Beethoven's "Hammerklavier" Sonata - orchestrated

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Beethoven's "Hammerklavier" Sonata - orchestrated

Post by Lance » Sat Apr 13, 2024 9:34 pm

Among one of the most powerful arrangements/transcriptions of a major piano piece that I've heard is Felix Weingartner's of Beethoven's "Hammerklavier" Piano Sonata #29 in B-flat Major, Op. 106. Near as I know — or can locate — is Weingartner's own recording 1930 with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra in England originally, of course, on 78 shellacs. It has received many CD reissues, the best to be found on Naxos Historical, Lys, Tahra, and one not so great (noisy) on Pearl. I have done some quick checking but cannot find another recording of either Weingartner's arrangement or one by anyone else. It has a mind-blowing opening movement and even in the 1930 recording is favorably overpowering making me believe that Beethoven would be delighted. (Parenthetically, the best piano version I've ever heard was by Egon Petri on Westminster, now on DGG CDs.)

Anybody know of any ORCHESTRATED recording other than Weingartner's? I would have thought CPO, in issuing Weingartner's compositions, would have included this in a modern-day recording of the Hammerklavier.
Lance G. Hill
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