Alfred Brendel interview 27.12.14

[Nick Armstrong]

Surprised no-one's mentioned this interesting and long interview with extracts, esp from the Vox/Turnabout days. The tales of his early recordings were especially fascinating. The extract from Petrushka I found gripping.

It's available as a podcast for permanent retention: http://www.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/series/bal#playepisode2

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Yes - well worth hearing; AND Andrew McGregor at his best - Brendel sounded as if he was really enjoying the interview.

[kernelbogey]

Yes I agree - very impressed with Andrew's respectful, yet slightly probing, style: he was really after the feel of the Alfred-Adrian professional relationship.

[umslopogaas]

I enjoyed it, but I could have done with more of Brendel talking and less of him playing: I've got lots of recordings of him playing, I can hear those any time. He's a fascinating musician and also very good at writing about music, but his writing wasnt touched on at all.

[Richard Tarleton]

Surprised no-one's mentioned this interesting and long interview with extracts, esp from the Vox/Turnabout days. The tales of his early recordings were especially fascinating. The extract from Petrushka I found gripping.

Yes fascinating stuff. Mostly discussed at greater length in Brendel's book "The Veil of Order - Conversations with Martin Meyer". I'm sure a quick re-read will have formed part of Andrew's preparation for this excellent interview - Brendel tells us there that it was while playing Petrushka that he had to start taping his fingers, as the nails were splitting ("Islamey...a kind of relaxation alongside Petrushka" ). He never played it in the concert hall.

Martin Meyer also asks him why he recorded so little chamber music - again the advantage of a longer conversation [yes we could have done with more talk here and less music], the extended answer is fascinating. The book appeared before he recorded the cello sonatas with Adrian - he says on p. 153

Alas, I shall have to sit down in the near future and practise like a madman, in order to perform Beethoven's cello sonatas with my son Adrian. He knows them already. I have promised.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

I enjoyed it, but I could have done with more of Brendel talking and less of him playing: I've got lots of recordings of him playing, I can hear those any time. He's a fascinating musician and also very good at writing about music, but his writing wasnt touched on at all.

Yes - perhaps as it was a CD Review item, rather than one for Music Matters?

[umslopogaas]

Fair point ferny. But it would be good to hear him on Music Matters, I think he's a great pianist and his 1970s recording of Schubert's D.960 sonata was one of the musical revelations of my life, but I can always hear him play, I want to hear him reminisce.

Plea to BBC, please get Brendel onto Music Matters asap.

[Bryn]

And rebroadcast his lecture/talk on humour in music, "Must Classical Music Be Entirely Serious?". It ought to be on YouTube, but does not seem to be.

[Karafan]

Thanks, Cali, for the link.

Have you any idea whether, in podcasts such as this one, they are still shortening musical excerpts (as they used to trumpet at the beginning of the BaL podcasts)? I had been going to grab the interview in Real Time from the iPlayer, but this is much quicker (if it remains unmutilated)!

Thanks

K.

[Nick Armstrong]

Thanks, Cali, for the link.

Have you any idea whether, in podcasts such as this one, they are still shortening musical excerpts (as they used to trumpet at the beginning of the BaL podcasts)? I had been going to grab the interview in Real Time from the iPlayer, but this is much quicker (if it remains unmutilated)!

Thanks

K.

My guess given the timing is that the music has not been cut - it runs for 55 mns which iirc was about the duration 'live' after BAL (10.20ish) until the bits and pieces that preceded VW3...

[kernelbogey]

[...] a great pianist and his 1970s recording of Schubert's D.960 sonata was one of the musical revelations of my life[...]

I understand that it was that particular recording which was so revelatory... just wondering if you also mean that this particular recording was unsurpassed by him? Can you identify the CD please?

Many thanks Ums.

[umslopogaas]

Kernelbogey, the recording I was referring to was a Philips LP, 6500 285, dated 1971. I havent managed to track down a CD issue, but I expect there is one. He later re-recorded the sonata for Philips in digital sound, CD 422 062-2. I have this and wouldnt like to say which one I prefer now, but it was the LP that made such an impression on me back in the 1970s. There is also a live recording from 2001, on Philips, CD Ph. 456 573-2 which according to the Penguin Guide has "an extra magnetism", though the opening is marred by some intrusive coughing. I havent heard this one.

[kernelbogey]

Thanks, Ums. I have the German issue CDs of early recordings of sonatas etc which was flagged up on these boards. I'll check out later the various recordings as I have to go out now.

I was listening to the interview with less than full attention because of tasks, and I will listen again to hear properly what he says about revisiting and re-recording works for a second, third time etc (IIRC Beethoven concerti 5 times!).

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Kernelbogey, the recording I was referring to was a Philips LP, 6500 285, dated 1971. I havent managed to track down a CD issue, but I expect there is one.

kb - should you discover you don't have this (magnificent) recording, then there are worse things you can spend a penny (+ P&P) on than this:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Schubert-Piano-Sonata-Wanderer-Fantasy/dp/B00000E3KE/ref=sr_1_8?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1419780320&sr=1-8&keywords=brendel%2C+schubert+piano+sonata

Brendel's Schubert, throughout his career, has been something very special indeed.

[Karafan]

Just for clarification, the D960 in the German Universal box (Brendel spielt Schubert http://www.amazon.co.uk/Brendel-Spie...pielt+schubert), is the 1971 (published 1972) performance.

K.