Only a couple of days ago i was extolling the virtues of Freddy Kempf playing this Sonata [3rd September 2012], and it was fascinating comparing the two, Barenboim is smoother, more legato, sensible speeds, more poise, maybe there's a certain degree of reticence to push Beethoven aside and stamp his own authority on the piece, Kempf is recorded better, but surprisingly even though there's nearly 40 years between the recordings, it doesn't sound like 40 years difference, this was wonderful to have a sort of intense study of this Sonata.
Daniel Barenboim is Argentinian, he is now 69, and he made this recording in 1966 [when Barenboim was 23!], the front booklet photo [by Clive Barda] shows young Barenboim with a full head of dark hair, his face and the inner workings of the piano nicely lit, the lettering is in light pastoral shades, a very nice booklet.
With Kempf it was the first movement, and that was fantastic here to, but with Barenboim it's the second movement, he treats it with hushed reverence, the four variations are so superb,
Theme [0:00-2:12], the opening notes of the theme sound a lot like Billy Joel's 'She's Always A Woman' [so that's where Beethoven got his tune!], seriously i wonder if Joel was influenced by this, the actual theme is very simple, just slowly chording out hesitant notes, but they certainly have a mesmerising quality to them.
First Variation [2:13-3:55], at first sounds similar, but it adds notes, and towards the end gets louder and more adventurous.
Second Variation [3:55-5:24], goes the next step by living things up, it makes the tune lovely, there's a real flow to it, gone are the hesitations.
Third Variation [5:24-6:48], again goes the next step, virtuosic difficulty comes to the fore, there's slow runs up and down the keyboard, and almost trills too, the treble end of the keyboard gets used a lot more, and certainly volume gets to an exciting loudness too.
Fourth Variation [6:48-8:04], almost like a coda, as the theme returns, which naturally leads into the last movement.
Here's Daniel Barenboim playing the second movement on YouTube, strangely the actual movement doesn't begin until 2:45 in.
Theme [0:00-2:12], the opening notes of the theme sound a lot like Billy Joel's 'She's Always A Woman' [so that's where Beethoven got his tune!], seriously i wonder if Joel was influenced by this, the actual theme is very simple, just slowly chording out hesitant notes, but they certainly have a mesmerising quality to them.
First Variation [2:13-3:55], at first sounds similar, but it adds notes, and towards the end gets louder and more adventurous.
Second Variation [3:55-5:24], goes the next step by living things up, it makes the tune lovely, there's a real flow to it, gone are the hesitations.
Third Variation [5:24-6:48], again goes the next step, virtuosic difficulty comes to the fore, there's slow runs up and down the keyboard, and almost trills too, the treble end of the keyboard gets used a lot more, and certainly volume gets to an exciting loudness too.
Fourth Variation [6:48-8:04], almost like a coda, as the theme returns, which naturally leads into the last movement.
Here's Daniel Barenboim playing the second movement on YouTube, strangely the actual movement doesn't begin until 2:45 in.
