In other words, Beethoven’s Final Three Piano Sonatas, Opuses 109, 110 & 111. Recorded live in Munich in June last year, with applause removed to allow a continuous sequence, Maurizio Pollini’s approach is essentially no-nonsense – fiery and direct – but, as the slow movements testify, not without sensitivity and eloquence, each Sonata seen whole, the pianist’s head and heart, intellect and technique, in tandem for very satisfying listening. You get the music (in closely observed sound). These are not beautiful performances but deeply committed ones, free of whimsy and ego, with some jazz in track 18 (part of the Opus 111 Variations). They are found on the Yellow Label / Deutsche Grammophon 483 8250.
Beethoven 250: Pollini 109-111 [Deutsche Grammophon]
For your own pleasure and more profound feeling do you prefer Pollini’s earlier and acclaimed first recording of these three sonatas as I do? The current performances seem to lack the depth of the earlier ones, at least for me.
Thanks,
Richard Brestoff
Los Angeles, California
Hello Richard, good to hear from you in LA. The unhelpful answer to your question is, I don’t know. Just at the moment I cannot recall hearing MP’s earlier versions. Colin