Carl Maria von Weber Sonatas

[j_menz]

I recently purchased these (among a bunch of other stuff) and have been reading through them.  They are surprisingly (for me at least) interesting pieces, and rather more difficult than I was expecting (for some reason, I thought they'd be pretty easy).

Has anyone here brought them up to speed?  And, can anyone recommend good recordings of them. I have the Arrau recording of No. 1 and find it pretty ordinary.

[thalbergmad]

I have the Hamish Milne recording which sounds good to me.

These works do not sound as difficult as they actually are and I have a few failed attempts in the bag to get them up to speed.

Weber had a huge span and sometimes wrote accordingly. I therefore find these sonatas somewhat uncomfortable.

Great works though.

Thal

[j_menz]

I have the Hamish Milne recording which sounds good to me.

Thanks Thal, I'll look for it.

These works do not sound as difficult as they actually are

Ah. I usually look for the exact opposite in a piece.  

Weber had a huge span and sometimes wrote accordingly.

That explains a lot.

I'd not heard any of these before I picked them up. I'm surprised how good they are. They deserve a wider audience.

[thalbergmad]

Weber's works for piano and orchestra are essential listening.

If the sonatas are good, the konzertstuck is pure genius.

Thal