Assessing Alfred Brendel

[Alison]

I took down Brendel's Annee de Pelerinage: Italie the other day
(first outing for many years) and it has been my constant companion since.

There was me thinking that this music was for the big technique younger generation
only to discover a rather remarkable authority from Brendel in this repertoire and no shortgage
of flair and imagination.

How do you react to Brendel's pianism ?

Alison

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

My favourite Liszt player - such attention to the melodic lines, superb articulation of "accompaniments" and with a sure sense of structure and timing.

With Brendel, everything (Schubert, Mozart, Beethoven) is carefully studied, thought over, weighed, questioned - and yet there is never any loss of "spontaneity" or excitement. No better exponent of the Schoenberg Piano Concerto, either: I so wish he'd recorded the solo Piano works.

[EdgeleyRob]

My favourite Liszt player -

And mine too.

The best Sposalizio ever ?

[Richard Tarleton]

My favourite Liszt player - such attention to the melodic lines, superb articulation of "accompaniments" and with a sure sense of structure and timing.

With Brendel, everything (Schubert, Mozart, Beethoven) is carefully studied, thought over, weighed, questioned - and yet there is never any loss of "spontaneity" or excitement. No better exponent of the Schoenberg Piano Concerto, either: I so wish he'd recorded the solo Piano works.

I've loved Brendel's playing since hearing him play four early Beethoven sonatas in Oxford Town Hall about 45 years ago. He is a pianist and a philosopher - IMV, he can do no wrong. He's one of the musicians (along with Bernard Haitink, Julian Bream and a very few others) who have informed my love of music over my lifetime.

[amateur51]

I took down Brendel's Annee de Pelerinage: Italie the other day
(first outing for many years) and it has been my constant companion since.

There was me thinking that this music was for the big technique younger generation
only to discover a rather remarkable authority from Brendel in this repertoire and no shortgage
of flair and imagination.

How do you react to Brendel's pianism ?

Alison

I react to your use of the word 'imagination' with a great , Alison.

I was fortunate to hear him many times in the concert hall in London as well attending several masterclasses in the Quuen Elizabeth Hall in the early 1970s, including one on the Liszt B minor sonata which has stayed with me, hence my delight at your use of 'imagination'.

In these days where success in competitions is often the key to a career, I wonder how he would have fared. We are fortunate that he worked as hard in the recording studio and in the concert hall to provide us with such a glorious legacy.

Like fhg I do wish that he'd played other music too but why wish for the moon? ....

[Alison]

Wow, great video Robbo.

Must seek out the CD of the Liszt Sonata, I have the later Philips version.

I wonder if AB has played Ravel and Tchaikovsky at home ?!

[salymap]

One of my favourite Brendel recordings is the three last great Schubert piano sonatas. He lets the music breathe without losing the natural tempo of the passage played.