Donald Satz wrote:

>Philip Peters wrote:
>
>>*Never* listen to John McCabe, the *butcher* of Haydn sonatas.
>
>Well, I never have listened to John McCabe, and I don't have any particular
>interest in doing so.  But, as I remember, his reissued set of Haydn's
>piano sonatas received moderate to good reviews.  So, could Peter give us
>a little more of the "scoop" on McCabe's butchering process?

I hope you wouldn't mind if we changed *Peter* back to *Philip*? ;)

McCabe plays the notes as if they were exercises.  There is *nothing*
there, no pianism, no interpretation (if that were possible), no inspired
moments, nothing.  Rarely have I heard duller playing.  I first heard some
of the Haydn piano sonatas through McCabe and decided, after repeated
listening, that Haydn obviously was better at composing for any other
instrument.  It took me years to *rediscover* these works.  I'll never
forgive McCabe ;)

Philip