He is the musical phenomenon who has filled the Royal Festival Hall eight times, sold more than 20,000 tickets and prompted enormous demand. He has been acclaimed as a “cultural messiah” by London’s music critics, who have greeted his performance of the complete Beethoven sonatas with near-ecstatic rapture, and every concert he has given in the series has ended with a 15-minute standing ovation.

But all of Daniel Barenboim’s performances of the 32 sonatas, which he is playing from memory, will remain unrecorded for posterity.

The Israeli pianist has refused to allow the BBC either to broadcast or televise the current series of concerts, each featuring four sonatas. After Sunday afternoon’s final leg in this musical marathon these legendary concerts will live on only in the memories of those lucky enough to have had tickets.

A spokesman for the BBC said: “We were very keen for Radio 3 to record the concerts. Regrettably, Daniel Barenboim declined the opportunity. We tried very hard.” Barenboim, 65, has also refused to allow any live pictures of his performances.

Not a single ticket remains on sale for the two final instalments in the series, tonight and Sunday, which will finish with Beethoven’s last sonata, No 32, Op 111.

The Festival Hall has sold 22,500 tickets for the eight concerts, resorting to adding extra seats on the recital platform, to accommodate as many people as possible.

For the most recent recital, on Monday, a screen was installed in the foyer so that disappointed fans could at least watch a live relay from the auditorium. On every morning before a recital a lengthy queue has formed of people seeking last-minute returns.

Meanwhile, 633 avid Beethovenians have booked for all eight concerts, while more than 1,500 have attended Barenboim’s series of talks and discussions taking place alongside the performances.

A spokeswoman for the Festival Hall said: “It has been an extraordinary event. As soon as Daniel steps on to the platform the first two or three minutes are simply taken up with applause. Every concert comes with a huge sense of expectation.

“To have him here for just two weeks, when we could have the concerts stretched out over a year, is really special, and it is why people want to come back.”

The series has also attracted legions of famous admirers. Those attending the concerts, which last up to 90 minutes, have included the actors Joseph Fiennes and Sir Ian McKellen, the comedienne Sandi Toksvig and the news broadcasters Jeremy Paxman and Sir Trevor McDonald.

Reviewing the second concert, the Times music critic Hilary Finch commented: “He is playing these works with an extraordinary depth of focus, and with the insights of a lifetime. Cancel everything for a ticket.” It is not the first time that Barenboim has played all the sonatas live. He first undertook the feat at the age of 17 in Tel Aviv — also from memory — and has made two commercial recordings, for EMI and Deutsche Grammophon.

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