Roberts has commented that although he enjoyed making the Beethoven recordings, he feels his playing was somewhat restrained in the first "direct cut" recording.

"It was very selfish," she said of the Beethoven recording.

The Beethoven recordings were made in 2005 and 2006 at the Barbican.

Mr. Haitink sidesteps his inherent modesty only far enough to indicate that he is happy with the Beethoven recordings.

His live Beethoven recordings are in some ways even better, freer and more vivid (Orfeo 300921).

Here are some favorite Beethoven recordings of the classical-music critics of The New York Times.

I find Arrau's music-making humorless, a serious flaw in his Beethoven recordings of the decade before, also made for Philips.

So, indeed, it appeared when samples from the new Beethoven recordings were played.

Whatever happens on the spatial front, though, it is already clear from Mr. Barenboim's Beethoven recordings that the new system offers an extraordinary particularity of sound.

The spoken words were added to a very loud Beethoven recording which can occasionally be heard.