Search - Ludwig van Beethoven, Malcolm Sargent, London Philharmonic Orchestra :: Beethoven: Piano Concerto No. 3, Piano Concerto No. 4

Schnabel Triumphant!

Ralph J. Steinberg | New York, NY United States | 01/16/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"As we enter the 21st Century, there are some things that remain immutable. One of them is Artur Schnabel's supremacy as THE interpreter of Beethoven's piano music. I don't care how primitive the sound quality of his recordings may be (this transfer is actually very good), his is the vision of Beethoven for all time. His greatness lies not in technical virtuosity (he was lazy at practicing) but in his projection of both the architecture and the emotions and psychological underpinnings of the music. Even in the most quiet of passages, there is always a subtle tension underlying his playing that becomes thrilling with each repeated hearing. The intense conflict of the C-minor's First Movement Cadenza is alone worth the price of the set. It's double fortunate that such a fine-sounding transfer is available at such a reasonable price. I really don't know of any modern versions of these works that even approach the Schnabel performances. On to the "Emperor" Concerto, please!"