BAL: Beethoven piano sonata in E flat op 7

[verismissimo]

And Schnabel is thoroughly available! Re-listened to it last week - without great pleasure. :)

[amateur51]

Just listened to Schnabel's account on Spotify and enjoyed it a lot.

I thought that this was a very intelligent and enjoyable BAL from someone who clearly knew what he was talking about.

Three rousing cheers for Mr Burnside & his producers

[aka Calum Da Jazbo]

i hope it is on listen again as i missed the first twenty minutes, prompted by this thread spent a long while in the early hours listening to Feinberg, Richter and Barenboim on youtube, and to the Schiff lecture from his series for the Grauniad ... and slept in!

[amateur51]

I did something similar akaCDJ and was very surprised and delighted by Feinberg.

I must find the Schiff lecture series.

[aka Calum Da Jazbo]

they are still on the G site

http://music.guardian.co.uk/classical/page/0,,1943867,00.html

excellent series ...

[aeolium]

I enjoyed this BAL very much too, and what a superb work it is. I like Schiff's performance of the work, but I think I marginally prefer Gulda who captures the strong propulsive energy in the first movement and yet plays with great lyricism, and at times a gruff humour. Brendel, who was Burnside's next preference, is for me somewhat self-conscious and knowing with slight hesitations, drawing attention to the interpretation rather than the music.

Here is a link to those excellent Schiff lectures which Calum mentions. The lecture on op 7 is in the group on the early sonatas (though I recommend listening to all of them) and includes a performance of the last movement:

http://music.guardian.co.uk/classical/page/0,,1943867,00.html

[amateur51]

Many thanks both for this link

[Bryn]

aeolium, which of the at least three available recordings by Gulda are you referring to? I am currently awaiting delivery of the early '50s radio recording on Orfeo, but of the Decca and Amadeo recordings, I marginally prefer the performance in the former, but would not wish to be without either. I had quite forgotten about the Schiff. I was greatly impressed by it when it came out, but with so many others joining the ranks since then, I have not got round to spinning it again. I will do so this afternoon.

[verismissimo]

My memory of reviews of Gulda performances in Gramophone and elsewhere in the 60s and 70s is that they were universally negative. I wonder what has prompted the recent re-evaluation?

For me, it was hearing Kenneth Hamilton wax lyrical on CDR quite recently.

[BBMmk2]

What happened to Barenboim and Gilels?

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

My memory of reviews of Gulda performances in Gramophone and elsewhere in the 60s and 70s is that they were universally negative.

That's close to what I remember too. When his Decca set of the Beethoven Piano Concertos came out, this was very much the case.

[Bryn]

My memory of reviews of Gulda performances in Gramophone and elsewhere in the 60s and 70s is that they were universally negative. I wonder what has prompted the recent re-evaluation?

The Gulda set that was around in the '60s and '70s was the Amedeo. The pricipal criticisms of it that I read related to the recording quality, specifically the piano timbre. As I recall, the only recordings from the '50s Decca set that were around when I was getting interested in Gulda's playing (aound 1965 onwards) was an Eclipse LP of the final three sonatas. The set that is being praised currently has but recently been issued for the first time. It comprises radio recordings from the early '50s, i.e. prior to most, if not all, the Decca sessions.

[Alison]

An excellent BaL, well argued.

Personally Ive never been able to get into the Schiff performance which in its
slight prissy way doesn't dig deep into the substance of the music IMVHO.

I'm happy with my Perahia, Brendel, Hewitt, Sheppard, Goode and Roberts
discs.

[aeolium]

Bryn, sorry for the delay in responding. It was the version on the Amadeo set that I was referring to, but I would also like to hear the Decca recording (and indeed any others). I don't think the sound on the Amadeo set is that bad, and there are some wonderful performances. I'm not a great one for collecting complete sets but I was so impressed by the Gulda recordings I had heard broadcast, and it was such a ridiculous price, that I had to get it. The Amadeo set also includes the complete piano concertos with the VPO and Horst Stein.

[Bryn]

At the moment I think there are several options regarding purchasing the Amadeo set. I got the sonatas only when Brilliant Classics first licensed them. Around the same time Universal issued a box of the sonatas and concertos, then Brilliant Classic included both in their Beethoven Complete Works edition. As I mentioned earlier in this thread, I never concurred with the negative criticisms of the sound quality, even in their Philips LP manifestation. I'm looking forward to listening to his early '50s Diabelli's (in the newly issued Orfeo set from radio recordings). His February 1970 recording, which appeared as a Harmonia Mundi CD at one point, must be the swiftest on record. It comes in at under 45 minutes! I love it.



Continued here.