Beethoven - Piano Sonatas 30, 31 & 32 - Mari Kodama - Pentatone 5186 389 (2012) SACD rip via PS3 to iso (3.17GB) | 24bit/88.2kHz flac | Mch (2.38GB) (+3.69dB gain) | 2ch (1.12GB) DR12 (+6dB gain) | Classical ----------------------------------------------------------- The late piano sonatas of Ludwig van Beethoven are among his most profoundly moving and satisfying works, and something worthwhile usually can be derived from most renditions, even average performances that don't necessarily have the best sound quality. However, in the case of a sensitive artist performing with depth of feeling and brilliant technique, and being recorded with the best possible audio reproduction, the results can be quite impressive. PentaTone's hybrid SACD of the piano sonatas, Opp. 109, 110, and 111 is an excellent presentation of Mari Kodama's marvelous interpretations of these masterpieces, and one can scarcely ask for a better recording in terms of the music and sound quality. Not only does Kodama apply a keen intellect and mature emotion to her playing, and demonstrate a spectacular technique, she actually gets the music to sound precisely as written. All of Beethoven's rhythmic oddities and unexpected syncopations work, and Kodama's meticulous sense of the beat keeps them buoyant and surprising because a steady pulse is always evident. She never obscures Beethoven's counterpoint, even if to do so would make better dramatic sense, and the clarity of her articulation and phrasing makes it possible to hear everything, including the awkward voice leading in the fugues. Yet under it all is an expressive coherence that makes each sonata feel whole and meaningfully connected to the larger body of Beethoven's keyboard works. This is visionary music, and Kodama perceives and conveys everything Beethoven intended. Highly recommended. “There’s clarity to her voicing & a lyrical spontaneity to her readings, especially in the opening movements of the E-Major & A-Major sonatas (#30 & 31) that catch just the right tone of Beethoven’s poeticized utopian vision. …Her broad, stately, quiet & deeply contemplative statement of the opening themes (“Gesangvoll” movement of the E-Major Sonata) communicates, as it should, as sense of reverential mystery.” (Fanfare, November-December 2012) “She has an elegant & a sensitive, female touch, but does at the same time not shy away from the more powerful passages. She combines a male approach with bringing out gentle & sometimes hidden feminine intentions. Her musical ‘palette’ stretches from searching to assertive. She, furthermore, refrains from unwanted glamour by not turning everything into a speed contest.” (sa-cd.net, April 2012) “The pianist, of Japanese heritage, finds a tone & a dynamic that is personal, mastering (with a beautiful eloquence in the penultimate sonata) the flow of Beethoven’s tempi…” (Concertonet, April 2012) Tracks: Piano Sonata #30 in E, Op. 109 1 Vivace ma non troppo – Adagio espressivo 2 Prestissimo 3 Andante molto cantabile ed espressivo “Gesangvoll, mit innigster Empfindung” Piano Sonata #31 in A flat, Op. 110 4 Moderato cantabile molto espressivo 5 Allegro molto 6 Adagio ma non troppo – Arioso dolente 7 Fuga (Allegro ma non troppo – L’istesso tempo di Arioso – L’inversione della Fuga) Piano Sonata #32 in C minor, Op. 111 8 Maestoso – Allegro con brio ed appassionata 9 Arietta (Adagio molto semplice e cantabile) ** zebedee ** http://www.filefactory.com/folder/51b9c8e161c7f4ec -------------------------------------------------------------- Checksum for iso: 86394ec96645afa22c1ca0929b789704 *Mari Kodama - Beethoven Piano Sonatas 30,31,32.iso Checksums for flac tracks Mch: c9dc8d84ee3a9a54ab7518c86be5ecfc *01 - Mari Kodama - Piano Sonata No. 30 in E, Op. 109 - Vivace ma non troppo.flac afad0d7f69e850790057cd9ab822abbc *02 - Mari Kodama - Piano Sonata No. 30 in E, Op. 109 - Prestissimo.flac 75ff5a797f300c4c92cd30f1d73076e2 *03 - Mari Kodama - Piano Sonata No. 30 in E, Op. 109 - Andante molto cantabile.flac 68b95480d2b48c2e81c96723772412d3 *04 - Mari Kodama - Piano Sonata No. 31 in A flat, Op. 110 - Moderato cantabile.flac 51a48c89455293cefc89fd6b195a0d92 *05 - Mari Kodama - Piano Sonata No. 31 in A flat, Op. 110 - Allegro molto.flac 5ad7941788f222cc670b422dca69f9c6 *06 - Mari Kodama - Piano Sonata No. 31 in A flat, Op. 110 - Adagio ma non trop.flac 452e0281d31d17f20c3ad1dc5cadbf95 *07 - Mari Kodama - Piano Sonata No. 31 in A flat, Op. 110 - Fuga (Allegro ma n.flac df60c64523353ab706747c7fa338e071 *08 - Mari Kodama - Piano Sonata No. 32 in C minor, Op. 111 - Maestoso - Allegro.flac 0277860e40f8ff7872c5ec53403068d6 *09 - Mari Kodama - Piano Sonata No. 32 in C minor, Op. 111 - Arietta (Adagio m.flac Checksums for flac tracks 2ch: aae1ffb9dd9b027e58373390ea8fb284 *01 - Mari Kodama - Piano Sonata No. 30 in E, Op. 109 - Vivace ma non troppo.flac 4f3f4f5b364eed650bfef15d3ffc2c4e *02 - Mari Kodama - Piano Sonata No. 30 in E, Op. 109 - Prestissimo.flac b36c9bed0b7a594bc5eafdb96b4eb2eb *03 - Mari Kodama - Piano Sonata No. 30 in E, Op. 109 - Andante molto cantabile.flac e83a30472ec25a7b21621e5b9a4950b8 *04 - Mari Kodama - Piano Sonata No. 31 in A flat, Op. 110 - Moderato cantabile.flac b644a31f909ca2d78cd10be8e312e4d4 *05 - Mari Kodama - Piano Sonata No. 31 in A flat, Op. 110 - Allegro molto.flac c15d1cd7bc388b8b9865944748e628a9 *06 - Mari Kodama - Piano Sonata No. 31 in A flat, Op. 110 - Adagio ma non trop.flac 3adefa790172759ed91efd4c61df3562 *07 - Mari Kodama - Piano Sonata No. 31 in A flat, Op. 110 - Fuga (Allegro ma n.flac e24e202afa5b4d59d485f06c5be1dab3 *08 - Mari Kodama - Piano Sonata No. 32 in C minor, Op. 111 - Maestoso - Allegro.flac afac0016ff7ae9cbe608880b3484d3b3 *09 - Mari Kodama - Piano Sonata No. 32 in C minor, Op. 111 - Arietta (Adagio m.flac