BaL 3.02.24 - Beethoven: Piano Sonata No. 26 in E♭ major, Op. 81a "Les Adieux"

[Maclintick]

Thanks for your hard work, Alpie.

We never take this for granted ( Pulcinella's efforts, as well, of course)
I've listened to the 3 versions of 'Les Adieux" I possess today -- seem to have lost my first LP recording which was Bruno Leonardo Gelber's lively HMV Concert Classics account included with LVB 3rd concerto -- no less than Ferdinand Leitner at the helm of Klemperer's New Philharmonia. For "Les Adieux" I have Kempff (stereo -- yes, I know, the earlier mono may be preferable...) Fischer & Goode. Looking forward to this...

[smittims]

Coincidentally, this sonata was played this morning on TTN, by Andre Laplante.

As so often these days, I wonder if anyone actually 'building a library' would be looking to buy just this sonata. I imagine many recordings of it are available only in multiple sets . Also, (for me at any rate) a choice of pianist is so subjective that I'd instinctively go for Schnabel, Solomon or another favourite and instinctively avoid Arrau, Perahia or Gilels.

[silvestrione]

I have more versions than I like to count, never bought with this sonata in mind, which I never seem to choose to listen to. Pace Ein Heldenleben, I don't find it an advance on opus 78, which seems more inventive, or at least equally so, and I prefer.

Probably goes back to my teens, when I did listen to the Barenboim EMI version, too much! I struggle with the idea of Beethoven having a 'programme' for it, I think.

[Ein Heldenleben]

I have more versions than I like to count, never bought with this sonata in mind, which I never seem to choose to listen to. Pace Ein Heldenleben, I don't find it an advance on opus 78, which seems more inventive, or at least equally so, and I prefer.

Probably goes back to my teens, when I did listen to the Barenboim EMI version, too much! I struggle with the idea of Beethoven having a 'programme' for it, I think.

Well to try and convince you = The first piano sonata (that’s entered the mainstream repertoire) with an explicit programme - even to the detail of sound painting coach post horns in the first movement coda. Just the opening - the first two chords are the classic start of horn fifths - the third a surprising and thrilling modulation to Cflat (or Bmajor )* . I love Op. 78 but just don’t find it as innovative. The first movement intro is a fairly Harmonically conventional one - a brief nod really. The first movement intro to Les Adieux is a whole step higher in harmonic daring and emotional expressiveness- and very interpretatively demanding.

* Misremembered - it actually ends on a C minor chord . It’s the harmonically transformed repeat a few bars later that goes to Cflat. Such a clever piece of writing. Schnabel is pretty much without peer in this movement.

[Barbirollians]

We never take this for granted ( Pulcinella's efforts, as well, of course)
I've listened to the 3 versions of 'Les Adieux" I possess today -- seem to have lost my first LP recording which was Bruno Leonardo Gelber's lively HMV Concert Classics account included with LVB 3rd concerto -- no less than Ferdinand Leitner at the helm of Klemperer's New Philharmonia. For "Les Adieux" I have Kempff (stereo -- yes, I know, the earlier mono may be preferable...) Fischer & Goode. Looking forward to this...

Did BLG record the Third as well ? I have an Emperor with Leitner and the Philharmonia - jolly good it is too .

[silvestrione]

Well to try and convince you = The first piano sonata (that’s entered the mainstream repertoire) with an explicit programme - even to the detail of sound painting coach post horns in the first movement coda. Just the opening - the first two chords are the classic start of horn fifths - the third a surprising and thrilling modulation to Cflat (or Bmajor )* . I love Op. 78 but just don’t find it as innovative. The first movement intro is a fairly Harmonically conventional one - a brief nod really. The first movement intro to Les Adieux is a whole step higher in harmonic daring and emotional expressiveness- and very interpretatively demanding.

* Misremembered - it actually ends on a C minor chord . It’s the harmonically transformed repeat a few bars later that goes to Cflat. Such a clever piece of writing. Schnabel is pretty much without peer in this movement.

Thanks for that. Will have a listen to Schnabel later.

[Darloboy]

Surprisingly this sonata has never been covered by BaL before.

[mikealdren]

Surprisingly this sonata has never been covered by BaL before.

Too busy doing Soldier's Tale every decade!

[Maclintick]

Did BLG record the Third as well ? I have an Emperor with Leitner and the Philharmonia - jolly good it is too .

Yes, he did. Unfortunately my copy disappeared in a too-hasty clearout, I fear..

[Barbirollians]

I suppose that is one of the things about the disappearance of CD single reissues. His recordings seem very much unavailable even as downloads and nowadays it seems reissues are largely confined to large boxes. One might have thought a coupling of his Third and Fifth Piano Concertos would once have been an attractive bargain proposition.

It is such a shame and I think a missed opportunity that Warner has never looked at an equivalent of the Eloquence series on Universal.

[Darloboy]

Too busy doing Soldier's Tale every decade!

Haha, yes, I had exactly the same thought!

[Pulcinella]

I remember my music teacher playing a bit of it and saying I won’t try the third movt “it’s notorious.”

The ancient (Bosworth) edition of the Beethoven sonatas that I have classifies this as number 26 in both numerical and difficulty order!

[Barbirollians]

I find I have two Brendels ( the 1970s and the 1995 ) , Paul Lewis, Kovacevich EMI, Solomon, Gilels and the 1928 Kempff on that APR set . Might play them( or some of them) in chronological order this weekend.

[Maclintick]

I suppose that is one of the things about the disappearance of CD single reissues. His recordings seem very much unavailable even as downloads and nowadays it seems reissues are largely confined to large boxes. One might have thought a coupling of his Third and Fifth Piano Concertos would once have been an attractive bargain proposition.

It is such a shame and I think a missed opportunity that Warner has never looked at an equivalent of the Eloquence series on Universal.

Maybe not enough material on Warner's books for a large box ? In the 1960s BLG ( or should it be B-LG ? ) made well-regarded recordings for HMV/La Voix de Son Maître/Pathê in central Austro-German fare. Beethoven -- several sonatas & the 2 concerto recordings with Leitner whom he would have known since child-prodigy days in Buenos Aires. Later on his star may have been eclipsed by another Scaramuzza pupil, though their repertoires don't overlap hugely ! There's solo Schumann & both Brahms concertos (D min with Munich Phil/Decker, & Bb with RPO/Kempe) but in the later part of his career he recorded for Denon.

[richardfinegold]

Coincidentally, this sonata was played this morning on TTN, by Andre Laplante.

As so often these days, I wonder if anyone actually 'building a library' would be looking to buy just this sonata. I imagine many recordings of it are available only in multiple sets . Also, (for me at any rate) a choice of pianist is so subjective that I'd instinctively go for Schnabel, Solomon or another favourite and instinctively avoid Arrau, Perahia or Gilels.

So you dislike 3 of my favorite pianists. Care to expound as to the rationale?
also which Perahia recording are you referencing? I don’t believe that he has recorded it