Search - Ludwig van Beethoven, Eric Heidsieck :: Beethoven: Cello Sonatas

The top of the heap

John Grabowski | USA | 12/20/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"A lot of performers, for some reason, approach Beethoven's cello sonatas as though they're dull and deadly serious. For that reason many people may think the works are, well, dull and deadly serious. Then along come Tortelier and Heidsieck, who play like they're telepathic and who have so much doggone *fun* with this music. The sheer joy comes through in every note, with the intimate give-and-take you expect from live recitals. In fact, I checked to see if these indeed weren't live. They make you feel as though you're at a very special chamber music event, and it astonishes me that these performances are not better known, or that this set isn't in print in the U.S. (This is a French import.) Adding to the intimacy is Heidsieck's piano, which sounds like a Bechstein or some instrument that is not a full-throated Steinway. I love Steinways, but they are a little too oversized for this music. The early 1970s sound is superb, with virutally inaudible tape hiss. You'd think these works were recorded yesterday.



Rather than go for the Big Statement in every work, Tortelier and Heidsieck find small-scale jewels and make these sound like Beethoven intimate confessions for cello and piano. From the sunny first sonata to the deeply profound later works that feel like a peek at Beethoven's diary, to the variations that are almost handled with the interplay of a superior jazz combo, they make you feel like they are inventing the works as they play them and not reading off pages. The few minor fingerslips from Heidsieck and occasional moments of faulty intonation from Tortelier just drove home how these are probably single long takes that help the feeling of spontaneity. Try these and you'll see how other highly-regarded sets just pale. To the reviewer who complained the cello is brooding and "eccentric" and the sound isn't lush enough, err, this is Beethoven, not Delius. Brooding and eccentric (or at least unconventional) are just what these works call for; we mus't forget how radical they were in their day, and still contain things that make us prick up our ears. I can't rate this set highly enough. It would have a place of honor on my desert island, along with Casals and Serkin, my favorite among the more traditional approaches."

Remarkable recording

John Grabowski | 12/07/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I have listened countless times to at least 14 different recordings of these sonatas, especially the A Major, opus 69. Heidsieck manages to bring out inner lines and counter-melodies with a clarity and shaping that is truly brilliant. He and Tortelier achieve an immaculate ensemble performance that ranks among the very best. They are not as inclined toward the mystical or romantic in Beethoven. This is evident in the faster, more literal treatment of the final movement, places where Du Pre or even Lyn Harrell might weave a spell or break your heart. Nonetheless, this is a crystal clear, vigorous, very musical rendition. It is filled with rewards. Enjoy it!"

Exceptionally beautiful performance

SUMIO TAKAGIWA | Shimotsuga-gun, Tochigi-ken Japan | 01/18/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"There are quite a number of good CDs of Beethoven's cello sonatas: Casals, Rostropovich, Bylsma, Maisky. However, Tortelier and Heidsieck showed us a different aspect of Beethoven's music: well-balanced and harmonious composition. Their performance sounds always fresh and inspiring. Heidsieck is one of my favourite pianists, but this set of CDs shows his genius best."