The greatest Beethoven pianist of the 20th century?

[David1770]

This is a very tricky question, would be interesting to see what you guys all think! My personal favourite has to be Solomon for his no nonsense approach, just a shame that Richter didnt record more of Beethovens works, anybody know the reason for this?

Regards,
Dave

[Peter]

Without a doubt Artur Schnabel - I know his technique is not perfect (nor was Beethoven's by all accounts), but no one captures the spirit of the sonatas better than he.

[HaydnFan]

I have no idea...I only own two items of Beethoven piano music, one is the common sonatas (Moonlight, Pathetique, and Appasionata) by Barenboim...he is pretty good but I am told, not the best.

The other is a set of complete piano concertos which I don't even listen to because the pianist is so horrid (in my opinion)...that is Rudolf Serkin.

[jman]

I didn't mind Serkin's concertos, something different I guess.

I agree that Schnabel is at the top. He was (as mentioned already because of his not always note-perfect technique) the "great adagio player" and there's certainly few things more beautiful than Schnabel playing a slow Beethoven movement and he really commands all the music that he plays.

But I also have to add Alfred Brendel for genius and imagination. That man blows me away.

As a side note, I've listened to the Liszt b minor Sonata numerous times but the first time I heard Brendel's recording I was quite literally almost in tears, just for the sheer beauty of it.

[David1770]

I didn't mind Serkin's concertos, something different I guess.

I agree that Schnabel is at the top. He was (as mentioned already because of his not always note-perfect technique) the "great adagio player" and there's certainly few things more beautiful than Schnabel playing a slow Beethoven movement and he really commands all the music that he plays.

But I also have to add Alfred Brendel for genius and imagination. That man blows me away.

As a side note, I've listened to the Liszt b minor Sonata numerous times but the first time I heard Brendel's recording I was quite literally almost in tears, just for the sheer beauty of it.

I admire Schnabel also and have his complete set of the piano sonatas and some of the concertos from the twenties. I still prefer Solomon, but its close! As for Brendel I am constantly astounded by his scrupulous level of research and insight regarding everything he performs. I value his recordings of the years of pilgrimage by Liszt. I am ashamed to say that I haven`t heard the Liszt sonata by Brendel, I`ll get a copy and give it a test drive to see if it has the same emotional effect on me as it obviously has on you! For me Sviatoslav Richter is unsurpassed for Liszts sonata

[jonje]

Undoubtably Andor Foldes. His performances of Pathetique, Les Adieux and Appassionata for Deutsche Grammophon must be the best ever engraved in a record. If only people would petition DG to rerelease their Andor Foldes Beethoven sonata recordings on CD.

[Chaszz]

I'm afraid I have to pick Rudolf Serkin, who has been hugely disparaged earlier in this thread, for the sonatas. He brings them to the highest level I have personally experienced.

And I have to lay claim to one more monstrous and inexplicable opinion: I can't underatand what Schnabel is doing at all.

Go figure.

Chaszz

[Gurn Blanston]

I'm afraid I have to pick Rudolf Serkin, who has been hugely disparaged earlier in this thread, for the sonatas. He brings them to the highest level I have personally experienced.

And I have to lay claim to one more monstrous and inexplicable opinion: I can't underatand what Schnabel is doing at all.

Go figure.

Chaszz

Both of your outrageous claims work well for me. Serkin is one of my favorite pianists, very few can touch him for technique or musicality.

I have a couple of Schnabel sonata disks and the Diabelli's. Good, but nothing to die for.

My preference is Kempff, followed by early (Vox) Brendel. I have a great variety of others that are superb, including Annie Fischer, Pollini and Ashkenazy. They don't knock Kempff out of the box.

[Joy]

Both of your outrageous claims work well for me. Serkin is one of my favorite pianists, very few can touch him for technique or musicality.

I have a couple of Schnabel sonata disks and the Diabelli's. Good, but nothing to die for.

My preference is Kempff, followed by early (Vox) Brendel. I have a great variety of others that are superb, including Annie Fischer, Pollini and Ashkenazy. They don't knock Kempff out of the box.

HI Gurn, do you still do your ritual of listening to Beethoven's 9th Symphony every Sunday?

[Gurn Blanston]

HI Gurn, do you still do your ritual of listening to Beethoven's 9th Symphony every Sunday?

Joy,
Yes indeed! It is an immutable constant of my life!

This morning, I listened to a version that was new to me (just got in the mail yesterday), Cleveland Orchestra / Christoph Dohnányi. It was quite pleasing for a modern instruments version, nice tempos that never dragged (66:22 total time), very clear recording, and Robert Lloyd doing an excellent job on the Baß line. I have 18 versions now, so it'll be a while before I hear this one again. Next week, it's the Royal Liverpudlians with Mackerras, one of my favorites!

[Joy]

Joy,
Yes indeed! It is an immutable constant of my life!

This morning, I listened to a version that was new to me (just got in the mail yesterday), Cleveland Orchestra / Christoph Dohnányi. It was quite pleasing for a modern instruments version, nice tempos that never dragged (66:22 total time), very clear recording, and Robert Lloyd doing an excellent job on the Baß line. I have 18 versions now, so it'll be a while before I hear this one again. Next week, it's the Royal Liverpudlians with Mackerras, one of my favorites!

Glad to hear it! The earth would stop spinning on it's axis, I think, if you did not listen to the 9th every Sunday!

[Sorrano]

Both of your outrageous claims work well for me. Serkin is one of my favorite pianists, very few can touch him for technique or musicality.

I have a couple of Schnabel sonata disks and the Diabelli's. Good, but nothing to die for.

My preference is Kempff, followed by early (Vox) Brendel. I have a great variety of others that are superb, including Annie Fischer, Pollini and Ashkenazy. They don't knock Kempff out of the box.

I haven't heard Serkin doing the sonatas, but I did see a video recording (might have been a live rebroadcast or something) of him playing the Choral Fantasy which I enjoyed very much. I found some of Kempf's recordings a bit sloppy (the later recordings), particularly with the phrasing and pedaling--he sounded like he was in a hurry to get through it. Brendel I've liked quite a bit but did not get to hear all of the sonatas of which I once had on vinyl.

[Preston]

I have not studied piano playing like I should have but I am wondering if some of y'all feel that Brendel is more inclined to Mozart than Beethoven? I feel that he is from what I have heard. He seems to have a more "perfected" sound to me, not saying that Beethoven's music isn't perfect, just that Mozart's, to me, seems more to have this "perfected" sound, not that that is a problem, literally.

For example listen to this version of the Eroica and then this version. There is definitely a major difference there.

I am probably wrong, considering that I don't know too much about the piano, but I was wondering what y'all thought. Any help would be appreciated.

[Peter]

I have not studied piano playing like I should have but I am wondering if some of y'all feel that Brendel is more inclined to Mozart than Beethoven? I feel that he is from what I have heard. He seems to have a more "perfected" sound to me, not saying that Beethoven's music isn't perfect, just that Mozart's, to me, seems more to have this "perfected" sound, not that that is a problem, literally.



I am probably wrong, considering that I don't know too much about the piano, but I was wondering what y'all thought. Any help would be appreciated.

You've completely lost me Preston - what do orchestral clips of the Eroica have to do with Brendel or other pianists? As regards Brendel I think he is one of the finest Beethoven interpreters of his generation.

[Preston]

With the clips of the Eroica I was showing the way the music sounded different, like two different pianists each have their on style and sound.

I had know idea that Brendel was one of the best interpreters of Beethoven at all. Thanks for the information. Brendel must be unreal!

I apologize for losing you, sometimes it is hard to get all the words out correctly, .