Beethoven Capuçon Braley

A violinist in a class of his own, Renaud Capuçon shows why he is 'Le Violon Roi'; (The Violin King) in this 3-CD collection. As the leading French violinist of his generation, Capucon records exclusively for Virgin Classics and has a rich discography. The set brings together not only some of his best and most popular performances as a soloist but as a collaborator.

Beethoven - Complete Sonatas For Violin & Piano - Renaud Capuçon & Frank Braley (2010) {3CD Virgin Classics 50999 642001}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 966 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 530 Mb
Full Artwork @ 300 dpi (jpg) -> 44 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 2010 Virgin Classics / EMI Records | 50999 642001
Classical / Sonatas / Piano / Violin

Among the many genres Beethoven used to build on his reputation upon his arrival in Vienna, the violin sonatas allowed him not only to demonstrate his own prowess on the keyboard, but also played to the increasing popularity of chamber works that might be attempted by sophisticated amateurs. Following Mozart's trend of liberating the violin from a mere secondary role, Beethoven continued to bring about the equality of both instruments in all of his duo sonatas. Performing these 10 sonatas is the splendid duo of violinist Renaud Capuçon and pianist Frank Braley. The recordings take place in la Chaux de Fonds concert hall in Switzerland, a venue that offers listeners an exceptionally wonderful, intimate sound quality even on a CD.

Longtime chamber-music companions, Braley and the string-playing Capuçon brothers, give us Beethoven’s most popular piano trios in recordings of power and poetry. Braley’s commanding piano playing underpins the performances with a wonderfully firm foundation over which the two Capuçons, playing as one, can weave their magic. “Ghost”—named after its spooky, slow movement—is beautifully judged and played with a fine sense of line. The more imperious “Archduke” is also done terrifically, the chorale-like “Andante cantabile” drawing out some exquisitely balanced chamber musicianship from this French trio, while the finale has a real spring in its step.

The intense-looking trio of pianist Frank Braley and violin-cello brother duo Renaud and Gautier Capuçon has made a critical splash with innovative performances of standard chamber-music repertory in which they move confidently as a unit despite whatever unorthodoxies they may be propounding. Schubert's pair of trios, filled out with two shorter single movements for piano trio to make two short discs, offers a good introduction to their revisionism. In the Piano Trio No. 2 in E flat major, D. 929, the listener will immediately be struck by the brisk tempo of the opening movmement – although it doesn't go beyond what the tempo marking of Allegro indicates, it's a good deal faster than the languid, lyrical tradition that has grown up around this work and around Schubert in general.

Ludwig van Beethoven is one of the towering heroes of music. As a composer, he became a transformational, sometimes revolutionary force. As a man of spirit and inspiration, he triumphed over deafness to produce a wealth of masterpieces. Over the course of more than two centuries, his works have delighted, surprised, amazed and moved listeners. The greatest moments of his multi-faceted genius – from the heroic to the intimate – can be experienced here in performances by instrumentalists, singers and conductors of the utmost distinction.