Customer Reviews

Piotr Anderszewski Plays Bach: English Suite BWV 811/Beethoven: Piano Sonata Op. 110/Webern: Variations Op. 27

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This recital is extremely impressive. I've heard plenty Beethoven opus 110's so far, but Anderszewski's version may be the best of them all. His pianistic abilities are tremendous, whether it is his very wide dynamic range or a superb tonal control. It results in a breathtakingly beautiful first movement, a ferocious Allegro Molto (perhaps even too much, but you'll forgive him), and an Adagio-Fugue that is so tremendously sustained and coloured in every phrase that you could hardly wish for anything better. The Bach suite, too, has all these qualities. Many seem to prefer Perahia in this repertoire, but frankly, I find him rather dull in comparison with what Anderszewski does here. As for the Webern, these are played so convincingly that you'd hardly have trouble understanding it - I strongly agree with the Amazon reviewer here. In all, a superb disc that completely belies the cliche that we don't have really great pianists around nowadays. Already a classic!

What a pleasure to listen to this intelligent program.
Anderszewski doesn't live in the past and bring a contemporary flair to his playing: this no Gould caricature nor academic Beethoven. This is simply a sensitive musician who offers you a glimpse at the composers' genius.

Still, this is not an ego trip and he respects the style of the periods. His Bach is superb but really the Beethoven just was amazing. I did not find in his playing the hints of contriveness that in my opinion appear in his earlier recordings. Sometimes his intelligence got in the way of romantic music when a simplier approach would have carried the day. But even then Anderszewski was interesting and you may or not have agreed with him but you can't take him for a Lang Lang...

Here beethiven is everything, sensitive, brutal, modern... and one can feel a deep connection with this music for the pianist.

Let's not now forget Webern. I am not a great fan of his music but when Boulez conducts or Anderszewski the music comes alive and opens up.

My only criticism would go to the sound engineer who allowed to much reverb (natural or not) to cloud the clarity of the upper register.

The program chosen by Anderszewski and not by some gready producer shows the same ideas through a Baroque, Classical and Modern prism.

Bravo!

Andersewski is truly amazing, and anyone who loves piano and hasn't heard this CD is really missing out. Lets forget for a moment about the Bach that leads off the disc- Andersweski could well be a Bach specialist if he wanted to in my opinion, except that he's so damn good at other things as well. Let me just say that the Bach is totally excellent, as all his recorded Bach is, incidentally: check out his disc of the partitas or the french suite. Lets also not concentrate on the Webern, which ends the disc- it's also good, if an odd pairing.

The centerpiece of this disc is the Beethoven: this is the best Beethoven Op. 110 that I have ever heard, period. Andersewski has a sense of structure that I have heard in few if any pianists, and he brings his style across with just about everything I have ever heard him play. He is, for me, the best of the worlds of Brendel (for intellect) and Pollini (for emotion). His readings are always worthwhile, steady, and totally musical. Urgently recommended.

I am a person who grew up with excellent piano playing, Bach in all forms, and Beethoven, again from piano to choral. I find this album to be stuck in my CD player as I continue to find new ideas being drawn from my favorite composers. All of these pieces are part of my "mental repertoire" and yet I learn new things about them each time I listen to this disc. Piotr Anderszewski is that rare musician that can find the new in a composer without violating the composer's music.

no foolin'. i was toolin' around amazon the other night and was blown away by this dude. the way he blends those instruments and takes it up and down and then out. its the bomb. he's the real deal and i know he's going places. don't be the last one of the Bach bandwagon. he's the bishizzel!!