BaL 3.02.18 - Beethoven: Piano Sonata no. 30 in E major, Op.109

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

"Fallen by the wayside" is surely an innocent way of saying they have been removed from the running, or "fallen at the last fence" etc. In other words, "I have decided not to consider them any further."

Yes, indeed. But a tad more explanation might have been better. She dismissed Backhaus, Kempff, Serkin, Ashkenazy, Richter, Rosen, Lili Kraus, Mustonen, Gulda and Gould in this way, but countless others more deserving than Guy were blanked out completely.

Overall, I thought it was a good BaL, even if her lazy pronunciation was a bit jarring. Richard "Gerd". Apparently it's pronounced like "good" in America, though Goode in the UK is generally pronounced to rhyme with "food".

[richardfinegold]

Quite. I really can't think of a pianist less "oafish". A player of the utmost sensitivity, lyricism and intelligence - a "pianist's pianist", as the saying goes. I would place his compete Beethoven sonatas right at the top of the pile, even if I prefer others for individual sonatas. I still remember the struggle to get it: at the time, it was over a hundred pounds, which I couldn't afford, but I knew someone who knew someone who had it..........It took months of Iago-like scheming before I could get my trembling hands on it.

As for Gilels, I haven't listened to that in a few years, but my memory is that much of his set (I think he recorded all but 2 or 3; he died of some medical cock-up in a Soviet hospital before he could finish) - my memory was that the sound was often quite hard and pingy, especially on the high notes. Quite tough on the ears. I can't remember of opus 109 suffered from this, but the Hammerklavier and others certainly did).

You are correct about Gilels (and imo Goode, as well). Gilels recorded 29 of the Sonatas. They were early DG digital recordings, with fierce treble and bass that could go MIA

[mikealdren]

MIA?

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

MIA?

"Missing in Action"?

[waldo]

MIA?

Obviously not a Chuck Norris fan........

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

... and what would he have composed for it?

Well he composed in a broadly similar style, whether writing for orchestra, piano or voices, so I suggest he would have composed exactly what he did compose, with a view adjustments as a result of the greater range of notes available.

[vinteuil]

Well he composed in a broadly similar style, whether writing for orchestra, piano or voices

... oh. I always thought that he wrote with great sensitivity for the instruments / orchestras available to him. But if "a broadly similar style" is good enough for you....


.

[silvestrione]

Just caught up with this BAL (and the latter part of this thread). I enjoyed it immensely, and would investigate Annie Fischer if it were available on a single CD. I agree that Goode is a pianist of subtlety and refinement, though for some reason it just doesn't 'grab' me.

I was fascinated by the contrasts between the performances she brought out in the tellingly chosen examples. I can take Pollini's 'hell-for-leather' approach in the scherzo much more than she can, and like the overall concentration and integrity of his performance. Before the programme, I had decided that Solomon and Schnabel should be the front runners, but can see that Solomon does not equal Fischer in the visionary last variation. I am tempted more than ever before to try Paul Lewis: I loved the extracts she played from him (and loved his way with the Brahms Ballades on R3 last week sometime!).

I can take the fact that she excluded all those famous names she mentioned: imagine if she'd tried to include them all, or even half of them, fairly! Would have been too bitty. Pity we can't have Part 2 next week, a BAL on op. 109 with just Backhaus, Kempff, Serkin, Richter, Rosen, Gulda and Gould (perhaps adding Arrau and Lubimov!).

[Nick Armstrong]

Just caught up with this BAL (and the latter part of this thread). I enjoyed it immensely, and would investigate Annie Fischer if it were available on a single CD. I agree that Goode is a pianist of subtlety and refinement, though for some reason it just doesn't 'grab' me.

I was fascinated by the contrasts between the performances she brought out in the tellingly chosen examples. I can take Pollini's 'hell-for-leather' approach in the scherzo much more than she can, and like the overall concentration and integrity of his performance. Before the programme, I had decided that Solomon and Schnabel should be the front runners, but can see that Solomon does not equal Fischer in the visionary last variation. I am tempted more than ever before to try Paul Lewis: I loved the extracts she played from him (and loved his way with the Brahms Ballades on R3 last week sometime!).

I can take the fact that she excluded all those famous names she mentioned: imagine if she'd tried to include them all, or even half of them, fairly! Would have been too bitty. Pity we can't have Part 2 next week, a BAL on op. 109 with just Backhaus, Kempff, Serkin, Richter, Rosen, Gulda and Gould (perhaps adding Arrau and Lubimov!).

Caught up this morning and was about to post something very similar to the above! Agreed on all counts, save that I really don't like the sound quality/perspective of the Lewis recordings.

I spent years only knowing the Pollini, from the classic DG 'late sonatas' set, and still get a lot out of it, and have since added Kovacevich, Solomon and Bavouzet. Gilels and Levit both grabbed me on this hearing.

Don't know why I don't 'get' Goode's way with Beethoven (and had no idea his surname supposedly rhymes with 'food' in this country!)

[waldo]

Caught up this morning and was about to post something very similar to the above! Agreed on all counts, save that I really don't like the sound quality/perspective of the Lewis recordings.

Same for me. I was quite shocked when I first got hold of the Lewis recordings. I have tried and tried, but I just can't get on with them. I don't really have the vocabulary/knowledge of recording to know how to describe it. It just doesn't come into focus for me. If you listen with headphones, there are also muffled bumps and bonks throughout - like an old immersion heater coming off and on. God knows what these are, though I think they might be the sound of the coiffured pianist stamping hard on the pedals, which then smack against the wood below. As far as I can tell, anyway, I am not at all keen on these recordings.......

[Tony Halstead]

Same for me. I was quite shocked when I first got hold of the Lewis recordings. I have tried and tried, but I just can't get on with them. I don't really have the vocabulary/knowledge of recording to know how to describe it. It just doesn't come into focus for me. If you listen with headphones, there are also muffled bumps and bonks throughout - like an old immersion heater coming off and on. God knows what these are, though I think they might be the sound of the coiffured pianist stamping hard on the pedals, which then smack against the wood below. As far as I can tell, anyway, I am not at all keen on these recordings.......

Yes I have to say, I agree with you in essence, but where we part company is that I don't think that his hairstyle ("coiffured") has got any possible relevance to one's assessment of his piano playing!

[visualnickmos]

[COLOR="#0000FF"

.....and had no idea his surname supposedly rhymes with 'food' in this country!)[/COLOR]

Neither did I - and I'm British, yer know!

I have listened Mr Goode's recordings of many of the sonatas, kindly lent by a friend, but I too, couldn't 'get on' with them. There is something perhaps a little soulless about them - something I couldn't quite put my finger on; Whereas, say Wilhelm Kempff, is immediately gripping and has that sort of edge that makes you sit up and want more...

[waldo]

Yes I have to say, I agree with you in essence, but where we part company is that I don't think that his hairstyle ("coiffured") has got any possible relevance to one's assessment of his piano playing!

Well, there do seem to be a lot of close-up shots of his hairdo on the CD covers........

As it happens, I suspect he would be a wonderful pianist to see live. He is clearly a masterful player. I particularly enjoy his Mozart piano quartets with the Leopold String Trio - a really superb recording. But then, that's Hyperion.........

[gurnemanz]

Re Annie Fischer: The Documents 10CD Milestones Of A Piano Legend Box for a mere £9.55 contains both the EMI and the brilliant West German Radio, Cologne version of op 109. Also available on a single disc from ica - discussed here

[silvestrione]

Re Annie Fischer: The Documents 10CD Milestones Of A Piano Legend Box for a mere £9.55 contains both the EMI and the brilliant West German Radio, Cologne version of op 109. Also available on a single disc from ica - discussed here

Ah, that's more like it, thanks!

Incidentally, played the Richter Leipzig version yesterday: blistering! Like none of the performances she sampled, but white-hot, and incandescent at the end, even more than Fischer! It may go too far (varies tempos throughout, I haven't checked with the score to see how much of that B. wanted!) but it is startlingly individual and very powerful. The theme of the last movement, on the other hand, is a pool of transcendent tranquillity, still and rapt as only Richter could do (thinking of his Schubert). The repeats of the theme itself are absolutely identical, as always with this pianist: I was interested to see that Solomon varied his approach.