Anton Kuerti Plays Beethoven

[Todd]

No, I'm not revisiting his complete cycle or his subsequent recordings.  I'm referring to how he plays it today, in person.  Last Sunday (ie, Super Bowl Sunday), I had the good fortune to attend an all-Beethoven recital by Mr Kuerti.  Originally, it was to be the Op 2/1 and 31/1 sonatas in the first half, followed by the Diabelli Variations in the second half.  The program changed to include the Les Adieux and Appassionata in the first half, and the Diabelli in the second half.

The first half was a success overall, though it also showed the pianist to be a bit past his prime in terms of digital accuracy.  The opening movement of Op 81a had a few noticeable slips, and the Op 57 suffered from a bars long right hand error in the second movement and some noticeable, if brief, slips in the final movement, including a cringe-inducing slip in the coda.  That's the 'bad'.  Now to the good.  Kuerti's penchant, in his complete cycle, for over-analyzed, slow, precious playing was largely absent.  Only a few times in the opening of the final movement of op 57 did I really hear that.  Kuerti's playing in person sounds freer.  He lets the moment drive his playing.  Sure, he still tinkers with tempi and dynamics, but the effect is positive.  Op 81a had the requisite joy and sorrow, Op 57 the drive and intensity.  While I can't say that either were world-beaters, both were extremely fine.

But I really went to the recital to hear the Diabellis.  I was in luck, because that it what Kuerti came to play.  Rather than offer an encore at the end of the concert, Kuerti offered a twenty minute lecture on the piece before the intermission.  In it, he went over various elements that appear through the variations, complete with playing samples, and demonstrated links to Don Giovanni and Op 111.  Delivered in a witty, urbane, and above all, incredibly learned way, it was a treat in itself.  But not nearly so much as the performance.  While there were slips here and there, Kuerti's command of this piece was much better than of the sonatas.  His dynamics were better controlled and wider ranging.  His articulation was crisper.  No stiff, over-analyzed playing here; everything flowed freely and nearly flawlessly.  Where musical wit was called for, it was delivered with glee.  I glanced at my watch but once during the performance, and to my surprise, forty minutes had passed.  It felt like perhaps ten had gone by.  Overall, the performance rates among the best I've heard of this piece, right up there with such stalwarts as Serkin and Richter.  I'll be surprised if I ever hear a better rendition in person.  An amazing performance.  Better than watching the big game, that's for sure.