Perahia - Beethoven

[barney]

Has anyone else listened to Murray Perahia's new Beethoven recording for DG? Hammerklavier and Moonlight?
I have more than two dozen Hammerklaviers and three dozen Moonlights, and I know that many of you have far more. I say it not to show off but to give a context for my summary: These are classic Perahia - beautiful, balanced, shapely, insightful, full of integrity (and I said in the Richter thread how deeply I value that quality), but not exceptional in the way I find Schnabel or Gilels to be. And yet that evenness and purity might be a strength beyond what the other pianists I mentioned offered. Schnabel famously doesn't worry about wrong notes.
I'd be curious to hear other views.

[jbuck919]

Why on earth does anyone need three dozen versions of the Moonlight Sonata, unless they are part and parcel of some pianist's complete cycle? Every talented schoolchild can give a good performance, and that includes the not terribly difficult last movement.

[barney]

Now, now, John. We know that here at CMG we never rush to judgment!
Most of these are in sets - the Philips 200-CD set, sets dedicated to particular pianists or to Beethoven himself, or sets of the complete Beethoven sonatas. By my age I've listened to all 32 sonatas dozens of times, as I'm sure have many who post regularly here. The Moonlight wouldn't be in my top 10 Beethoven sonatas, I don't think now, though it would have been when I was just getting to know them.
Oh, and I should observe, listening to music or collecting recordings is seldom about need, it usually has more to do with passion and love. I've got 60 Emperors (counting duplications), but whose to say the next one won't turn out to be my absolute favourite?

[barney]

But, more to the point, what do you think of Perahia?

[maestrob]

I just opened and listened to Perahia's new DGG Beethoven disc and I must say I find it a winner. Barney, I basically agree with your opening post. Perahia's sense of tempo is spot-on, while I think his range of colors has deepened with maturity. I liked what I heard, and would recommend this as a five-star disc. I do hope that he'll record a complete cycle for DGG: that would be a tremendous addition to the catalog. Shame on Sony for letting him go!

[barney]

Many thanks Brian. Helpful insight about his range of colours that I may steal.