Bill Blank writes about Alfred Brendel's Beethoven:

>I'm not too familiar with his Beethoven.  I have the Schnabel and
>Goode sets and lots of individual recordings.
>
>Does anyone have comments about his recordings of Beethoven?

I should also relate that Bill considers Brendel's performance of
Beethoven's 31st Sonata "flat", although I don't know which recorded
performance he refers to.  Well, there are many folks who don't take
well to Brendel in Beethoven or other composers either; the opinion
seems to be that Brendel is too academic and lacking in exuberance.

Of course, his legendary status must mean that some people out there
really love his playing, and I am part of that grouping.  His Beethoven,
Schumann, Liszt, Mozart, etc. have been staples of my listening regime
for years now, and his Haydn is at the top of the mountain.

What's so great about him?  He ponders, improvises, and provides great
drama, subtlety, and rhetorical presentations.

I expect that when the dust settles, Brendel will be considered among
the giants of pianism while Richard Goode will be merely an historical
footnote.  Goode is excellent, but Brendel is magnificent - so is Schnabel.

Don Satz
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