Peter Serkin: Beethoven Sonatas

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
Peter Serkin's extraordinary musical lineage (grandson of Adolf Busch and son of the legendary Rudolf Serkin) hasn't given the pianist a Buddenbrooks complex. Far from it--Serkin stands on his own as a gutsy artist who can tap into traditions past at will, while remaining a probingly individual, questing voice. He is, in fact, one of the most interesting interpreters on the scene today. So, before you sigh, "not another Moonlight!" rest assured that Serkin actually has something to say with this collection of Beethoven warhorses. By programming the Moonlight's lesser-known, beguiling twin next to it (Op. 27, No. 1--sometimes facetiously called the "Sunlight"), Serkin creates the context for a larger tone poem full of variety and exploration and, especially in the slower music, premonitions of the late sonatas. Serkin can be deeply, seductively analytical, distilling the rhythmic undulations of the Moonlight's first movement into hypnotic abstraction. But he never comes across as overly cerebral, thanks to the depth of his emotional connection with the music.

In the Appassionata, Serkin immerses himself in exploring the sound world of the piece as the secret to its inner structure--just try to count how many degrees of uneasy quiet or pouncing vehemence he uses. Serkin also achieves something beyond the angry-young-man defiance of many Appassionata interpretations, hurtling at a measured--but in his hands all the more ineluctable--pace in the finale toward the grim conclusion. Two irritations: the engineering is less than adequate, with a harsh, often brittle sound in the upper register. Moreover, Serkin is a major exponent of contemporary composers, and he intriguingly coupled the music of Stefan Wolpe with the Appassionata on his concert tour during the period of this recording (1995--inexplicably held back from release until now). Does BMG really think following Serkin's own creative lead would frighten off classical fans? --Thomas May

Tracks:

Sonata quasi una fantasia, Op. 27 No. 1 In E Flat: Andante; Allegro
Sonata quasi una fantasia, Op. 27 No. 1 In E Flat: Allegro molto e vivace
Sonata quasi una fantasia, Op. 27 No. 1 In E Flat: Adagio con espressione
Sonata quasi una fantasia, Op. 27 No. 1 In E Flat: Allegro vivace
Sonata quasi una fantasia, Op. 27 No. 2 'Moonlight': Adagio sostenuto
Sonata quasi una fantasia, Op. 27 No. 2 'Moonlight': Allegretto
Sonata quasi una fantasia, Op. 27 No. 2 'Moonlight': Presto agitato
Sonata Op. 57 'Appasionata': Allegro assai; Piu allegro
Sonata Op. 57 'Appasionata': Andante con moto
Sonata Op. 57 'Appasionata': Allegro ma non troppo; Presto

Amazon.com

Peter Serkin's extraordinary musical lineage (grandson of Adolf Busch and son of the legendary Rudolf Serkin) hasn't given the pianist a Buddenbrooks complex. Far from it--Serkin stands on his own as a gutsy artist who can tap into traditions past at will, while remaining a probingly individual, questing voice. He is, in fact, one of the most interesting interpreters on the scene today. So, before you sigh, "not another Moonlight!" rest assured that Serkin actually has something to say with this collection of Beethoven warhorses. By programming the Moonlight's lesser-known, beguiling twin next to it (Op. 27, No. 1--sometimes facetiously called the "Sunlight"), Serkin creates the context for a larger tone poem full of variety and exploration and, especially in the slower music, premonitions of the late sonatas. Serkin can be deeply, seductively analytical, distilling the rhythmic undulations of the Moonlight's first movement into hypnotic abstraction. But he never comes across as overly cerebral, thanks to the depth of his emotional connection with the music.

In the Appassionata, Serkin immerses himself in exploring the sound world of the piece as the secret to its inner structure--just try to count how many degrees of uneasy quiet or pouncing vehemence he uses. Serkin also achieves something beyond the angry-young-man defiance of many Appassionata interpretations, hurtling at a measured--but in his hands all the more ineluctable--pace in the finale toward the grim conclusion. Two irritations: the engineering is less than adequate, with a harsh, often brittle sound in the upper register. Moreover, Serkin is a major exponent of contemporary composers, and he intriguingly coupled the music of Stefan Wolpe with the Appassionata on his concert tour during the period of this recording (1995--inexplicably held back from release until now). Does BMG really think following Serkin's own creative lead would frighten off classical fans? --Thomas May

Customer Reviews:

Lovely reflective moments, but Serkin's technique is a bit thick-fingered.......2006-06-14

Peter Serkin has been so good in Mozart that I was surprised to find him out of his element with Beethoven. From years ago I remember him playing the piano arrangement of the Beethoven Violin Concerto--quite a rarity then, as now. Tackling the Moonlight and Appassionata sonatas without much background (and one of the century's most renowned Beethoven specialist as a father) makes the odds mount up.

The nicest thing here is the Sonata Quasi Una Fantasia, paired in Op 27 with the much more famous Moonlight. Serkin's rhythms are a little slack at first, but his playing has a grave fantasy that suits this gentle work. Both the gravity and the fantasy extend to the first movement of the Moonlight, played very slowly and with hypnotic effect. After that, however, things work less well. Serkin's technique sounds thick-fingered in the taxing finale, and he has little passion for the Appassionata, which also seems to challenge him technically--he proceeds cauatiously over the thorny patches. I wish he had found some impetuousness for this most impetuous of pieces. In all, despite some moving moments, too much of this CD lacks fire.

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