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

[silvestrione]

Should have mentioned which Barenboim she was playing.

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

Andrew McGregor did say it was from the version 'recorded in the 1990s', I think.

Steven Osborne is superb in the last movement, IMV. He seems to be loving every minute, makes it a festival of extreme counterpoint!

[visualnickmos]

... 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'.






.

I do apologise. That wasn't quite what I meant to imply. Simply meant that one is limting one's choice, if simply going with her choice. It was kindly meant, but as I say - as a general observation. However, I accept my deserved admonishment !

[visualnickmos]

I was surprised that Uchida "won". It would have carried more validity if the range of options wasn't quite as constricted. I've heard Uchida in the ubiquitous Mozart PCs, and some Schubert neither of which moved me. However, I adore her Debussy recordings. Her slightly 'gentle' approach seems to suit the ebb and flow, rising and dipping organically, rather than mechanically.
That's me done!

[gradus]

I've been an admirer of Uchida since seeing her play the Diabelli vars. live and devote the second half of the recital to a lecture on the piece, altogether a brilliant evening, so although I didn't hear all of BAL I liked the excerpts from her version and thought the piano sound - admittedly on the car radio - very good indeed. I wish room had been found for John Lill who seems destined to be ignored in these surveys of repertoire in which he is so distinguished.

[Bryn]

I've been an admirer of Uchida since seeing her play the Diabelli vars. live and devote the second half of the recital to a lecture on the piece, altogether a brilliant evening, so although I didn't hear all of BAL I liked the excerpts from her version and thought the piano sound - admittedly on the car radio - very good indeed. I wish room had been found for John Lill who seems destined to be ignored in these surveys of repertoire in which he is so distinguished.

I must dig out my Lill (in a Brilliant Classic Masterworks box that also has an excellent Blomstedt survey of the symphonies). I recall the Op. 106 in that set being very good.

[BBMmk2]

I was surprised that Uchida "won". It would have carried more validity if the range of options wasn't quite as constricted. I've heard Uchida in the ubiquitous Mozart PCs, and some Schubert neither of which moved me. However, I adore her Debussy recordings. Her slightly 'gentle' approach seems to suit the ebb and flow, rising and dipping organically, rather than mechanically.
That's me done!

A very surprising choice. I’ll stick with who I know but I will venture into new territory.

[Beresford]

* 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.

I don't hear Uchida's interpretations as wayward. The start of the last two movements - I found Uchida (and Glen Gould!) more convincing than any others, particularly in the big chords.
But I would accept there are many ways of playing this extraordinary sonata, and if you have grown up with Gulda, or any other "full-bloodied" pianist, you might feel you are missing something with Uchida. I think not, but perhaps what we are hearing is her more Japanese approach to strong expression - going along in an apparently cooler way most of the time, with a sudden short burst - only one or two notes - of intense passion.

[Beresford]

B

[Darloboy]

Should have mentioned which Barenboim she was playing.

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

And Pollini.

[Darloboy]

Brautigam's fortepiano version was mentioned, and an excerpt played, and the discussion suggested that it was really good. Yet it disappeared from view by the end of the program. It was an interesting programme, but there were comments about style - for example remarks about some pianists putting in extra low notes which they thought Beethoven would have written if had an instrument which could play them.

Having mentioned that fortepianos can be played in ways which are seemingly impossible on much heavier modern pianos, period instrument recording are then disregarded. This seems to project a very fixed mindset.

I was surprised that Gulda featured so prominently in the programme. There are clearly many worthwhile recordings of this piece, and I'm not sure that there really is a winner. I liked the comment about Schnabel having more of the music, but fewer of the notes. Kempff's performance would seem to be worth investigating. There was a comment about there being really 25 or so different "styles" - ways of playing this piece - which suggests that those who like the work should acquire several recordings.

Agreed, I'm not a fan of the Brautigam sound personally but she could at least have given a coherent reason for leaving it off her final 4 given all the positive things she said about it.

[Barbirollians]

... 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...

.

Glad I missed it if that was the shortlist - no Gilels, Solomon, Brendel or Perahia for starters - how nonsensical . One of the last big piano BALs before the change to twofers was David Owen Norris's discussion of D960 - he seemed to refer to about 25 versions in that !

Though actually I really like the Uchida - I think it is one of her best records albeit it would not quite have been my library choice.

[gurnemanz]

Glad I missed it if that was the shortlist - no Gilels, Solomon, Brendel or Perahia for starters - how nonsensical . One of the last big piano BALs before the change to twofers was David Owen Norris's discussion of D960 - he seemed to refer to about 25 versions in that !

Though actually I really like the Uchida - I think it is one of her best records albeit it would not quite have been my library choice.

The limitations of the format are obvious and can detract from the programme's usefulness but whatever the shortlist there is potential for valuable insights into different interpretations. Gulda is possibly my favourite of the ones I know. It still is, but I heard it in a slightly new and revealing way when played alongside other ways of playing it.

[Lordgeous]

Did no-one find the very dry and close-up sound of the Gulda disappointing? (And I AM a Gulda fan).

[Bryn]

The limitations of the format are obvious and can detract from the programme's usefulness but whatever the shortlist there is potential for valuable insights into different interpretations. Gulda is possibly my favourite of the ones I know. It still is, but I heard it in a slightly new and revealing way when played alongside other ways of playing it.

Gulda's recording of the Diabelli Variations became a favourite of mine when I found a CD in the sadly missed Farringdon Records. He fair ripped through them. I must dig it out.

[BBMmk2]

Gulda's recording of the Diabelli Variations became a favourite of mine when I found a CD in the sadly missed Farringdon Records. He fair ripped through them. I must dig it out.

I heard Ashkenazy in the Diabelli, which I thought, ranks amongst the best in the catalogue.