OMG,why do all the interpreters of beethoven's piano sonatas

[eliza1976]

sound the same to  me  ?

I can only differentiate the speed at which they are playing, otherwise, they sound the same to me ?

[adodd81802]

Some music is fine just the way it is! You don't always need to interpret it differently!

[larrys]

I feel pretty much the same, it's hard to tell one pianist from another. Talking of Beethoven I find most play the Moonlight Sonata too fast. The first version I heard was by Peter Katin and it was suitably slow, and it switched me on to Beethoven all those years ago. But I doubt I could tell a Brendel from an Ashkenazy from a Lupu. I don't know. Back to back maybe. I don't understand how people say so and so is best for Bach or Chopin etc. It goes over my head.

[irrational]

You perhaps need more listening time and experience.

They are substantially different. I have several sets and it depends on the mood what I would like to listen to.
If I am in a singing mood, I'll listen to Brendel.
If I want more warmth sound enjoyment and storm, Gilels.
If I want to just sit back and enjoy, Kempff or Schnabel.
Clarity of notes and intellectual interest, Schiff

There are significant differences in how the music comes across.
There are also differences in the same pianist on different recordings and ages.
If you can't hear it yet, don't worry. Just keep listening and playing.

@larrys.
The moonlight speed depends on many things. Some struggle to make it coherent and flowing at slow speed. I prefer to play faster as there is a flow between the right and left hand sounds that I really enjoy that way. I think people just got used to an overly slow pace due to many factors, so a good pace sounds strange to ears. But some days more rubato for beauty, or just plain slow to enjoy the interplay of sounds on the piano. As long as the whole is treated the same way to adhere to the written music, there is a fair amount of interpretive space available.

[chopinlover01]

^ +1.

They don't. You might as well say all of Chopin's interpreters sound the same, or all of Liszt's (though I think more of a case could be made for that).