Beethoven Piano Sonata No.4 in E-flat major Op.7 - Schnabel

- zeni me

I too prefer Brendel, the early and the later recordings, but I also come to Schnabel because of and from Brendel, because I know Schnabel was an important influence on Brendel and his playing. In this case, the student or follower surpassed the master. But still, I go back to the man who inspired Brendel and, to some extent, showed him a way to approach Beethoven. I come to Schnabel to see him in and for himself, but also to trace the performance and interpretation genealogy of Brendel, especially with relation to the Beethoven piano works. And of course Brendel is only one line of influence in twentieth century piano performance for Schnabel--he had such a huge influence on so many great pianists, again, particularly with relation to Beethoven: he represents an important phase in twentieth century Beethoven piano performance and interpretation. His impact on performance history is signal. We are lucky that so many of his recordings have been preserved, even if the sound quality is not always premium. So if he didn't practice much later in life and made a few mistakes on recordings--this is less significant than the totality of his entire career, the breadth of his impact, and our ability to listen to him at different phases in his career and get a glimpse of his interpretive evolution.

The grazioso finale shows Schnabel's tenderness toward the music which brings out the glory of the movement. One of my all time favorites.

Interviews w/ many great pianists reveal that many of them felt Schnabel was one of the greats and that felt they had much to learn from his interpretations . This in itself is one reason to listen to him. Those familiar w/ even a bit of the instruments history have surely heard already , before hearing him , that he was not a perfectionist in performance regarding the correct notes. It is a given. Why complain then? What is far more interesting is his playing . Too many musicians today are from a mold or cookie cutter and have no individuality having spent so much energy trying to play to please teachers w/ a surface facility that seems valued out of proportion . Schnabel only sounds like himself and only worked to reveal what he valued in the music and not what others demanded.

❤️❤️ thanks.

What an amazing Sonata..so much colour and lovely harmonies..

Really like how the third movement seems to grow out of the silence of the ending of the Largo.

To those who are talking about the mistakes and "sloppiness" of the performance, I honestly think what makes a virtuoso is the ability to be "sloppy" but still make it able to sound amazing. If we wanted "perfection" and precision, we could just program the notes into a computer with a good piano sound and have it play it for us, but I find when great musicians put their entire heart into their piece and and play it with extreme passion, not only might there be slight imperfections, but sometimes those 'mistakes' can add to the music and make us feel the passion they actually have when playing the piece.

grazie

Did I hear some tempo fluctuations?

Very clumsy and inaccurate playing in the first movement... hollow virtuosity really... the second movement without depht... No really... no movement without mistakes and emptiness... I doubtlessly prefer Brendel in this sonata... Barenboim as well...

I wonder if any pianist has ever played the largo with exact time values throughout?

Commenters have remarked about the Schnabel's playing mistakes, of which there are many. But -- at least to me -- it's so rare to find such an exciting interpretation, which cuts right to the spirit of the music, that I don't really mind. Also, Schnabel's performance is uncompromising. He plays the non-slow movements with energetic speed and, unlike almost all other pianists, refuses to slow down during the accelerated runs (with which Beethoven mercilessly bedevils performers). I like that. Even with the mistakes, this helps keep the music's dramatic impact at a high level throughout. I am very grateful for these Schnabel posts.

Non ho parole

This is the only great Schnabel recording out of the sonatas. He actually practiced for this one and it was very impressive technically. Schnabel, when he was younger, had the most amazing technique. At this age, he stopped practicing and when it came to recording the sonatas, he played almost all of them terribly. However, it is important to listen to them because of the musical ideas and even technical. He just did not practice though and was very sloppy apart from having great ideas. But Opus 7 is a glimpse into Schnabel when he was younger before he recorded. Amazing performance. If only he recorded the other sonatas like this and actually practiced the other ones.

לודוויג ואן בטהובן-סונטה מס' אופוס 7 פרק 4 במי במול מז'ור

I like the 2nd movement the best out of all his sonata's slow movements.

Pika das galáxias

is it me or can i hear the moonlight sonata in the largo?(for very brief a time)

This sonata was written in capital city of Slovakia, Bratislava in Keglevichov Palace, for the Earl Carl Keglevich's daughter Anna Lujza Keglevich or also called Babetta, he was also teaching her.

Es fantástico! Gracias por mostrar esta grabación, pues cada día es más difícil escuchar a este grandioso pianista.

With all the charm, compactness, and fluidity of early Beethoven.  He's having fun, just beginning to push the envelope.  The largo is a precursor of a lot of largos to come—so measured and peaceful.  The rondo feels as if it's over before its time, and that penultimate slip to b-natural is the prettiest of fissures, and then we slip back quietly to home.
M.V.

Great performance, many thanks for posting it