Renao Vinicius wrote concerning the movements of the Hammerklavier:

>.... but the first and third are the ones that really matter.

I know a "casual" listener who likes classical-era string quartets and
symphonies.  He feels that the 1st movements and the "slow' movments are
what really counts (forget the minuets and last movements).  That doesn't
register well with me and neither does "lopping off" two movements of the
Hammerklavier.  First, it's an entire work, and if not approached that way,
loses much meaning and impact.  Second, that final movement is superb
music-making, and the transition from the 3rd to 4th movement is one of
the finest transitional passages I've ever heard.

John Dalmas wrote:

>If I had to whittle my Hammerklavier collection down to just two, I
>would choose Pollini and Ashkenazy.

Excellent selections.  If I was stranded for life on a deserted island and
had only those two Hammerklaviers, I would consider myself a fortunate man.

Bernard Chasan wrote:

>But my favorite is Peter Serkin on a piano of that era which groaned and
>grunted but somehow was marvelously touching, and set the power and poetry
>into a profoundly human setting.

I haven't thought about Serkin's Hammerklavier for a few years.  It was one
of the first cd's I ever bought; if memory serves, it was on the Pro Arte
label and had one other "late" sonata as the coupling.  I'm "embarrassed"
to report that I remember little of the recording.  Also, I have not seen
my copy for some years.  It's possible I gave it to one of my children;
I'll have to check in with them to see if it's still around.  Peter
Serkin's one of the best, and it bothers me that I may have treated the
recording like an unwanted stepchild.  What was I thinking?

This reminds me that my daughter is developing quite a liking for baroque
solo keyboard music.  Before that, she only went for early music, Puccini,
and anything by Roberto Alagna.  Now, she's borrowed my Perahia/English
Suites, Tureck Partitas (Philips), and Leonhardt English Suites.  Also,
to my surprise, she loves my Leonhardt/Sony disc of harpsichord music by
Froberger and Weckman.  The only problem is that she doesn't return any of
them to me; she's likely hoping that I will forget about them.  Actually,
I can live her keeping Perahia and Froberger/Weckman, but Tureck and
Leonhardt's Bach transcend family ties.  Another music set that I had
trouble getting back from her was the Haydn piano trios on Harmonia Mundi
(period instruments); she thought that was great too.  She sure is moving
along the classical path, and I'm proud to say that I did not try to lead
her in any direction.  It would have been pointless anyways.  My daughter
is just like me concerning "being led"; we make sure we go down a different
path.  Those "contrary" genes are very strong.

Don Satz
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