If you were to buy one set of the complete Beethoven piano sonatas, what pianist would you choose??
Personally I would choose Emil Gilels. Although I find Schnabel's interperatation to be the best, his lack of technical mastery detracts from the experiance as a whole. Gilels in my opinion possesses a wonderful and balanced combination of technical mastery and interperative vision. Looking forward to your opinions.
2007-07-20 06:21:18 · 8 answers · asked by Anonymous in Entertainment & Music ➔ Music ➔ Classical
How about elaborating on why you prefer a certain pianist.
2007-07-20 06:37:30 · update #1
I would have to buck the trend here. You have to consider the quality of the recordings in addition to the performer.
So I would have to choose the sets by Alfred Brendel or Wilhelm Kempff. Brendel has recorded the complete sonatas twice, the later version more contemplative and cerebral.
Kempff's Beethoven is filled with nobility and beauty.
Your choice of Gilels is a good one. Schnabel's versions have long been considered definitive, but the older recording sometimes detract from the purchase. This occurs a lot these days when high quality sound from CDs is available. As an example of this compare the recordings of Debussy's music recorded definitively by Gieseking to the modern recordings by Pascal Roge.
Overall the Brendel and Kempff sets are the complete package.
2007-07-21 07:35:13 · answer #1 · answered by Malcolm D 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Emil Gilels for the early sonatas, Claudio Arrau for the central ones, Arturo Benedetti-Michelangeli for the last ones.
Pollini, Ashkenazy and Rubinstein for the concertos.
Glenn Gould for a curiosity: the piano transcription of the Pastoral Symphony.
2007-07-20 15:57:14 · answer #2 · answered by the italian 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Schnabel was extremely studious in his interpretations of LVB, but a little dry for my taste. Gilels is wonderful, but I'm not sure it's really Beethoven
I like Clifford Kurzon, Walter Gieseking (before the accident) and Rudolph Serkin. Haven't checked, but I don't know if any of those I mentioned ever did the complete cycle.
2007-07-20 15:45:44 · answer #3 · answered by glinzek 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I cannot elaborate on this. You would have to hear the difference yourself: Van Cliburn can play Piano Concerto #5 with more elegance than anyone I have heard. He is a little old in the tooth but don't we all go there?
2007-07-21 20:43:06 · answer #4 · answered by makeitright 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Claudio Arrau and Arthur Rubinstein
2007-07-20 13:24:58 · answer #5 · answered by although71 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I would say Schnabel.
2007-07-20 14:01:45 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I like Ashkenazi.
2007-07-20 13:30:16 · answer #7 · answered by Callen 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
difficult matter. search on google. that will may help!
2014-11-12 04:40:52 · answer #8 · answered by dennis 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋