Beethoven on the Richter scale?

[SanFranciscoBayAlien]

I love Beethoven only when his music is played with the right balance of extreme speeds and power, which is hard for me to find (at the libraries at least) many performers figuring out. His 8th sonata really gets on my nerves for example! Everybody does the first them too fast and the second theme way to slow on the first movement! Appassionata and...no12 or no14 also run into similar probelems, but Richter at least got Appassionata as best as I could imagine it (and I'm drawing out all my opinions here based on how my memory 'enhances' what I actually hear so I always get dissapointed playing the same track I thought I memorised again because it's not as tugging as my imagination made it to be-I did tell you I was born with an Ipod neurotransmitter in my brain long before the first player was invented?)! However since my repotoire of piano performers is limited to what I ramdomly pull off the shelves at the libraries, there might be someone else who was as athletically capable of matching Richters performance, hince I dubb that comparision "THe Richter Scale" for poor clevernesses sake...Could anyone recommend such a pianist or give their opinions on the performances they've heard that were attempts to be as powerful as Richters (you can give a numerical value to your opionions hint hint)?

[Sebastian]

My favourite Beethoven performer is Wilhelm Backhaus: 10/10.

[Vivaldi]

Mine would be Wilhelm Kempff on his performances of Beethoven's sonatas and piano concertos. Can't give a definitive rating though.

[samthegreat]

That's funny; I can't stand playing the second movement of the Pathetique too slowly. Even though it's a beautiful melody, I still find myself wanting to fall asleep. I like to think that I don't speed it up TOO much, and I still keep it tasteful though.

I always use the Pathetique first movement as an audition piece for musical theatre gigs, even though it's basically the polar opposite of musical style that they are looking for, because people who aren't too familiar with classical music are ALWAYS really impressed with it, both aurally and visually. =) It's worked so far.

[Vivaldi]

You've got a point regarding the tempo of the slow movement of Pathetique. I guess it's down to individual taste. But you're right in saying that too slow a tempo is a perfect remedy for insomnia.

[sixhobbits]

You could try Freidrich Gulda. I have the boxed set of him playing all Beethoven's Sonatas and Concerti. Very good. I haven't actually listened to him playing the Pathetique yet, although it's one of my favourite Beethoven Sonatas.

Sixhobbits

[GeorgeChopin]

Personally, I have Jeno Jando performing Beethoven's famous sonatas (Appassionata, Pathetique and Moonlight) and I do believe they're rather good. Especially the 3rd Movement (Presto agitato) of "Moonlight" which he performs to a great deal of "Extreme speeds and power" with the fast, crescendo of the fortissimo arpeggios followed by the sforzando of the chords.

That movement, for me, is one of the hardest of Beethoven's (not only technically, but also mentally) and for Jeno Jando to perform it in a way many other pianists have failed in is, for me, quite outstanding.

[willard3]

I have that exact Jando CD, which I got mostly for the Appassionata, which I played for my senior recital. I think he takes the last movement of it way too fast during the coda...the percussive parts are fine, but the final flourishes on the main theme become all smashed together and blurred. While technically impressive, it's not clear at all.

I haven't been able to track down the performers on impressive recordings I've heard before...the only one I can recall offhand that I own is Backhaus playing the 3rd concerto, and I feel it's too slow and rather disjointed compared to other recordings I've heard.

[iroveashe]

I'd highly recommend you to listen to Annie Fischer, Richter himself admired her and said about her: "Annie Fischer is a great artist imbued with a spirit of greatness and genuine profundity." She has a certain 'roughness' that goes well with Beethoven.

[vinteuil]

Alfred Brendel is the best. If you want power and speed though, try Maurizio Pollini's Hammerklavier.

[iroveashe]

Alfred Brendel is the best.

I like what I've heard of him but I wouldn't call him "the best". I like mainly his sound in the softer pieces but he fails to fully touch me the way some other performers do.

[Sergeï]

Piano concerti: Daniel Barenboim, Otto Klemperer. Honestly, I don't think anything will ever match the Emperor in its Barenboim version, ever.

Sonatas: Richter is good, but if you want a wild, passionate No.23, go for Maurizio Pollini. He basically hammers the piano numb, but it's astounding. It's the most subtle version ever, but once you've heard it, you tend to grow attached to it

[Aussieg0d]

I know the concertos better than the sonatas. My favourite would be Krystian Zimerman, then Brendel and Annie Fischer. Gould is not too bad either

[ergrieve]

Why don't you try listening to Richard Goode. He is especially known for his Beethoven--he is more of an intellectual performer meaning he is meticulous with his approach to the score so he doesn't tend to be too "schmaltzy" in his approach to tempi.