# Help me find the perfect "Tempest" Sonata recording!



## Meaghan

I am currently working on the second movement of Beethoven's Sonata No. 17 ("Tempest"). It's an incredibly beautiful piece of music, and it's closer to being performance-ready than anything else I've been playing this summer. I've got one problem - I have yet to find a recording of it I really like! I am very picky about it, probably because the first time I read/played it I hadn't listened to any recordings and I developed my idea of how it should sound completely on my own. (Maybe a bad idea. Maybe not - maybe it has kept me from copying my favorite interpretation. Dunno.)

I haven't actually tried that many pianists yet. I've listened to Ashkenazy, Barenboim, and Schiff, but _none of them play it right_, so the hunt continues. Is there a recording of it you like? I am looking in particular for the second movement. Obscure pianists welcome. _Your_ interpretation welcome. Youtube videos appreciated, if available.


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## joen_cph

If possible, check out *Anton Kuerti*. Unusual, timings 9:00 - 10:50 - 6:43.

Some others of interest: 
*Maria Grinberg*:









A later *Richter* one of his versions with more contrasts than, say his 10-10-1965 on Brilliant Classics:





A highly eccentric one: *Dohnanyi* 1950:









PS: post edited later !


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## Il_Penseroso

Kempff, the best I've ever heard, just try this live performance :

Mov I :






Mov II :






Mov III :






and then Backhaus !

for this sonata, you really need to listen to a pianist of german traditioanl school !


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## annie

my favorites are gilels, haskil, kovacevich & lewis


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## itywltmt

At one point, I borrowed a Deutsche Grammophon CD of the sonata by Maurizio Pollini, and I thought that was pretty good. Ashkenazy is in my collection, along with a concert performance I found on the Isabella Stewart Gardner museum website (pianists' sname escapes me).


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## kv466

Meaghan said:


> I've listened to Ashkenazy, Barenboim, and Schiff, but _none of them play it right_


One of the most obvious truths I've read here so far.


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## clavichorder

Probably not the best, but a very fast interpretation and there is something compelling about its intensity, Fazil Say's third movement of Beethoven's tempest 



 Of course the complete sonata is not posted. Some people on youtube hate this performance, and sure its not classic like Kemp, which I'll have to re listen to to see if I now like it better, being a much different listener than I was back when I was way into this piece. Its a very quirky interpretation to be sure. You won't find "right" in it, but you might find an interesting spin.

Edit: I used to not like the seeming lack of precision or power in Kemps, but I must say I now much prefer it.

If you can possibly find Gilels doing it, he does everything romantic right! I don't know if he did it...


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## clavichorder

What do you know! He does do it, but I'm slightly disappointed with the beginning, it doesn't sound so flamingly passionate like he can sound




I'm sure you can find the whole sonata by him if you like this recording.

And I'm not hugely impressed by the way Schiff plays Beethoven either. Barenboim is solid but perhaps not completely satisfying. Don't know Ashkenzi's Beethoven.

Edit: I almost like Richter's straightforward way of playing it better


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## clavichorder

And both of them had a teacher in common, Heinrich Neuhaus, he does the whole thing, lets see what you think. Actually lets compare Richter and Neuhaus first movements



Love the Richter.




I like the Neuhaus to. But I want a more satisfying Gilel's esque interpretation. Perhaps Sokolov?


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## clavichorder

And Evgeny Kissin does a really nice one, the whole thing.








 



 It has that modern feel to it that the Say does but more "breathing".


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## kv466

Maybe it's because I'm a Hurricane Andrew survivor and have actually been through a tempest but experiencing the eye of a Cat 5 storm felt a lot more like this than anyone else playing it; I like some of these guys and gals, for other stuff.





What is so wrong about perfect expression and phrasing, anyway? "no cessation at all"


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## clavichorder

kv466 said:


> Maybe it's because I'm a Hurricane Andrew survivor and have actually been through a tempest but experiencing the eye of a Cat 5 storm felt a lot more like this than anyone else playing it; I like some of these guys and gals, for other stuff.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> What is so wrong about perfect expression and phrasing, anyway? "no cessation at all"


I like that speed and straightforwardness, I wouldn't have guessed Glenn Gould would be so great for this piece.


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## Ronim

Gilels, Grinberg, Nikolayeva


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## courtwick

It is rather a long time since the original posting was made. May I make suggestion for The sonata No 17.
Solomon Cutner was a fine English pianist who's career ended abruptly after a stroke that parralised his right arm. He never performed again but instead devoted the last thirty five years to teaching. He broadcast all 32 Beethoven Sonatas and this one can be found on youtube. The second movement is absolutely haunting.


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## NojaP

Beautiful, its just beautiful, thank you , posters for this great material!


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## marie louise smith

Meaghan said:


> I am currently working on the second movement of Beethoven's Sonata No. 17 ("Tempest"). It's an incredibly beautiful piece of music, and it's closer to being performance-ready than anything else I've been playing this summer. I've got one problem - I have yet to find a recording of it I really like! I am very picky about it, probably because the first time I read/played it I hadn't listened to any recordings and I developed my idea of how it should sound completely on my own. (Maybe a bad idea. Maybe not - maybe it has kept me from copying my favorite interpretation. Dunno.)
> 
> I haven't actually tried that many pianists yet. I've listened to Ashkenazy, Barenboim, and Schiff, but _none of them play it right_, so the hunt continues. Is there a recording of it you like? I am looking in particular for the second movement. Obscure pianists welcome. _Your_ interpretation welcome. Youtube videos appreciated, if available.


November 2022 I don't know if you'll ever see my response, given that 11 years have passed. But I hope you will. I played The Tempest and it was one of my most beloved/passionate etc etc favorite pieces ! played EVER. Honestly, it was too difficult for me - I'd only begun practicing in my mid 30s and had many bad habits. But when I played it for my final jury for the Uni Bflo music department, my teacher Stephen Manes told me that the the (now deceased) music history prof Jeremy Noble adored my interpretation, and that he was considered an expert in interpretations of Beethoven. Pls forgive me my self praising-this meant the world to me !!! I never found a recording that was how I would if I could (people could easily play circles around me). Magnificent pieces touch all of us to the core, and so no one ever will play it the way you conceive.......I never found ANYONE who could play The Tempest "perfectly". Some had the "perfect tempo", others the "perfect quality of sound" but some things were impossible to do "perfectly" - either the performer lost a split second in the tempo when we have jump way across they keyboard, or they botched the quality of sound ... and I came to think the beauty lies in the fact that the perfection can't/won't ever be. It's in Beethoven's/our imagination, but as written, perhaps can't be "perfectly." done...artists are always striving for perfection, but we need to remind ourselves that perfection belongs only to God, and we need to cherish the things that remind us of our longing for Him. So pls keep playing, and I'll search for recordings of the 2nd movement.


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## Rogerx

marie louise smith said:


> November 2022 I don't know if you'll ever see my response, given that 11 years have passed. But I hope you will. I played The Tempest and it was one of my most beloved/passionate etc etc favorite pieces ! played EVER. Honestly, it was too difficult for me - I'd only begun practicing in my mid 30s and had many bad habits. But when I played it for my final jury for the Uni Bflo music department, my teacher Stephen Manes told me that the the (now deceased) music history prof Jeremy Noble adored my interpretation, and that he was considered an expert in interpretations of Beethoven. Pls forgive me my self praising-this meant the world to me !!! I never found a recording that was how I would if I could (people could easily play circles around me). Magnificent pieces touch all of us to the core, and so no one ever will play it the way you conceive.......I never found ANYONE who could play The Tempest "perfectly". Some had the "perfect tempo", others the "perfect quality of sound" but some things were impossible to do "perfectly" - either the performer lost a split second in the tempo when we have jump way across they keyboard, or they botched the quality of sound ... and I came to think the beauty lies in the fact that the perfection can't/won't ever be. It's in Beethoven's/our imagination, but as written, perhaps can't be "perfectly." done...artists are always striving for perfection, but we need to remind ourselves that perfection belongs only to God, and we need to cherish the things that remind us of our longing for Him. So pls keep playing, and I'll search for recordings of the 2nd movement.


What an Inspiring answer, I do hope poster will see this one day, and Welcome to Talk Classical


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## Kreisler jr

Gelber/Denon, Kocsis/Philips
For an uncommonly fast middle movent, try Backhaus (Decca stereo) although I find him a bit prosaic, like I often do, and the fastish tempi in slow movements contribute to this impression.


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