Binding: Audio CD EAN: 0028947661894 Label: Ecm Records Manufacturer: Ecm Records Number Of Discs: 1 Publisher: Ecm Records Release Date: September 30, 2008 Sales Rank: 2197 Studio: Ecm Records
Schiff surpasses himself this time around
I take my hat off to Schiff's 'Hammerklavier' Sonata, which takes off from the first bar with real passion -- a rare thing, in my experience, for this chilly pianist. He far outdoes Brendel and Gilels in imagination and breadth of vision throughout this massive work. Ricther could raise the hair on your head with his almost violent attack and intense concentration -- with him, the 'Hammerklavier' was a matter of life and death -- but Schiff isn't out to recreate Beethoven's soul struggles. He gives us a clear, honest perspective on Bethoven's wild imaginative flights while maintaining dramatic tension. If only ECMs piano sound weren't so pingy on top and wooden at the bottom. (I don't hear a sudden improvement over previous installments, although ... Read More
Penultimate perfection
This is by far Schiff's greatest achievement in the cycle to date. Every single one of previous six installments offered uneven performances. On the lower end of the spectrum sit Schiff's interpretations of the opus 2 set, conceived on an overly broad and lyrical scale. Schiff missed the joy of opus 10/2. The second movement of opus 78 was absolutely devoid of the requisite humor necessary to pull off the work. And opus 31/3 received a particularly wooden performance. On the other hand, Schiff's opus 13 was not only the highlight of the second installment of the cycle, but is also one of the most convincing interpretations of the Pathetique on disc. Like his interpretation of the Pathetique, Schiff's conception of opus 57 eschews the hysteria of so ... Read More
