Who is the best Beethoven Sonata Interpreter?

[8_octaves]

BONUS: I feel that Glenn Gould's Beethoven is inspired.  Rough around the edges, spiritual, adventurous, and intellectually stimulating.  His playing of the third movement of the Moonlight Sonata is, I feel, the best version out there.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UBMqvuAYHSE

And as far as Schiff's lectures are relevant: In his talking about the "moonlight-sonata" he refers on "Beethoven's piano" at that time: But it wasn't the broadwood, then, as Schiff seemed to be of the opinion, but since the moonlight was from 1801 or 1802, it was an older one. The broadwood Beethoven got later.

Furthermore:

Maybe you didn't know, but:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X0WhOhUbZLI

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iLSTzg_cWoE

That's my FAVORURITE! Listen to the playing of the "octave - glissandi", ( the "octave-glissandi", which don't appear in sources, but e.g. only in my Schott-single-edition). Cziffra shows how it works using another approach ( at 8:20 , of mmt 3) - which I like very much !!!!

_____

Furthermore: Gulda (Hammerklavier, Fugue ), Petri (Hammerklavier ), and others.

  cordially, 8_octaves!

PS.: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oAgT79Ea7j0

[bronnestam]

https://vimeo.com/123965934

Oh, I still count this one. Hauntingly beautiful. 

[stevensk]

I dont like this kind of threds, but ok. HJ Lim is my favorite!

Its beautiful, its fresh and impressive. Of course, she plays all of the sonatas ..whithout sheets

[kevonthegreatpianist]

BAREBOIM

He's god. He's the god.

[michael_sayers]

t=02m36s


Mvh,
Michael

[perfect_pitch]

BAREBOIM

You mean BARENBOIM???

[j_menz]

You mean BARENBOIM???

Nope. Bareboim is his nudist cousin.

[visitor]

Nope. Bareboim is his nudist cousin.

And then there's the hairy step brother
Bear Boim

[blackonwhite]

My favorite is Mr.Glenn Gould of course

[martinrdb]

I always return to Schnabel for a point of reference and in a bygone era, I do not know whether he recorded the set but what I have heard of Solomon's recordings have been superb.  Brendel and Gilels deserve a mention and today I heard a recording of Annie Fischer playing op110: a very fine overall interpretation.

Of pianists playing today, I have never heard Martha Argerich put a foot wrong with anything that she plays.  It is the sense of overall command of the whole structure that marks out the great interpreters.

[piulento]

Definitely Arrau. Especially when playing the late ones.

[huaidongxi]

the noun in question is 'Interpreter', nicht wahr ?  since LvB's creations reach into the metaphysical, into our imagination and fantasies, there should be more than one high priest/priestess, because we each have different souls.

most of the pianists nominated in this thread can be considered demigods of Beethoven interpreters, could not protest against Kempff, Barenboim, Schnabel, Arrau, Richter, Gilels.  and thanks to the participant who shared Tengstrand, really enjoyed his playing.

on the basis of a very limited sample, as this artist was not particularly favored by the big record companies, have to nominate one more exceptional interpreter, Clara Haskil.  there is a transcendent performance from a 1953 recital of Op.111 that is exceptionally revelatory, and another recital recording from 1957 of Op.31 no.3 that is as true to the composer and composition that anyone is likely to encounter. she was revered for her Schubert D.960 sonata, so it's probably a very secure extrapolation from these two Beethoven sonatas, the Schubert, and the Beethoven concerti she was famous for, that it is our loss than more of her sonatas were not recorded.

leb' wohl  (a pity the sonata was 'translated' by the publisher to 'adieux', and unfortunate the name 
     musik lovers.                                   of the Fantasia became popularized as 'mondschein')             
                                                                                                                 

[bronnestam]

I was the one who shared Tengstrand, thank you for the appreciation.   

To comment what you say after that, it is always tricky to compare today's pianists, who we may even have heard live, to someone who made a recording some 50 years ago with the recording technique that was available by then. Personally I find it hard to listen to a very old recording with lots of crackling and a blurry sound and find it very enjoyable even though I can still recognize good piano playing when I hear it.


We also have to consider that there is a constant development in musical interpretation, even of the old works, because people are simply different. Today's young pianists have not only grown up with Beethoven, but also with comtemporary music including death metal and hip hop. Sounds and beats that would have made a musician cringe 70 years ago, are considered perfectly normal and even very cool today.

Therefore there is no use asking ourselves "how Beethoven would have played it" and think that is the perfect model. We have to adapt his music to our instruments, our time, our ears. The musical development is neither good nor bad; it's just the way it is. 

On the other hand, many of the modern recordings are heavily edited and digitally post-processed, which may result in an interpretation that actually just exist as a recording ... And I prefer live performances anytime! They are never "flawless", but that is not the point either. I never cry to recordings, no matter how good they are, but I have done so at live recitals.

[fboloix]

In my opinion the most satisfying and balanced in every sense of the word are the interpretations of all 32 by Friedrich Gulda. Clearly one can favor Richter on the one, Kempff on the other, same for Schnabel, Gilels, Arrau etc. But as a whole - it's Gulda for me. The opus 2 Sonatas are absolutely without parallel and he builds on this formidable base. There's not only drive and clarity but intensity and intenisty (and astounding finger work) but a masculine sensitivity devoid of little musical "effects", as Horowitz would call it when one is trying to hard to be overly musical. I especially love the way he keep the tempos going and keeps a lid on the pre-conceived or thought out rubato (a la Barenboim).