Beethoven: Piano Sonatas Nos. 14, 21 & 23
On this CD:
1. Piano Sonata No. 14 in C sharp minor ("Moonlight"), Op. 27/2
Composed by Ludwig van Beethoven
Performed by Mikhail Pletnev
2. Piano Sonata No. 21 in C major ("Waldstein") Op. 53
Composed by Ludwig van Beethoven
Performed by Mikhail Pletnev
3. Piano Sonata No. 23 in F minor ("Appassionata") Op. 57
Composed by Ludwig van Beethoven
Performed by Mikhail Pletnev
Beethoven: Piano Sonatas Nos. 14, 21 & 23, Music, Ludwig van Beethoven, Mikhail Pletnev, Chamber Music & Recitals, Classical, Classical Composers, Classical Music, Keyboard, Romantic Sonata/Sonatina for Keyboard
Average customer rating:
- Middling
- I recommend unreservedly
- For the Waldstein and Moonlight
- Heaven or hell? You decide!
- Beautifully clear but lacking in fire and wildness
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Beethoven: Piano Sonatas Nos. 8, 14, 21 & 23 / Wilhem Kempff
Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon
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Similar Items:
- Beethoven: Piano Concertos Nos. 4 & 5 / Kempff, Leitner
- Beethoven: The Late Piano Sonatas
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- Grieg: Lyric Pieces / Emil Gilels
ASIN: B000001GQ1
Release Date: 1996-01-23 |
Tracks:
- Sonate No. 8 C-moll Op. 13 'Pathetique': Grave - Allegro di molto e con brio
- Sonate No. 8 C-moll Op. 13 'Pathetique': Adagio cantabile
- Sonate No. 8 C-moll Op. 13 'Pathetique': Rondo. Allegro
- Sonate No. 14 cis-moll Op. 27 No. 2 'Mondschein-Sonate': Adlagio sostenuto - attacca:
- Sonate No. 14 cis-moll Op. 27 No. 2 'Mondschein-Sonate': Allegretto - acttacca:
- Sonate No. 14 cis-moll Op. 27 No. 2 'Mondschein-Sonate': Presto agitato
- Sonate No. 21 C-dur Op. 53 'Waldstein-Sonate': Allegro con brio
- Sonate No. 21 C-dur Op. 53 'Waldstein-Sonate': Introduzione. Adagio molto - attacca:
- Sonate No. 21 C-dur Op. 53 'Waldstein-Sonate': Rondo. Allegretto moderato
- Sonate No. 23 f-moll Op. 57 'Appassionata': Allegro assai
- Sonate No. 23 f-moll Op. 57 'Appassionata': Andante con moto - attacca:
- Sonate No. 23 f-moll Op. 57 'Appassionata': Allegro, ma non troppo - Presto
Customer Reviews:
Middling.......2006-12-02
These performances are classic. To modern ears, Kempff has a delicate hand, and very good sense of dynamics. Lots of contrast. OTOH, some of the fast playing is a little muddled technically, the notes not quite clear and the pace hard to define, for example in the fast sections of Moonlight and Waldstein. These are very early recordings. Perhaps people weren't used to trying for technical perfection. And his flexibility with pace is a little too radical for my liking. Lots of parts seem too fast or too slow to me. Overly severe slowing and speeding in some cases.
Oh, and the recording quality is good...for the early 60s. That would not be a reason to avoid this disc.
I recommend unreservedly.......2005-12-15
This review is probably useless but I will not allow this wonderful disc to continue its 3 and a half star rating. Sound is fine. Performances immense but in a rather understated way which rewards repeated listening as more dynamic readings will not. I feel Beethoven sonatas need clarity and transparency for maximum enjoyment. i doubt if anyone would have the nerve to suggest this is not achieved by Kempff. I could draw comparison with that other master of understatement Solomon as his Beethoven is so transparent and I recommend his Testament recordings. Kempff is no Kovacevich and vice versa but I feel one can get rather fed up with K as K stamps his own personality on such works which leads to pretty impressive listening at first but I find it is Kempff I tend to go back to. Perhaps therefore purchasers should be warned to persevere if finding the disc seems disappointing on initial listening.
For the Waldstein and Moonlight.......2004-06-09
This CD deserves five stars for the Moonlight and Waldstein sonatas. These are the only two on the CD I listen to. I will agree that the Appassionata is not necessarily robust enough, and, having learned the Pathetique, it is not to my liking either.
But, before listening to Kempff's Moonlight recording, I had not especially liked the piece, especially the second and third movements. As I have heard all of the Beethoven sonatas, and most numerous times, this Moonlight recording brought to my attention the previously hidden beauty and "coolness" (in the second and third movements). It vaulted the piece up to about #6 on my list of Beethoven sonatas.
The Waldstein Sonata's first and third movements immediately caught my attention. Although I play the first movement faster than Kempff, it is nevertheless exceptional in my ears. The second movement is wonderful in its own right, but I am not particularly fond of it as a work, not at all Kempff's fault. As for the third movement. I am at a loss for words. Beethoven certainly helped out any pianist who plays this by making it one of this three or four best. This piece is absolutely delicious and Kempff makes it even moreso. The detached triplets at the 7:57 mark make me literally jump in the air and pump my fists.
These are, quite simply, the best Beethoven recordings I own, easily topping Van Cliburn's and Arrau's were a very close second. I have yet to obtain a Schnabel recording of these pieces.
Heaven or hell? You decide!.......2003-01-07
From his youth in Imperial Berlin and Vienna until his retirement in his late 80's, Wilhelm Kempff's interpretations of Beethoven's Piano works have never been anything other than controversial, polarising the opinions of music lovers for almost a century to an even greater extent than Kemperer did with the symphonies. That alone is no small achievement!
This however leaves us with something of a problem with this CD. Many who hear these recordings of some of the best known of Beethoven's Piano sonatas, The Pathetique (no 8), The Moonlight (no 14), The Waldstein (no 21) and The Appassionata (no 23), regard them as something of a "cop out", polite and civilised performances of music which at it's core it anything but polite and civilised, cynically calculated to appeal to the drawing room sensibilities of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. I must confess that the first time I heard this CD, I was inclined to agree. But as I listened again and again, I found myself being drawn ever deeper in to Kempff's view. These readings are deeply introspective; they have all the passion of more bombastic readings, but expressed in a more subtle way and prove that there is a romantic depth to Beethoven's music, which modern interpretations tend to gloss over. Perhaps this is how Liszt, Chopin and Clara Schumann played these works, or perhaps not, we'll never know. Either way the listener's reaction to this recording will be more subjective than with almost any other.
For me, even considering the mono recordings made my Kempff 10 years earlier than these which some consider to be better, this is the finest performance of the Beethoven sonata's available. I can't recommend it highly enough.
Beautifully clear but lacking in fire and wildness.......2002-03-21
Wilhelm Kempff took a very unique approach to Beethoven. His playing of the sonatas was much more "introverted" than that of most other pianists; he always brought out the personal, introspective qualities of Beethoven, even in brilliant, heroic works like the Waldstein or the Appassionata. The main ways he accomplished this were 1) by having a somewhat lower average dynamic level than most pianists, carefully observing all of Beethoven's piano markings (while ignoring several of the forte markings!) and 2) by avoiding extreme speeds, favoring spacious allegros and flowing slow movements. He also played very expressively, with rubato and ritardandos thrown in wherever he felt they were necessary. He also felt more concerned with expressing the character of the piece in his way than with honoring the letter of it.
While this may sound like a good approach on paper, it doesn't come off well in actuality. For example, in the Pathétique, the first sonata on this disc, the slow introduction, taken at quite a quick pace, is not very dark in character. Kempff cuts short the rests at the end of each phrase and changes the rhythm of several chords in the center. His playing of the Allegro di molto e con brio isn't much better. Firstly, the slow speed at which he plays it might work if sustained properly, but Kempff's phrasing is not good at all; he thumps out each chord without any concern for the phrasing or line of the piece. The slow speed and lack of compensation for this in the playing means that the movement feels too genteel, too polite. It's not wild, it's not dark - a constant problem with Kempff. In addition, he omits the exposition repeat (a serious failing). The famous slow movement is considerably better, benefiting from Kempff's flowing speed and admirable "floating" of the melody above the accompaniment. The final rondo, however, is terrible: Kempff's playing lacks any kind of drama or emotion. This can be seen even in his playing of the ornaments in the opening theme, where they MUST be on the beat, giving the theme a greater sense of wildness. Kempff opts for the "polite," before-the-beat solution.
The Moonlight's opening movement is taken quickly, but, again, the melody is floated superbly, and Kempff's delicate touch works wonders in this movement. The Allegretto is fine, but the Presto agitato is not very Presto, nor is it very agitato - and again, he omits the crucial repeat.
The Waldstein is perhaps the best performance on the disc. I will examine it at some length, as it is my favorite sonata before the last three. The first movement is fabulous. The speed is not too slow, the playing is not too choppy, the phrasing is fabulous. The magical tremolos at 0:22 are for once really magical and luminous, and if the subsequent wild passage isn't quite wild enough, the radiance and beauty of tone given to the chorale-like passage at 0:55 and the following radiant triplets in E major more than compensate. He observes the crucial exposition repeat, and varies his delivery of each section on the repeat, making it more than just a formality. The remainder of the movement is well-done, capturing the mood of each section well, although the closing runs in the final pages don't seem very intense.
The Introduzione is taken at a rather quick tempo, but Kempff's expressiveness and lyricism carry it through superbly. Kempff is generally very good at slow movements. The fabulous finale is taken at a rather slow pace, but I feel that's better in this movement than a speedy pace. The opening melody is, again, beautifully floated, but the flowing right-hand accompaniment doesn't sound quite even and serene as it should. Kempff's pedaling throughout this movement is rather eccentric, opting for less pedal where Beethoven specifies more, and more pedal where Beethoven specifies none. Everything is fine, however, until we get to the section in A minor after the first statement of the theme. Here, Kempff falls into the trap of thumping out the melody and the accompaniment. His eighth-note chords in the left hand plod gracelessly. He encounters similar problems in the later section in C minor. Although his crystal-clear articulation of the rapid left-hand figuration is admirable, he again thumps out the melody. In the subsequent modulating passage to D flat major, where the first three chords of the theme are repeated in different keys, the high, climactic D flat chord is hit extremely harshly, the very opposite of the otherworldly beauty it should be played with. His playing is a little too loud in the dreamy figuration which follows. At the fortissimo return of the main theme, his playing is again extremely harsh - this may also be a fault of the piano he uses, which is very percussive in the highest register. However, his is the best performance of the radiant broken-chord triplets (one of my favorite sections in Beethoven's entire sonata output) I have ever heard. The Prestissimo coda is very good, but is marred by the refusal to observe Beethoven's marking of the legato octaves in both hands as glissandi. There is no excuse whatsoever for not observing the unmistakable marking. Overall, although Kempff's Waldstein is a flawed performance, it is one that continually benefits from his light-filled, beautiful tone.
The Appassionata is a disappointment: texturally clear, beautifully played but totally lacking in the wild despair and passion this sonata so obviously needs.
Overall, a rather disappointing set of performances. Kempff's strengths are, in my opinion, better suited to the Haydenesque early sonatas and to the clarity and profundity of the late sonatas than to the early-middle to middle piano sonatas played here, which call for a more fiery temperament and style of playing than Kempff's admirably clear, lucid approach.
Average customer rating:
- Wrists of steel, fingers of iron
- Previously released
- Great CD
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Beethoven: Piano Sonatas Nos. 13, 14, 17, 21
Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon
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ASIN: B00005RRXS
Release Date: 2003-01-14 |
Customer Reviews:
Wrists of steel, fingers of iron.......2006-02-09
Pollini is best known for a certain cold yet precise playing that borders on "computer-like." This precision is evident in the virtuosic sections of all pieces. Absolutely no missed notes are present. The loudness of the forte's is penetrating and direct.
I thought that the first sonata on the disc, the op. 27 no. 2 is the most interesting musically. It really shows Beethoven's inventive side and how he was an innovator of his epoch. Yes, the Waldstein is done at an extremely fast tempo, but Pollini's coldness makes me wonder if any heart was put into the performance.
Previously released.......2005-03-09
Pollini is always great, but take note that three of the four sonatas (all except the Waldstein) are from previously released CDs on DG. If you already have these in your collection, the only thing new you'll be getting is the 1997 recording of the Op 53.
Great CD.......2005-01-20
Every one of sonatas on this CD is great, especially his 97's live recording of "Waldstein" which is phenomenal - fast, fury and yet extremly articulate and controlled, and is unsurpassed by any recordings of it I have ever heard. I bought this one after somehow disappointed with Brendel's Tempest recording and thought Pollini might make it up for me. Indeed, Pollini's playing showed his passion, technique precision and control without over exagerated phrases or accents (which Brendel unfortunately has sometimes). Absolutely superb playing and a great CD!
Average customer rating:
- My favorite Waldstein Sonata
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Beethoven: Piano Sonatas Nos. 8, 14, 21, 30
Manufacturer: Capitol
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ASIN: B000002S7M
Release Date: 1996-08-13 |
Customer Reviews:
My favorite Waldstein Sonata.......1998-12-03
Years ago, I discovered this recording as an LP, but until it was re-released as a CD recently, I could never find a performance of the Waldstein Sonata (No. 21, Op. 53) that I liked as much on CD. I have a number of recordings of this sonata--most of which have some merits. Alexei Lubimov's on fortepiano is the one other favorite: particularly to be enjoyed for the sonorities that only an original instrument can bring out. Firkusny, like many other performers, carries off the inevitable forward motion of the first movement in the Waldstein. His treatment of the last movement, however, is unique among those I have heard. There is quality of dream-like suspension, especially in the main bell-like theme, that adds a spell-binding dimension to this glittering, virtuosic movement. Even if you've heard this sonata hundreds of times (as I have), you'll hear it differently in this recording. There is much also to be enjoyed in the other performances on this CD.
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Beethoven: Piano Sonatas Nos. 14 "Moonlight", 21 "Waldstein", 23 "Appassionata"
Manufacturer: Sony
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ASIN: B0002J5932
Release Date: 2004-08-03 |
Customer Reviews:
Close, but no Cigar.......2007-01-28
This CD features the legendary pianist in three popular Beethoven sonatas. It's no secret that Horowitz did not care for Beethoven's clumsy piano writing, was not regarded as a great Beethoven interpreter, and recorded these sonatas merely to satisfy contractual obligations. Though these sonatas were recorded in 1972 and 1973, Horowitz never played these particular works in public after 1953. Record company executives were the bane of Horowitz's existence until very late in his career, when he had attained so much notoriety that he could "record the C major scale and it would sell" in the words of Thomas Frost.
This is Horowitz's third recording of the de-rigeur Moonlight. As a performance, it is smoothed out and uneventful, slick and modern--even cold. The triplets of the opening movement lope along without having much meaning invested in them (a far cry from Horowitz's 1956 recording of the work which, despite its poor sonics, remains a benchmark in Beethoven performances). The Allegretto has some nice voicing, but the Finale's sudden accents are ignored, robbing the movement of much of its drama. One can admire the clarity of the playing here, as well as the technical finesse and excellent recorded sound, but Horowitz's heart is clearly not in this performance.
Horowitz's recording of the Waldstein Sonata in C major, Op.53, alternately delights and distracts. The clarity of the outer movements is remarkable, as is the unique kinetic energy. But, his feminine way of phrasing the first movement's second theme, beautifully voiced as it is, is especially foreign to Beethoven's masculine approach. The trills which accompany the main theme in the last movement are uncannily balanced, but purists will also be annoyed by Horowitz's rewriting of the finale's coda: where Beethoven has written octave glissandi, Horowitz substitutes octaves played presto and staccato. It has been speculated elsewhere that Horowitz considered the octave glissandi unplayable on the modern piano. Nonsense, I've played it as written myself, and so have many fellow pianists. Horowitz simply did not like the way Beethoven's writing sounded, so he changed it. Still, it cannot be said that this performances are boring (he's way ahead of Rubinstein's 1954 performance, which drags in the finale), and in today's homogenized pianistic culture, that alone is adequate recommendation.
Horowitz was more attuned to the bravura Sonata in F minor, Op. 57, the popular Appassionata. This 1972 recording is more successful than his more somber 1959 version. Horowitz allows more of his inate theatricality to come through, thereby increasing the drama of the piece. He also resists the temptation to stress the odd phrase for effect, at the expense of the whole, thereby increasing the structural cohesiveness. Especially noteworthy is the finale, taken at an unhurried tempo (it's actually easier to rush this movement), with virtually no pedal, but with overwhelming effect. Truly a triumph of the will over the limits of the flesh.
As a bonus, Sony has included the first two movements of the Pathétique (the only Sonata named by Beethoven himself), featuring perfectly paced opening movement, and a beautifully weighted Andante.
Sony has adequately remastered the sound, which is more full bodied than before, but remains rather dry.
Average customer rating:
- Historic recordings by a legendary pianist
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Beethoven: Piano Sonatas Nos. 8, 14, 15, 17, 21, 23, 26 [Germany]
Wilhelm Backhaus
Manufacturer: Decca
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Binding: Audio CD
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ASIN: B000066SBC
Release Date: 2005-07-07 |
Tracks:
- Piano Sonata No.8 In C Minor, Op.13 'Pathetique'
- Piano Sonata No.14 In C Sharp Minor, Op.27 No.2 'Moonlight'
- Piano Sonata No.23 In F Minor, Op.57 'Appassionata'
- Piano Sonata No.26 In E Flat Major, Op.81a 'Les Adieux'
- Piano Sonata No.15 In D Major, Op.28 'Pastoral'
- Piano Sonata No.17 In D Minor, Op31 No.2 'Tempest'
- Piano Sonata No.21 In C Major, Op.53 'Waldstein'
Customer Reviews:
Historic recordings by a legendary pianist.......2007-02-16
The veteran Beethovenian Wilhelm Backhaus (b. 1884, just two years after Schnabel) was in his mid 70s when the earliest of these wonderful stereo recordings was made in 1959. so what we get in this two-disc set is a rare, hi-fi glimpse of a prolific and legendary performer with 19th century roots and a ton of 20th century experience. Backhaus rewards his listeners with a mature, even autumnal artistic sensibility which suffers no corresponding lack of youthful vibrancy. I would describe these as authoritative performances. Nice sound, too.
Incidentally, in my set, Disc 1 is mislabeled Disc 2, and vice-versa. This minor glitch notwithstanding, the set earns my most enthusiastic recommendation!
Listen and understand.
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Beethoven: Romances Nos. 1 & 2; Sonatas
Ludwig van Beethoven , Alberto Lizzio , Philharmonia Slavonica , Jan Czerkow , and Dieter Goldmann
Manufacturer: Ent. Media Partners
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ASIN: B000002X9Q
Release Date: 1997-10-23 |
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Beethoven: Piano Sonatas Nos. 7, 14, 21
Manufacturer: Koch Discover Int'l
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ASIN: B000002255
Release Date: 1997-10-21 |
Tracks:
- Pno Son No.7 in D, Op.10 No.3: Presto
- Pno Son No.7 in D, Op.10 No.3: Largo
- Pno Son No.7 in D, Op.10 No.3: Minuetto
- Pno Son No.7 in D, Op.10 No.3: Rondo
- Pno Son No.14 in c#, Op.27 No.2: Adagio
- Pno Son No.14 in c#, Op.27 No.2: Allegretto
- Pno Son No.14 in c#, Op.27 No.2: Presto
- Pno Son No.21 in C, Op.53 'Waldstein': Allegro
- Pno Son No.21 in C, Op.53 'Waldstein': Intro; Molto Adagio
- Pno Son No.21 in C, Op.53 'Waldstein': Rondo
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Beethoven: Piano Sonatas Nos. 8, 14, 21 & 23
Manufacturer: EMI Records [All429]
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ASIN: B00005B370
Release Date: 2001-05-01 |
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Beethoven: Piano Sonatas, Nos. 14, 21 & 23
Manufacturer: Virgin Records Us
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ASIN: B00004YU7K
Release Date: 2001-03-27 |
Tracks:
- Pno Son No.14 in c#, Op.27 'Moonlight': I. Adagio Sostenuto
- Pno Son No.14 in c#, Op.27 'Moonlight': II. Allegretto
- Pno Son No.14 in c#, Op.27 'Moonlight': III. Presto Agitato
- Pno Son No.21 in C, Op.53 'Waldstein': I. Allegro Con Brio
- Pno Son No.21 in C, Op.53 'Waldstein': II. Intro: Adagio Molto
- Pno Son No.21 in C, Op.53 'Waldstein': III. Rondo: Allegretto Moderato
- Pno Son No.23 in f, Op.57 'Appassionata': I. Allegro Assai
- Pno Son No.23 in f, Op.57 'Appassionata': II. Andante Con Moto
- Pno Son No.23 in f, Op.57 'Appassionata': III. Allegro Ma Non Troppo
Average customer rating:
- * * * 1/2 Fascinating and fresh
|
Beethoven: Piano Sonatas Nos. 14, 21 & 23
Manufacturer: EMI Records [All429]
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD
All Works by Beethoven
| Beethoven, Ludwig van
| ( B )
| Featured Composers, A-Z
| Classical
| Styles
| Music
Sonatinas
| Sonatas
| Forms & Genres
| Classical
| Styles
| Music
General
| Baroque (c.1600-1750)
| Historical Periods
| Classical
| Styles
| Music
Chamber Music
| Forms & Genres
| Classical (c.1770-1830)
| Historical Periods
| Classical
| Styles
| Music
General
| Classical (c.1770-1830)
| Historical Periods
| Classical
| Styles
| Music
Chamber Music
| Forms & Genres
| Romantic (c.1820-1910)
| Historical Periods
| Classical
| Styles
| Music
General
| Keyboard
| Instruments
| Classical
| Styles
| Music
Pletnev, Mikhail
| ( P )
| Featured Performers, A-Z
| Classical
| Styles
| Music
General
| Classical
| Styles
| Music
General
| Chamber Music
| Classical
| Styles
| Music
Classical
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ASIN: B000007S6X
Release Date: 1996-05-21 |
Tracks:
- Son No.14 in c#, Op.27/2 'Moonlight': I. Adagio Sostenuto
- Son No.14 in c#, Op.27/2 'Moonlight': II. Allegretto
- Son No.14 in c#, Op.27/2 'Moonlight': III. Presto Agitato
- Son No.21 in C, Op.53 'Waldstein': I. Allegro Con Brio
- Son No.21 in C, Op.53 'Waldstein': II. Intro: Adagio Molto
- Son No.21 in C, Op.53 'Waldstein': III. Rondo: Allegretto Moderato
- Son No.23 in f, Op.57 'Appassionata': I. Allegro Assai
- Son No.23 in f, Op.57 'Appassionata': II. Andante Con Moto
- Son No.23 in f, Op.57 'Appassionata': III. Allegro Ma Non Troppo
Customer Reviews:
* * * 1/2 Fascinating and fresh.......2006-03-15
This is an fasciating disc, one that grows more so with each listening. The overall the reaction is positive, but there are some reservations, as there is for me with all of this pianist's Beethoven (especially recently). He takes liberties, he plays Beethoven with the eye (ear?) or a Romantic, and sometimes I don't think his ideas stand up, or he takes the music not where it wants to go but where he wishes it would have gone, turning Beethoven into a late 19th century mystic a little bit. *But* he is always interesting, even when I find, as I do, the exposition to the Appassionata to be a bit much, a bit distended, and the development missing some of the fire and build I think are needed. The passage that leads to the climax of the development is to me "undercooked," but in the climax itself there's some interesting pedal work. pletnev's usage of color is fascinating in a way I'll come back to later. The third movement, more staccato and circular in construction, comes off far better. Here Pletnev's etched-in-glass technique and suberbly *clean* chords are to the music's advantage.
The Moonlight suffers some of the same problems. The first movement is like staring into a still pond. That's the good news. The bad news is the slow mysterious build to the movement's climax is here slow but not mysterious. Again it's the line, or lack of it. Where the notes should get longer and the melodic shape more connected, Pletnev just plays louder. It's not *bad* or *wrong* but I kept feeling he hadn't coaxed everything out of this music. Again, though, the finale of this work is more circular, more fleet-fingered, and here he raises the hairs on the back of my neck.
The stand out on this disc is the Waldstein. This is one of the best Waldstein's I've heard in years. Here it's the first movement that's staccato and filled with fleet energies, and Pletnev leaves my jaw hanging open with a dare-devil combination of brilliant colors and perfect fingerwork. Listen to the left hand in the passage just leading to the recap. Rarely do you hear it with that much shape and clarity. A great moment. The slow movement lacks the mystery of others (Arrau, Schnabel) and is a little disappointing. The coda was thrilling and for once brought the work to a huge enough climax. Downright thrilling.
Now, to that "color" Pletnev uses. That's what makes this album most fascinating to me. In my opinion few colorists are successful Beethoven pianists. He is one of them. Or at least he is very interesting. There are passages throughout this disc where I hear colors I've never heard before, where he very creatively uses the pedals, where he draws elements out of the music I didn't know existed. His chording is rich and clear and beautiful. You won't get any new insights into structure with his approach, but after you've heard all the traditional approaches--all the Serkins and Schnabels and Brendels--it's interesting to hear this way of doing it. For Pletnev plays Beethoven like no one else, and agree or disagree--and I did both during this CD--it makes for *fascinating* listening. He's got his original voice, he's got something to say, and I'd rather hear him than all the mainstream conservatory clones out there.
The sound is clear and bright and up-front. With some reservations, this recording is indeed recommended, though maybe not as your very first encounter with any of these works.
Music Track:
- Beethoven: Symphonies Nos. 6-9
- Bellini : La Sonnambula
- Berlioz: Faust
- Brahms: Piano Quartet, Op. 60 / Piano Quintet, Op. 34
- Childhood Classics
- D'India: First Book of Madrigals
- December Classics: Christmas Music of Eastern and Western Europe
- Die Russische Seele
- Dvorak: Symphony No. 5 / Golden Spinning Wheel
- Faure: Dolly, suite for piano duet Op56/1-6; Sonata for violin No1
Music Track
music track
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