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