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Mon, 29 Mar 1999 12:05:53 +0200 |
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Derek:
>I do know that *Schabel* liked to play on a Bechstein.
I feel that Schnabel understood better than most pianists what sound
is needed in order to perform the Beethoven sonatas. In Schnabel's time
there were no useful pianofortes yet (or should I say: anymore), so he
WAS handicapped with the available instruments. But he understood, I
think, that a certain shortness of sound, not too much legato, suits the
music best. The places where Schnabel does not manage to get it done are
typical: where Beethoven asks for legato in the basses. Even Schnabel is
not able to avoid a muddy sound here. Of course he is not helped by the
recording technique of the 30's. His second recording of the late sonatas,
done in the early 40's, is a bit better in this respect. I think that he
would have prefered to play on a pianoforte if he had lived in our time.
Frank
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