Prokofiev - Sonata no.2 in d minor, op.14

[andhow04]

this is a live performance from recently of prokofiev's second sonata, a kind of unusual piece that was composed the same time as the second concerto, and dedicated to the same friend. it's a piece that has vexed me for some time as it is very difficult to play , and is maybe a little more abstract in the first and third movements than the music in his later sonatas. esp. the first mvmt.

the second and fourth movements are more instantly recognizable as prokofiev, in his scherzo and toccata styles. the second mvmt is what originally drew me to the piece, though the first is compelling, but hard to understand in my opinion.

the fourth movement has a fast run over the span of the keyboard in both hands unison, which almost never comes out cleanly. sandor's edition has a fingering that seems impossible to execute at tempo (i think he played it slower). i was slightly relieved to find 3 live recordings of richter, and in none of them does he himself play the run cleanly.  but still, shouldn't we always strive higher?

i am curious to know what impressions you all have as it is a piece that doesn't settle well in the hands, and also invites a lot of interpretative freedom - meaning it could be good or really bad.

PS the concert series made the recording. dunno what equipement they used, and they just later sent me a digital file