BaL 7.11.20 - Beethoven: Piano Sonata No 29 in B flat, Op 106 ‘Hammerklavier’

[BBMmk2]

Paul Lewis is one of my favourite artists, for Beethoven. I thought Schnabel in her extract sounded quite ill at ease with the pie, with his playing. His errors, which I know, seem to get I the way.

[verismissimo]

I seem to have all four of KH's short-shortlist.

For me, Lewis and Uchida are a bit stately, Schnabel too scrambled, while Gulda is both beautifully played and really EXCITING!

[Bryn]

On the basis of her opera 109, 110 and 111 + the piano concertos, which I have, I am not much tempted to add her 101 and 106. I am really not much taken with her Beethoven*. Her tempi are pretty lagardly, for a start. The additional recommendation for Gulda is another matter, all three recordings I have of him playing Op. 106 are very much treasured.

* I'd add that neither is her Mozart nor her Schubert much to my liking. A much over-hyped pianist, I feel. Technically brilliant but musically far too wayward an interpreter.

[visualnickmos]

I just wish they were allowed more than 45 minutes. This is fascinating.

So much time is wasted in idle banter. I can't stand the stilted and distracting dialogue format.

[Alison]

Should have mentioned which Barenboim she was playing.

Brendel, Levitt, Guy, Perahia and Osborne were disappointing omissions.

[vinteuil]

The additional recommendation for Gulda is another matter, all three recordings I have of him playing Op. 106 are very much treasured.

... I have the orfeo Gulda of 1954 and the 1967 Gulda in the big brilliant box - which is the third recording I should look for?


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[jayne lee wilson]

Quick summary of the shortlist please?

[Bryn]

... I have the orfeo Gulda of 1954 and the 1967 Gulda in the big brilliant box - which is the third recording I should look for?

The Decca:

[DoctorT]

Quick summary of the shortlist please?

Uchida, Gulda, Lewis, Schnabel the final 4. Also mentioned Barenboim, Kempff, Gilels, Brautigam from memory.
I’m off to listen to Kovacevich

[vinteuil]

Quick summary of the shortlist please?

... she considered -

Barenboim DG 1990s
Kempff dg 1960s
Gulda 1967
Uchida decca 2007
Schnabel 1935
Jando 1988
Lewis harmonia mundi
Brautigam
Backhaus 1950s decca

I'm sad she didn't consider the Brautigam more in depth, tho' she said nice things about it. She did not consider other HIPP performances wch she might've - Binns, Badura-Skoda, Willis...

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[jayne lee wilson]

Thanks Vints and the Doctor...

[visualnickmos]

... I have the orfeo Gulda of 1954 and the 1967 Gulda in the big brilliant box - which is the third recording I should look for?
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With so many recordings out there, and the surface hardly scratched in BaL, I would suggest maybe doing your own research/sampling, and not necessarily going with "a winner" Why limit your options?

[vinteuil]

With so many recordings out there, and the surface hardly scratched in BaL, I would suggest maybe doing your own research/sampling, and not necessarily going with "a winner" Why limit your options?

... my query was merely to elicit from Bryn the details of the third Gulda.

Like Bryn, I was not tempted to 'go with a "winner".' (Uchida, as it turned out). I already have very many recordings of this work.

Thank you for your 'suggestion', kindly meant I'm sure ... but I don't know why you might think I was in the business of 'limiting my options'.





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[Bryn]

... she considered -

Barenboim DG 1990s
Kempff dg 1960s
Gulda 1967
Uchida decca 2007
Schnabel 1935
Jando 1988
Lewis harmonia mundi
Brautigam
Backhaus 1950s decca

I'm sad she didn't consider the Brautigam more in depth, tho' she said nice things about it. She did not consider other HIPP performances wch she might've - Binns, Badura-Skoda, Willis...

This might cheer you up: https://www.classical-music.com/feat...lavier-sonata/

[jayne lee wilson]

On the basis of her opera 109, 110 and 111 + the piano concertos, which I have, I am not much tempted to add her 101 and 106. I am really not much taken with her Beethoven*. Her tempi are pretty lagardly, for a start. The additional recommendation for Gulda is another matter, all three recordings I have of him playing Op. 106 are very much treasured.

* I'd add that neither is her Mozart nor her Schubert much to my liking. A much over-hyped pianist, I feel. Technically brilliant but musically far too wayward an interpreter.

Absolutely with you on Uchida's Schubert.(& probably the others too)... almost over-interpreted, really, in rep that means a great deal to me. Soon stopped buying the releases.