Donald Satz [[log in to unmask]] wrote:

>Bernard Chasan writes:
>
>>I am usually not inclined to list my five or ten or whatever favorite
>>works, but were somebody to threaten me with bodily harm unless I did
>>so, "Das Lied von der Erde" would be near the top.
>
>I do possess the above inclination, and here's my list:
>[List follows]

I always wondered when people produce lists, like Mr.  Satzes, hor
teporarily they actually are.  Was is the list of the day or does the
list roughly looks the same 2 months later.  I also always generally
found it difficult to put up this kind of lists..."Das Lied von der Erde"
for example is certainly on my list, but in many cases it is needed I
think also to specify the recording with the work.  For example:  Felix
Mendelssohn's 5th symphony I think certainly not belong to my top 10 list,
but when I heard Mitropoulos recording with the Bonner Sinfoniker I was
really blown away, and I certainly don't agree with the saying that this
should have been a flawed symphony....

>Beethoven - Hammerklavier Piano Sonata.

I have never understood Beethovens "Hammerklavier", I consider it maybe his
most quirky work (and probably the most difficult to play of the
pianoworks).  I even think the late stringquatetts easier.  Still I am very
fascinated by it, and I would say that some (underrated but great)
pianists, like Felicja Blumenthal, has come up with performances of it that
indeed set ones imagination in motion...very few other pianists play this
sonata so it makes any sence for me att all.

Mats Norrman
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