I'm not sure I have very many good recs for the Hammerklavier—it's almost impossible to find performances that don't have at least one major deficiency. Here are a few though.
Maria Yudina (bit on the slow side in the two Allegros though, and historical sound obviously)
Stewart Goodyear (sound is not good for a modern recording)
Michael Korstick (but Adagio is played about twice as slow as the marked tempo, and Korstick's interpretations are exciting but a bit superficial imo)
Charles Rosen (1965 or (preferably) 1997—not the more often reissued 1980s recording, which is too slow throughout)
Michaël Lévinas (Adagio is on the slow side)
András Schiff (probably the best of the recordings that take von Bülow's tempi instead of Beethoven's)
Friedrich Gulda (1951 better than 1967, but historical sound, and a bit "safe")
Some people also suggest Artur Schnabel's recording, if you can tolerate the triple hit of sloppy playing, historical sound and a too-slow Adagio. It was an insightful recording for me, in that it pretty much turned me off 10+ minute Allegro openers for life and instilled in me a probably unrealiseable desire to learn the piece myself, but otherwise I can't recommend it.
Maria Yudina (bit on the slow side in the two Allegros though, and historical sound obviously)
Stewart Goodyear (sound is not good for a modern recording)
Michael Korstick (but Adagio is played about twice as slow as the marked tempo, and Korstick's interpretations are exciting but a bit superficial imo)
Charles Rosen (1965 or (preferably) 1997—not the more often reissued 1980s recording, which is too slow throughout)
Michaël Lévinas (Adagio is on the slow side)
András Schiff (probably the best of the recordings that take von Bülow's tempi instead of Beethoven's)
Friedrich Gulda (1951 better than 1967, but historical sound, and a bit "safe")
Some people also suggest Artur Schnabel's recording, if you can tolerate the triple hit of sloppy playing, historical sound and a too-slow Adagio. It was an insightful recording for me, in that it pretty much turned me off 10+ minute Allegro openers for life and instilled in me a probably unrealiseable desire to learn the piece myself, but otherwise I can't recommend it.
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