This is the one I have; I find it quite nice as a straightforward down-the-middle sort of set that gets periodically supplemented by more idiosyncratic recordings of individual sonatas (both interpretationally and instrumentally).  I can't say I'm too familiar with the other heavyweights of the genre (Schnabel, Brendel, Kempff, whatever)...

I have the satisfaction of knowing it has gone to a good home .   

Good to see you back here, Opilec. 

I have heard Brautigam's Haydn! Thank you for reminding me of it. I have not heard his Beethoven.

As for period instruments, what do members make of Melvyn Tan? I haven't heard his name in a while and wonder whether he is (or ever was) the cat's pyjamas.

And what about the apparently now abandoned Paul Komen survey of the Beethoven sonatas on period instruments. Those I have, I find very impressive indeed, but there again, I also find Brautigam's very appealing too, in their rather different way. Tend to concur with richard re. Tan, however.

Getting back to Schiff, don't forget the excellent series of illustrated talks on the complete Beethoven sonatas downloadable from Guardian online. They make an superb accompaniment to the CDs of the sonatas, and each set of talks deals the works on with each CD in turn.

Oh, and don't forget Binns. Only the lates have made it to CD, but the whole survey on LP is a joy, and has/had very detailed accompanying booklets.

There was also a survey on Claves, with a variety of performers, 'led' by Bilson.

Re. Badura-Skoda and Schubert. There is a fairly recent CD with him playing fortepiano in the Arpeggione sonata, (Nicolas Delataille on arpeggione):

Spinning earlier:

Some stuff by Member Evan Johnson.

Really lovely, beautifully conceived soundworld, consistent across a range of small-ish scale chamber works. I don't want to embarrass him, but I love the quietude, the carefully judged silences/ hiatuses (which never sound melodramatic, a quality they share with Feldman's).

Musical Nomness.

On the basis that 'a double blessing is a double grace', I've listened to two distinguished recordings of Elgar's The Dream of Gerontius': early, yesterday afternoon, the Roma 1957 Barbirolli recording with Jon Vickers, Constance Shacklock and Marian Nowakowski and it remains a fine match to his later recording with Janet Baker.  This 2 CD set from Archipel also has as a bonus a remastered recording of Berlioz's Symphonie Fantastique which Sir John recorded in 1947, (earmarked for tomorrow).  Later, last night, Mark Elder's recent recording of Gerontius with Alice Coote, Paul Groves and Bryn Terfel in a quite outstanding, radiant performance.

In between, I couldn't resist the temptation to listen to the R3 TTN performance of Verdi's Otello which was broadcast at 01.00 hrs yesterday.   I recorded it on MD and was surprised, in the morning, that it had 74 tracks!  This was a 'live' recording from Cologne; NDR Chorus, Cologne Cathedral Girls' Choir, WDR Radio chorus, Cologne WDR SO/Semyon Bychkov.   John Botha (Otello), Nuccia Focile (Desdemona), and Carlo Guelfi (Iago).   I only intended to sample the high voltage of the opening scene but stayed for the tenderness of the love scene and the heartbreak of the Act IV Willow Song and Ave Maria.    I was ready for the antidote of a second Gerontius after my evening meal.

A glorious day and I shall retire with Vol 2 of Simon Gray's Smoking Diaries; The Year of the Jouncer as a warm and witty read before I fall asleep.     Good night.

I'm listening to Rameau too: Castor et Pollux with Les Arts Florissants.
I'm a gemini

Seconded.