Matt Hoyle is looking for recommendations for the complete cycle of Beethoven piano sonatas. Matt mentioned Ashkenazy on Philips; I believe that cycle is on London/Decca. I like Ashkenazy in these works; he has a nice flow, and forward momentum in the more dramatic movements is excellent. I've been buying the Russell Sherman volumes on the GM label, and although I enjoy Sherman in this repertoire, he could take some pointers from Ashkenazy concerning forward momentum. Sherman has a tendency to be somewhat mannered when it's time for propulsion - little hesitations which, imho, retard the natural flow. My only problem with the Ashkenazy set is what I hear as a tubby sound - not a big problem since the performances are so good. Matt also mentioned the Kempff series. That's also very good, loaded with insights. Some other cycles that come to mind: Goode on Nonesuch - has received some stellar reviews, but I'm not convinced. I find Goode very mainstream and ordinary. Lortie on Chandos - Best to avoid this one. I just don't think that Beethoven plays into Lortie's strengths. Kovachevich on EMI - Excellent playing, but the sound tends to be harsh. Others think differently. Roberts on Nimbus - Great piano sound with good but not outstanding interpretations. Don Satz [log in to unmask]