Smashing! I thought I had heard the pinnacle of interpretations of this sonata with Gilels’ 1970 recordings. But a thorough listening to this one makes me wonder and believe that there’s a lot more under the sun than we had taken for granted. To sum up, they are both undeniable giants, magnificent in their (very) different interpretations and it would be onerous to discuss this or that point. Both of them and If I forced to take the the liberty (pace Gilels) of praising a movement, I would go for Richter’s “Presto”. Don’t ask me to explain why. At this level any comparison is - as I’ve mentioned - onerous. But, let us say, it appeals to me …
Everything with Richter is natural: there is no “interpreting“ (such as Barenboim to ingratiate his audience - have no idea where, must have been in Argentina where he is idolized). Together with Gilels you have the the most meaningful and honest interpretations of this sonata - anywhere - (both live and recordings).
Vorsicht, Hochspannung! Auch diese frühe Beethoven-Sonate sofort als von Richter gespielt erkennba! Und sein heißer Draht strömt ohne Loch und Ausfall bis zum Schluss, ohne dass dabei die urgründigen Lyrismen verglühen würden.
I am an absolute lover of everything Richter plays. But I also am a Gilels enthusiast. Frankly, although Richter plays the last movement in a magnificent way (extraordinary!!!) . I can’t help find the overall interpretation by Gilels is superior. Maybe it was the interpretation of the first two movements that put me “off”. But, if taken as a whole, my dear Richter needs to bow to Gilels.
@@affonsosantos5729 Hello again! It is very interesting, that I would prefer Gilels in the Presto of the third movement: it is a perfect virtuosity. - But "at the whole" I like Richter more, because of his steady playing "straight ahead". That means (in the words of the German music-author Joachim Kaiser) that at every time (in every note and phrase) you can hear "the past, the present und the end of the whole sonata."
They are both supreme giants, so there will always remain a fine line, regarding preferences. Your remark will lead me to listen to both interpretations, once again, for which I thank you.
I adore Richter and Beethoven and had never heard this piece before. But I have to say I find the Presto movement really annoying. Sounds like a young piano student banging on the keyboard.
Richter is one of my three top pianists of all time. That being said, I am a complete fan of whatever he plays but, here, I feel he misses the prevalent mood of humour in the first movement. As in the triple concerto and in so many other compositions, here Beethoven let’s loose his tongue-in-cheek humour which I miss in this interpretation of the first movement. It is brilliantly played, of course, but too serious in my opinion.
