Search - Beethoven, Kovacevich :: 3 Piano Sonatas

A Great Opus 111

Meath Man | SILVER SPRING, MD USA | 10/30/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is one of the finest Late Beethoven performances I've heard. Of more than ten recordings of Op. 111, (including renditions by Schnabel, Horszowski, Serkin, Kempff, Backhaus, Arrau, Badura-Skoda, Michaelangeli), the Kovacevich is
my clear favorite. The first movement is solid, granitic, powerful, sonorous, and the technical demands are well met. The Arietta is the real jewel on this disk, however. Overall, this interpretation exceeds even the wonderful 1940's Schnabel recording that was released in Phillips Great Pianists series. It's near-impossible to describe this music, so I won't try. But this is a great way to hear it.The other sonatas on this disk also are wonderfully performed. The first mov't of Op. 101 is an especially lyrical, sensitive, well-balanced interpretation. But I still enjoy Serkin's more granitic approach, and Kempff's sparkling performance of Op. 101 as well."

A great performance

Kurt Randerath | Houston, TX United States | 01/02/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is a wonderful and exciting performance of three of the greatest works in the piano repertoire. I have never heard the beautiful Arietta, last movement of Beethoven's last piano sonata op. 111, played in such a precise -every note can be heard- yet highly expressive way. One of the best records in my collection."

Following Schnabel's path?

Patrick Pierre-Louis | Delmas, Haiti | 04/19/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This performance by Kovacevich announced the spirit of the other records that were to follow. Sonata No. 27 is exquisite and the first movement of Sonata No. 28 is a miracle of emotion (con intissimo sentimento). Second and fourth movements, on the contrary, suffer from a lack of nervosity and motricity (Pollini's interpretation is still the reference) As to No. 32, Kovacevich offers a combination of Youra Guller' sonority and Pollini's articulation while sensitivity is always present. In this repertoire, I prefer Kovacevich to, say, Kempf, Arrau, Richter and to Pogorelich who suprisingly gave a superb rendering of this masterpiece. Kovacevich has developed a coherent conception of these sonatas and his interpretation is to be considered as a cornerstone . When all the sonatas will be recorded (if this spirit is preserved), we might have an actualisation of Schnabel's legacy."