Has anyone heard Robert Silverman's recordings of the complete Beethoven
piano sonatas? If so, could you comment on the artistry and overall sound
quality?

At $65 for a set of 10 CDs, these may not be exactly cheap, but that's
also a good price for all the Beethoven sonatas.  I do have a slight
nagging suspicion about these recordings: they were made in a highly
unusual way, during the course of one weekend on a Busendorfer Reproducing
Piano from "takes" of the pianist's prior recordings.  The artist himself
(Silverman, alas, not Beethoven) reportedly was happy with the results
of this unorthodox recording methodology, but I'd like to hear some
independent critical acclaim before plinking down my own $65 for this set.
I think Silverman's own comment, cribbed from his website, is revealing of
his feeling about the Beethoven sonatas: "Richard Goode told me my life
would never be the same afterward, and he was right." Here's a link to
the recordings (look for the second one listed):

   https://secure.stereophile.com/stereophile/recordings.shtml

Canadian Robert Silverman, by the way, is a pianist who I find curiously
ignored, at least in these 48 states (or however many there are these
days).  Just for example, I don't recall his ever being mentioned on this
list.  He does most of his concertizing in Canada, although I gather he
has been well received south of the border.  I understand there are many
fine pianists out there, but I think some of his recordings are masterful.
In my admittedly agricultural opinion, his performance of the Brahms Sonata
in F Minor edges out that of Murray Perhia, although there may be some
imprinting involved there, as Silverman's was the first recording of
that piece that I heard.  Silverman just this past weekend performed in
Washington D.C., and to my distress and shame I was too grumpy to attend,
for reasons that will probably be apparent to all Americans on this list.

   http://www.robert-silverman.com/

"Laurence Sherwood" <[log in to unmask]>