This boxed set was released to celebrate Wilhelm Kempff's 100th birthday, and it is simply gorgeous. It consists of the complete piano sonatas recorded in 1951-56 (in very good quality mono) by one of the supreme interpreters of Beethoven.

Listen to the first movement of the "Pathetique" and you feel transported to the 1950s, with all of the nostalgia that characterizes memories of the post-war Germany. On the third movement of the "Moonlight" sonata, you hear Kempff at his peak. Of all the versions I have heard, including Kempff's stereo recording, this must be the most energetic and exciting one.

The packaging is tasteful and sobre, and contains several pictures of the musician. This set comes with a booklet and bonus CD of Kempff expressing himself on various topics, ranging from Hiroshima to his interpretation of Beethoven's music. I wish all of Deutsche Grammophon's Collector's sets were as well documented and nicely packaged as this Dokumente boxed set.

This is a piece of history and a definite must have for any classical music listener. I recommend you buy this boxed set in conjunction with a more modern interpretation, for example Ashkenazy's cycle on Decca or Brendel's digital set on Philips. However, if you could get only one set, you'd be hard pressed to find a better cycle of Beethoven's piano sonatas than this one.

Artist: Sonata Arctica
Album: Crazy
Year: 2009
Genre: Power Metal
Bitrate: 320 kbps
Format: mp3
Tracks: 17
Size: 113 mb

Francis von Amadeus was a child prodigy and talented composer.

Sonata Arctica - Takatalvi (2010)



Genre: Melodic Power Metal
Origin: Finland

# Performer: Arabella Steinbacher
# Orchestra: WDR Sinfonieorchester Köln
# Conductor: Andris Nelsons
# Composer: Ludwig van Beethoven, Alban Berg

Beethoven wrote only one opera - Fidelio - and, while it may have its share of dramatic flaws relative to works by those who specialized in the genre, it is true music drama full of heroic themes and equally heroic music.

Sonata Arctica was born in 1996 on the edge of the world, in the northern Finnish town of Kemi. The very first incarnation of the band was named Tricky Beans. As Tricky Beans, the group produced three demos (Friend till the End, Agre Pamppers and PeaceMaker) and played twice in Jyrki Sähkösirkus, a live tour version of a then famous TV pop show. - sonataarctica.info

# Performer: Arabella Steinbacher



# Orchestra: WDR Sinfonieorchester Köln



# Conductor: Andris Nelsons



# Composer: Ludwig van Beethoven, Alban Berg