Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Pianist Corner The best beethoven pianist?.....in your opinion.

I just bought my first recordings of the beethoven sonatas, and by none else then Glen Gould? Now, that I think about it I think I shoulf have bought recordings of some of the, how should I say this, "traditional" interpretations. Although I am not very knowledgeable on the subject, Glen Gould apparently has some very "interesting" interpretations on the sonatas, quite frequently going against the technicalities that Beethoven himself specified. On the other hand Glen Gould is....well....amazing.

However, I haven't heard any other recognized pianists play any beethoven sonatas, and I'm wondering who you think is the "best".

Alfred Brendel.

Also check out:

Richard Goode
Claudio Arrau
Rudolf Serkin
Wilhelm Backhaus
Arthur Schnabel
Wilhelm Kempff

Alfred Brendel, of course.

Best? But I would have to say Gould is one of the worst for Beethoven.

Some comments on the listed pianists:

Brendel is blatently modern school. Some like this and some hate it. Same with Polini. Great pianists, both of them, but not my cup of tea (any more). Bachkaus can be great, but isn't completely even (some of his were recorded in his last years). Schnabel has great ideas and horrible execution. Arrau plays everything so SLOW and pedantically, even when he is trying to sound romantic. Serkin has some really interesting ideas about how Beethoven should be played - his playing seems to be more instinctive than intellectual. It can sound rough around the edges, but I am entertained by his performances. Goode is a fantastic pianist. Don't overlook the Ashkenazy cycle, I like a lot of what he did.

Ryan

Anton Kuerti

::I have heard over 15 sets and kuerti is the one I always go back to. It is also brilliantly well recorded. I have never heard a recording with this kind of sound quality.

I also love Anton Kuerti for Beethoven! Though I haven't listened to any of his Beethoven CD's, I've seen him twice in concert (once for 4 sonatas, and another for Beethoven's 3rd concerto) and he's really quite amazing. For the set, I own Goode and a few parts of O'Conor. While I like both of them, Goode is definitely my preference.

I don't have many for comparison, but I have some of the O'Connor sets and, while the sound is great, I prefer the Wilhelm Kempff. I have the later Kempff recording and the sound is exceptional and the playing relatively unmannered and well executed (to my ears, anyway).

Best,

Steve O.

Ditto. The man recorded the cycle three times, for goodness sakes! I have the first recording (from the 60's), and for some reason, I keep going back to it.

I also have the Goode recording, which I think is a fine one. I've also listened to some of the later Kempff and wasn't impressed.


pqbd

Daneil Barenboim!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
extremly good beethoven player
went to his complete piano sonatas recitel last year

Daneil Barenboim!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
extremly good beethoven player
went to his complete piano sonatas recitel last year.
he is from Argentina

I have all of the recordings mentioned above and a few others...Bernard Roberts, Nat, Fischer, etc.

Were the house on fire, my ordering might be...
Goode
Kovacavich
Kempff I
Barenboim I
Russel Sherman
Annie Fischer
Kuerti
Kempff II
Brendel I
Schnabel
Roberts
Nat
O'Connor

Not recommended - Gulda

I'm still listening to the new Kovacavech. It is excellent. I think all of the above are superb -- and wouldn't argue with anyone's taking any of the above as a first choice. I'm not as wild about Gulda and later Brendels.

Ken

Kempff plays beautifully

Baremboim, the younger version, are good too

Kempff does play beautifully, but to my ear is a bit too "soft," lacking a touch of astringency or "bite" that I think the music needs at times.

Another one that hasn't been mentioned (suprisingly) is Maurizio Pollini. Not to everyone's tastes (but no-one is), though definitely worth checking out.

He's a more 'masculine' pianist, than, say, Brendel, who is very "cerebral" and subtle, which is not everyone's cup of tea.

Brendel. If he doesn't suit you, you could try God, who may perhaps be a little better, but I doubt it.

Also Kristian Zachariah, who is miraculously musical, and lyrical, and the only one in my view who might inherit the great man's mantle.

Has Claude Frank been mentioned yet?

Claude Frank's is one of the better sets out there, and IIRC, it's at budget price.

There's a 5-CD set with Rudolf Serkin on Sony, playing just over half of them. For large scale, architectonic Beethoven playing, I'd recommend Serkin.

I'd second the recommendation from Kempff, and if you're not looking for a complete set, you might want to try Perahia. I find his Beethoven refreshing--direct, bracing, and with immaculate technique. He's done most of the more popular ones, and rumor hath it, there's more coming.

I love Kempff's Beethoven; you can hear his love for the composer in his performances...

How about Annie Fisher for some wonderful Beethoven sonatas.

Murray Perahia is probably my favourite pianist. A complete set by him could be amazing.