Hewitt plays Beethoven

[ardcarp]

....as I listen to Live in Concert from the Wigmore, she's back on her familiar territory (Bach's English Suite in D minor). However she included a couple of Beethoven Sonatas in her programme (E flat and F sharp). I've not heard her play Beethoven before, only Bach (all I can get hold of) and 20th cent French. She seems to bring great clarity to Beethoven; the transparency of texture and rhythmic rigour for which she is renowned.

I don't know if this is new territory for Angela. What does anyone else think?

[amateur51]

....as I listen to Live in Concert from the Wigmore, she's back on her familiar territory (Bach's English Suite in D minor). However she included a couple of Beethoven Sonatas in her programme (E flat and F sharp). I've not heard her play Beethoven before, only Bach (all I can get hold of) and 20th cent French. She seems to bring great clarity to Beethoven; the transparency of texture and rhythmic rigour for which she is renowned.

I don't know if this is new territory for Angela. What does anyone else think?

She gave several Beethoven sonata recitals at Wigmore Hall around 2006, I think.

[Alison]

A slowly emerging Beethoven cycle on disc has recently reached Volume 4 (Hyperion).

[Stunsworth]

The final encore had me close to tears.

[ahinton]

Someone whom I know describes her as "the Canadian dancer Angela Hewitt", which I do think is rather unfair. That said, however, whilst I have heard plenty more pianists playing Bach on the modern piano far less convincingly than she does, I have to admit that she's never exactly set me alight with her performances of Bach or indeed anyone else. I don't even feel particularly as though her Bach performances (especially) "dance" when well they might; she's far more than merely competent but I simply do not find what I've heard from her to be compelling in the ways for which I would hope (I heard her, for example, in some of the remarkable early Messiaen Préludes but just didn't feel overwhelmed by them as I ought to have been). I do not wish to pour cold water on her performances but I cannot really get worked up about them.

[ahinton]

The final encore had me close to tears.

I'd stopped listening well before then; perhaps I shouldn't have done. What was that encore?

[Stunsworth]

Sarabande from one of the English suites I think.

[ahinton]

Sarabande from one of the English suites I think.

OK - thanks very much for that confirmation. Well, Bach has long been her principal calling card and I for one most certainly respect her for that but, as I have noted previously, if ever anyone could silence all doubters about the performance of Bach on the modern piano (which I know isn't what we're discussing here right now), it was the late Yonty Solomon, whom I heard in the repertoire that Angela Hewitt play far less engagingly (for me, anyway) this evening.

[EdgeleyRob]

I often feel a little uncomfortable posting amongst the experts on here but I thought her playing was stunning.
Those Beethoven Op 31's have long been favourites of mine and no 3 this evening was an absolute joy.
Straight after this Bach's Orchestral Suite No 2 (I think it was the 2nd,the one with the flute anyway) was aired,which I thought I'd never heard before,but then I recognised the last movement.

[Alison]

I found it easy to sit back and enjoy this recital without worrying about comparisons with other performers. Op 31 no 3 was the highlight I thought. A pleasing absence of self awareness seemed to inform proceedings.

[ahinton]

I found it easy to sit back and enjoy this recital without worrying about comparisons with other performers. Op 31 no 3 was the highlight I thought. A pleasing absence of self awareness seemed to inform proceedings.

I neither wanted to nor did compare her with any other specific performers in what I heard her play; I found what I did hear to be more than merely competent but, as I observed previously, nothing really set anything on fire for me. Sorry.

[Alison]

No apology needed AH. I am frequently in that heard-it-better-done camp! Perhaps it's the novelty of a live Sunday evening concert that put me in such a good mood.

[ahinton]

No apology needed AH.

I know - and I didn't really provide a proper one anyway(!); I just tried to say what I thought, warts (if any) and all..

[richardfinegold]

....as I listen to Live in Concert from the Wigmore, she's back on her familiar territory (Bach's English Suite in D minor). However she included a couple of Beethoven Sonatas in her programme (E flat and F sharp). I've not heard her play Beethoven before, only Bach (all I can get hold of) and 20th cent French. She seems to bring great clarity to Beethoven; the transparency of texture and rhythmic rigour for which she is renowned.

I don't know if this is new territory for Angela. What does anyone else think?

I have two of her Sonata discs. I'm sure that it will be a great concert.

[ardcarp]

I have to admit that she's never exactly set me alight with her performances of Bach or indeed anyone else. I don't even feel particularly as though her Bach performances (especially) "dance" when well they might; she's far more than merely competent but I simply do not find what I've heard from her to be compelling in the ways for which I would hope

Well, ahinton, I am often 'set alight' by her Bach-playing, and having heard Ms Hewitt live on a number of occasions (I've got a signed CD of her Goldbergs...how sad is that?) I find her playing without equal. She can certainly make it dance when she needs to! Maybe we're looking for different things in our piano-Bach.

Those Beethoven Op 31's have long been favourites of mine and no 3 this evening was an absolute joy.

Glad you said that EdgeleyRob, 'cos I thought it was a joy too...but I'm less confident talking about Beethoven than Bach!