, v.5
Yes


Yes


Yes


Yes

available at Amazon
Volume 6

BIS-SACD-1573 (Sonatas 21-25)

Sonata No.21 in C major, Op.53 (‘Waldstein’);
Sonata No.22 in F major, Op.54;
Sonata No.23 in F minor, Op.57 (‘Appassionata’);
Sonata No.24 in F sharp major, Op.78;
Sonata No.25 (Sonatine) in G major, Op.79


Availability:


Country / LabelUSAUKFranceGermany
BIS, v.6
Yes


Yes


Yes


Yes

available at Amazon
Volume 7

BIS-SACD-1612 (Sonatas 26, 27, 29)

Sonata No.26 in E flat major (Das Lebewohl or Les Adieux), Op.81a
Sonata No.27 in E minor, Op.90
Sonata No.29 in B flat major, Op.106 (Hammerklavier)


Availability:


Country / LabelUSAUKFranceGermany
BIS, v.7
Yes


Yes


Yes


Yes

available at Amazon
Volume 8

BIS-SACD-1613 (Sonatas 28, 30-32

Sonata No.28 in A major, Op.101;
Sonata No.30 in E major, Op.109;
Sonata No.31 in A flat major, Op.110;
Sonata No.32 in C minor, Op.111


Availability:


Country / LabelUSAUKFranceGermany
BIS, v.8
Yes


Yes


Yes


Yes

available at Amazon
Volume 9

BIS-SACD-1672 (assorted non-core sonatas)

Three Sonatas, WoO47 (‘Elector Sonatas’);
Two Movements of a Sonatina, WoO50;
Two Easy Sonatinas, K Anh 5;
Two Pieces for Piano (Orphika) ‘Easy Sonata’, WoO51


Availability:


Country / LabelUSAUKFranceGermany
BIS, v.9
Yes


Yes


Yes


Yes

available at Amazon
Volume 10

BIS-SACD-1882 ("Für Elise" - Complete Bagatelles)

Seven Bagatelles, Op.33
Bagatelles (8) 1795–1804
Eleven New Bagatelles, Op.119
Six Bagatelles, Op.126
Bagatelles & Piano Pieces (5) 1810–25


Availability:


Country / LabelUSAUKFranceGermany
BIS, v.10
Yes
mp3


Yes


Yes


Yes

available at Amazon
Volume 11

BIS-SACD-1673 ("Eroica", Complete Variations, Part 1)

Twelve Variations, WoO71 on the Russian Dance from the balle "Das Waldmädchen" by P.Wranitzky
Eight Variations, WoO72 on "Une fièvre brûlante" from Richard Cœur de Lion by A.E.M.Grétry
Ten Variations, WoO73 on "La stessa, la stessissima" from Falstaff by A.Salieri
Seven Variations, WoO75 on "Kind, willst du ruhig schlafen" from Das unterbrochene Opferfest by P.Winter
Eight Variations, WoO76 on "Tändeln und Scherzen" from Soliman II by F.X.Süssmayr
Six Variations on an original Theme in G major, WoO77
Fifteen Variations and Fugue ("Eroica Variations") in E-flat major, Op.35


Availability:


Country / LabelUSAUKFranceGermany
BIS, v.11
Yes


Yes


Yes


Yes

available at Amazon
Volume 12

BIS-SACD-1883 ("Venni Amore", Complete Variations, Part 2)

Nine Variations on a march by Ernst Christoph Dressler, WoO 63
Six Variations on as Swiss Song, WoO 64
Twenty-four Variations on the arietta "Venni Amore", WoO 65
Thirteen Variations on the arietta "Es war einmal ein alter Mann" from "Das rote Käppchen", WoO 66
Twelve Variations on das "Menuett à la Vigano" from dem Ballett "Le nozze disturbate", WoO 68
Nine Variations on "Quant’ è più bello" from "La molinara", WoO 69
Six Variations on the duet "Nel cor più non mi sento" from "La molinara", WoO 70


Availability:


Country / LabelUSAUKFranceGermany
BIS, v.12
Yes


Yes


Yes


Yes


available at Amazon

Volume 13

BIS-SACD-1892 ("The Rage Over A Lost Penny", Rondos & Klavierstücke)

Rondos: WoO 48, 49, 51;
Rondo a Capriccio op.129 ("Rage over a lost Penny");
Rondo Kinsky-Halm Anh.6,
Ecossaise WoO86,
Six Ecossaises WoO83,
Andante favori WoO57,
Fantasie op.77,
Polonaise in C op.89,
Klavierstück Fü Elise (1822 version),
Andante Maestoso ("Letzter musikalischer Gedanke")


Availability:


Country / LabelUSAUKFranceGermany
BIS, v.13
Yes


Yes


Yes


Yes


available at Amazon

Volume 14

BIS-SACD-1942 ("Rule Britannia", Variations & Klavierstücke)

6 Variations on an original Theme op.34,
7 Variations on God save the King WoO78,
5 Variations on Rule Britannia WoO79,
32 Variations on an original Theme WoO80,
6 Variations on "The Ruins of Athens" op.76,
2 Preludes through all major keys op.39,
Three-Voice Fugue Hess 64, Prelude, WoO55,
Minuet WoO217,
Allemande WoO81,
Anglaise WoO212,
Minuet WoO82,
Waltzes WoO84 & 85


Availability:


Country / LabelUSAUKFranceGermany
BIS, v.14
Yes


Yes


Yes


Yes


available at Amazon

Volume 15

BIS-SACD-1943 ("Diabelli Variations")

33 Variations on a Waltz of Diabelli's op.120,
6 National Airs with Variations op.105


Availability:


Country / LabelUSAUKFranceGermany
BIS, v.15
Yes


Yes


Yes


Yes


available at Amazon.de



Ronald Brautigam

2003 - 2008 (& beyond) - BIS


Among the myriad of new Beethoven cycles flooding the market, this is one of the select few that are consistently exciting, fresh, and superbly played throughout. The fact that it uses original instrument helps, but it isn't the key to this cycle's qualities, nor the key to enjoying it. The instruments (delightful, marvelous Paul McNulty creations) sound so great that even the "HIP-averse" ought to sample and see if they can't be converted. Volumes 1-8 contain all the standard 32 sonatas, volume nine all the non-standard sonatas, and the following volumes all the Bagatelles, Piano Pieces, and Variations. This makes this the most complete cycle by one pianist, ahead of Peter Takács' (see above).
Update:The complete set has now been released, on SACD, as below.


Availability:


Country / LabelUSAUKFranceGermany
BIS
(box, SACDs)

Yes


Yes


Yes

Yes





The (Great) Incomplete Cycles
Part 1: 1935 - 1969
Part 2: 1967 - 1974
Part 3: 1977 - 1989
Part 4: 1990 - 1996
Part 5: 1996 - 1999
Part 6: 2000 - 2005
Part 7: 2006 - 2009

Part 8: 2010 - 2013
Part 9: 2014 - 2016
Part 10: 2017 - 20__



If you have additional information about recording dates, availability, cover art -- or corrections and additions -- your input is much appreciated.

This survey is meant to list all complete sets of Beethoven's Piano Sonatas and their availability in different markets, not to review them.

An Index of ionarts Discographies



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