Beethoven's Piano Sonatas

[Clever Hans]

Interesting Kovacevich quote:

"I feel very claustrophobic with 'intellectual' approaches which don't have the physical strength. If you don't get that physical charge from the performance there's something lacking. Very few pianists today can bring this physical virtuoso thrill to what they're playing. It's out of fashion. A lot of today's fashionable ideas make it harder to get good Beethoven."

[Opus106]

Interesting Kovacevich quote:

"I feel very claustrophobic with 'intellectual' approaches which don't have the physical strength. If you don't get that physical charge from the performance there's something lacking. Very few pianists today can bring this physical virtuoso thrill to what they're playing. It's out of fashion. A lot of today's fashionable ideas make it harder to get good Beethoven."

Is there more available at the source of that quote?

[Clever Hans]

Is there more available at the source of that quote?

http://www.gramophone.net/Issue/Page/October%201992/14/812233/A+RETURN+TO+THE+CLASSICS

[Opus106]

http://www.gramophone.net/Issue/Page/October%201992/14/812233/A+RETURN+TO+THE+CLASSICS

Thank you.

[Todd]

I'd bet quite a few pianists can bring a physical virtuoso thrill to what they play, but choose not to for a variety of reasons, some based on fashionable ideas and some not.  I wonder if Mr Kovacevich would revise his statement at all now, some twenty years later.  (I wonder if Alica Sara Ott will bring a bit of virtuoso thrill or flash to her playing, for instance.)

[Clever Hans]

I'd bet quite a few pianists can bring a physical virtuoso thrill to what they play, but choose not to for a variety of reasons, some based on fashionable ideas and some not.  I wonder if Mr Kovacevich would revise his statement at all now, some twenty years later.  (I wonder if Alica Sara Ott will bring a bit of virtuoso thrill or flash to her playing, for instance.)

Part of the problem is between live and studio, also addressed in interview.

Given the EMI recordings, perhaps he'd say something similar, provided one has decent producers and engineers. It would be nice to see him do another set of sonata recordings for Onyx.

Another thing, many reports of Paul Lewis' playing describe him as being a more spontaneous player live.

Beethoven is tricky, because it's both introspective and bold, risk-taking, so there is no perfect recording environment really. Maybe Beethoven had the right idea when he played his pieces at a remove from the main salon area where his well-mannered audience sat.

[Todd]

Part of the problem is between live and studio, also addressed in interview.

Perhaps.  It's interesting for me to read his comments because when I heard Kovacevich live he was much different than on record.  He is more intense and virtuosic, and his tone much less appealing, on record than in person.  He was much better live, at least to my ears.  Of course, that was with D960 and some LvB Bagatelles.  The performance I heard was not being recorded, so one would think he would take more chances, but both of his recorded D960s seem more adventurous in some ways than what I heard.  Of course, I have to rely on memory when recalling the recital, whereas I can listen to either recording whenever I choose, so it's not a totally accurate/fair comparison.

I wouldn't mind another LvB cycle from him, though now I have to wonder if he'd be a little less intense as I have to assume age is starting to take a toll on his technique and stamina.

[Clever Hans]

I wouldn't mind another LvB cycle from him, though now I have to wonder if he'd be a little less intense as I have to assume age is starting to take a toll on his technique and stamina.

Reigning himself in could be a good thing.

He is so kind and encouraging in his mater class videos, unlike... Andras Schiff, for example.

As far as live vs studio, Pollini is another example, particularly as regards tone, which DG never really captured right.

Today you also have the problem that many "live" takes are not really so.

But I think it may be better in the long run for a pianist to either befriend an at home recording engineer (there are so many these days) or just cull from live recordings. And maintain rights to them, the latter also to avoid the Richter situation where you have tons of examples in and out of print.

[Josquin des Prez]

Early studio Kovacevich was great. Haven't been impressed with anything he has done since, concerning Beethoven.

[George]

Interesting Kovacevich quote:

"I feel very claustrophobic with 'intellectual' approaches which don't have the physical strength. If you don't get that physical charge from the performance there's something lacking. Very few pianists today can bring this physical virtuoso thrill to what they're playing. It's out of fashion. A lot of today's fashionable ideas make it harder to get good Beethoven."

It's no surprise to me that he mentions physical so many times in that quote. His EMI interpretations are exactly that, physical.   

[Orpheus]

Any thoughts about this new box?

[Todd]

Any thoughts about this new box?

My only thought right now is: Finally!  Up until now her cycle has been available only on individual discs.  I do think I shall acquire this set, though I must say that I do not have the highest expectations based on the little I've heard of Ms Biret outside this repertoire, as well as the few comments I've read on her LvB.  I will do my best to approach the set with fresh ears, though

[Lethevich]

Can anybody confirm the release order of the first two of Kodama's Beethoven discs? PentaTone's site doesn't list dates, and Amazon and other sites offer contradictory information. So far at a guess it seems to go:

01 - No.21, 23, 26
02 - No.4, 8, 14
03 - No.16-18
04 - No.1-3
05 - No.9, 10, 19, 20, 24, 25
06 - No.5-7

[mc ukrneal]

Can anybody confirm the release order of the first two of Kodama's Beethoven discs? PentaTone's site doesn't list dates, and Amazon and other sites offer contradictory information. So far at a guess it seems to go:

01 - No.21, 23, 26
02 - No.4, 8, 14
03 - No.16-18
04 - No.1-3
05 - No.9, 10, 19, 20, 24, 25
06 - No.5-7

Gramophone reviewed the first one in July 2004 and the second in February 2005 (and they refer to this as the second volume). So you appear to have the correct order. As to anything more concrete, I see what you mean. Perhaps someone has the actual discs to check if more specific dates are required. (Here is the link if you are interested: http://www.gramophone.net/Search/Results/beethoven+kodama)

[Lethevich]

Gramophone reviewed the first one in July 2004 and the second in February 2005 (and they refer to this as the second volume). So you appear to have the correct order. As to anything more concrete, I see what you mean. Perhaps someone has the actual discs to check if more specific dates are required. (Here is the link if you are interested: http://www.gramophone.net/Search/Results/beethoven+kodama)

Thanks! It's strange how the label seems to shy of announcing it as a numbered series - perhaps a marketing strategy (seeing "Vol.6" might make some people sigh at the idea of having to buy at least five more discs, or it will forever be an odd end).

[North Star]

Regarding Kodama, people might wait for a possible box set containing all volumes. And there have been lots of sonata releases recently (Buchbinder, Lewis, Takácks, probably more)




Paavali Jumppanen's Beethoven sonata recordings (with Deutsche Grammophon) should probably be released in the near future:

http://translate.google.com/translate?sl=fi&tl=en&js=n&prev=_t&hl=fi&ie=UTF-8&layout=2&eotf=1&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.kainuunsanomat.fi%2Fcs%2FSatellite%2FKulttuuri%2F1194646156375%2Fartikkeli%2Fpaavali%2Bjumppanen%2Blevyttaa%2Bkuhmossa.html

The translator is far from perfect but most of the stuff that matters should be understandable. I can clarify if necessary.

[George]

What do folks think of Maria Grinberg's Beethoven Sonatas? I know she did a complete set in stereo that is up over at avaxhome.

[Karl Henning]

Belated thanks for the collective recommendation of the Kempff. I've not been through it methodically, but I very much enjoy whenever I dip into it.

[George]

Belated thanks for the collective recommendation of the Kempff. I've not been through it methodically, but I very much enjoy whenever I dip into it.

Glad to hear that you are liking it, karl. 

[Todd]

Paavali Jumppanen's Beethoven sonata recordings (with Deutsche Grammophon) should probably be released in the near future:

Now that is a cycle I look forward to!  (The Guy cycle, too, really.)  Thanks for the heads up.

What do folks think of Maria Grinberg's Beethoven Sonatas? I know she did a complete set in stereo that is up over at avaxhome.

So-so to Meh.