Customer Reviews

Beethoven: Piano Sonatas Nos. 8, 14, 21 & 23

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

From his youth in Imperial Berlin and Vienna until his retirement in his late 80's, Wilhelm Kempff's interpretations of Beethoven's Piano works have never been anything other than controversial, polarising the opinions of music lovers for almost a century to an even greater extent than Kemperer did with the symphonies. That alone is no small achievement!

This however leaves us with something of a problem with this CD. Many who hear these recordings of some of the best known of Beethoven's Piano sonatas, The Pathetique (no 8), The Moonlight (no 14), The Waldstein (no 21) and The Appassionata (no 23), regard them as something of a "cop out", polite and civilised performances of music which at it's core it anything but polite and civilised, cynically calculated to appeal to the drawing room sensibilities of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. I must confess that the first time I heard this CD, I was inclined to agree. But as I listened again and again, I found myself being drawn ever deeper in to Kempff's view. These readings are deeply introspective; they have all the passion of more bombastic readings, but expressed in a more subtle way and prove that there is a romantic depth to Beethoven's music, which modern interpretations tend to gloss over. Perhaps this is how Liszt, Chopin and Clara Schumann played these works, or perhaps not, we'll never know. Either way the listener's reaction to this recording will be more subjective than with almost any other.

For me, even considering the mono recordings made my Kempff 10 years earlier than these which some consider to be better, this is the finest performance of the Beethoven sonata's available. I can't recommend it highly enough.

When I first heard these sonatas I felt a little disappointed; however, after repeated listening I have been completely drawn into Kempff's vision of Beethoven, and won over. Kempff has an incredible grace and lightness of touch, so that his playing seems to float over Beethoven's developing dramas, seeing everything and holding it all in perfect proportion. His renditions of the Pathetique and Moonlight sonatas are exquisite, justly famous, and perfectly suited to his approach to Beethoven. I really enjoy Kovacevich and Brendel here, but with Kempff it is incredible how he seems to make every note count, and the clarity of his understanding is just mindblowing. It is his performances of the epic middle period masterpieces--the Waldstein and the Appassionata--that seem to invite controversy.

The Waldstein has never been among my favorite sonatas, since it seems to me to be quite devoid of emotion--more a showpiece for Beethoven's utter mastery of classical form than anything else--and this often shows in many interpretations of it. Too often what you get is a cold expostion of techinical mastery and apprehension of structure, and I think Pollini and Gilels are a case in point here. However, with Kempff the entire sonata is a rich flow of uninterrupted bliss. There's an aura of sublime inevitability about the entire performance, so that the conclusion is a dramatic rather than technical triumph. For me, there's nothing better than being allowed a new insight into a piece I thought I knew so well, but that's where Kempff's greatness lies.

As for the Appassionata, it took me a while to came around to Kempff's interpretation. It's a gliding rather than slow, measured take, and at first I thought Kempff simply lacked the power and grand scale in his playing to bring the Appassionata off. Arrau is for me the touchstone here, since he is so in tune with the Appassionata's epic-heroic qualities. Again though, Kempff has his own vision, and it's completely valid and compelling. While the first movement is still a bit quick for my liking, the slow movement just sings, and the finale captures the sonata's overall unease without becoming overwrought.

It's difficult to decribe the overall, cumulative effect Kempff's Beethoven has, but you have to experience it. There's no reason why one can't like Arrau and Gilels on the one hand, and Kempff on the other. This set is a perfect introduction to Kempff's Beethoven, and I'm looking forward to buying the re-release of his recordings of the last five Beethoven sonatas to set alongside those I have of Pollini, Arrau, and Gilels. Just remember, it's impossible to have too much of Beethoven, or for that matter too many interpretations of his piano sonatas.

This review is probably useless but I will not allow this wonderful disc to continue its 3 and a half star rating. Sound is fine. Performances immense but in a rather understated way which rewards repeated listening as more dynamic readings will not. I feel Beethoven sonatas need clarity and transparency for maximum enjoyment. i doubt if anyone would have the nerve to suggest this is not achieved by Kempff. I could draw comparison with that other master of understatement Solomon as his Beethoven is so transparent and I recommend his Testament recordings. Kempff is no Kovacevich and vice versa but I feel one can get rather fed up with K as K stamps his own personality on such works which leads to pretty impressive listening at first but I find it is Kempff I tend to go back to. Perhaps therefore purchasers should be warned to persevere if finding the disc seems disappointing on initial listening.

This CD deserves five stars for the Moonlight and Waldstein sonatas. These are the only two on the CD I listen to. I will agree that the Appassionata is not necessarily robust enough, and, having learned the Pathetique, it is not to my liking either.

But, before listening to Kempff's Moonlight recording, I had not especially liked the piece, especially the second and third movements. As I have heard all of the Beethoven sonatas, and most numerous times, this Moonlight recording brought to my attention the previously hidden beauty and "coolness" (in the second and third movements). It vaulted the piece up to about #6 on my list of Beethoven sonatas.

The Waldstein Sonata's first and third movements immediately caught my attention. Although I play the first movement faster than Kempff, it is nevertheless exceptional in my ears. The second movement is wonderful in its own right, but I am not particularly fond of it as a work, not at all Kempff's fault. As for the third movement. I am at a loss for words. Beethoven certainly helped out any pianist who plays this by making it one of this three or four best. This piece is absolutely delicious and Kempff makes it even moreso. The detached triplets at the 7:57 mark make me literally jump in the air and pump my fists.

These are, quite simply, the best Beethoven recordings I own, easily topping Van Cliburn's and Arrau's were a very close second. I have yet to obtain a Schnabel recording of these pieces.

The core of Beethoven's piano sonates, all masterworks - "Pathétique", "Mondschein - Sonate", "Waldstein - Sonate" and "Appassionata" -, played with deepness, intensity and magnificience, but nevertheless communicating to the listener a feeling of enormous peace and quietness, by the greatest piano performer of Beethoveen's works that 20th century had known - Wilhelm Kempff.

I highly appreciated the first and third movement of "Waldstein - Sonate" and also the first movement of "Appassionata", and obviously I must recommend that superb record.

Having just listened to Kempff and Leitner in the fourth and fifth concertos, I don't feel that I can be as unequivocal in my recommendation of Kempff's sonatas as I was of said concertos. Kempff recorded the complete cycle three times, and the performances here are picked from the last of them. Now, there is no doubt that Kempff was at his best in the cycle as a whole, and there is no doubt - I think - that the gloriously light and airy and spirited Waldstein is among the best ever recorded. But I have heard more poetry in the ubiquitous Moonlight sonata, even though Kempff scores many points with his intelligent, wise and balanced reading. The Appassionata is impeccably played, darkly dramatic and powerful though possibly even more heaven-storming in his earlier recording. The highlight, however, is the Pathetique, which is played with unsurpassed drive and ferocity but never lapsing into bathos; rhythmically incisive and formally cogent, almost effortless in its realization of the drama and power. Some will, perhaps, judge it to be a little too understated, and maybe it comes down to personal taste, but I do think it's one of the most satisfying versions of this one I've heard. The sound quality isn't quite top-notch, however; dry and top-heavy and admittedly compromising the artistry of the performances, especially perhaps in the Appassionata. Still, it feels wrong to give this release anything but a very strong recommendation.

I'm surprised at the number of negative opinions on this performance. Kempff's performance in this recording is understated, beautiful and contemplative. Beethoven was never an one dimensional composer. This is a great recording of some of the greatest piano sonatas ever written.

The piano sonatas or character pieces from Beethoven are a great music to experience,this CD has the Mondschein Sonate or better know as Moonlight Sonata.The quality of the music and the interpreter are just fine I recommend it.

First of all, I do not play the piano, and therefore cannot offer insider's technical insights. But I know what I've listened to. Concerning the artist: he is in love with the piano. He is communicating with it when he plays it, and you feel like eavesdropping when you listen to this recording. Seems like this guy will play things the same personal way no matter who is (or not) watching or listening.

His interpretations are therefore very much reflective in that it does not have a flair. But it does have passion, a self-absorbed one. It has fire, but generated purely by inner feelings. It has sensitivity and subtleties. In summary: he makes the music meaningful. As for tonal qualities, it is actually less crystalline than I would usually prefer (such as the ones achieved by those who went through Russian/Soviet training, e.g. Rachmaninoff or Kissin). Yet I have no problem with Kempff's tone simply because it speaks, sensibly. I do not get bored as I often do with piano music.

If you were expecting a fiery reading, an "extroverted" reading, this is perhaps not for you. I listen to piano solos when I want to quiet down and become more reflective, and Kempff's Beethoven is perfect for that. I don't listen to it to become excited (for that I turn to Beethoven's orchestral music). I had previously ordered Rubinstein's Beethoven, but will now only listen to Kempff's. If I were more into piano music, I'd be a fan by now.

Also - If you enjoy Kempff's approach and it makes sense to you, and if you love the piano, you'd definitely want the whole set, and not just 4 sonatas. In fact, I myself am tempted to get more of his recordings, though I am by no means a piano fanatic.

I am sorry that I am unable to offer more insights on the individual sonatas. Again, I am not a piano fanatic. I just love Beethoven and the way Kempff presents his piano pieces.

I am no expert of beethoven's piano sonatas. I like the perfomance, even though there are others that I think I like better (Fisher, Solomon). However the sound isn't that great, it's lacking something, and I don't know what it is...I would still recommend this cd, because of the performance!