Schubert 960

[Chuck Nessa]

This might be my favorite piano piece.

My all time favorite is the Schnabel.

I also like Klien, Wuerhrer and at least a couple of Rubinstein recordings as well as maybe a dozen others.

This week I broke down and ordered the Paul Badura-Skoda set of the "complete(d)" sonatas. I ignored these in when issued because he and his wife were dreaded customers in my record store in Madison, WI.

It seems Paul didn't like his playing and re-recorded the big sonatas. I have been listening and at first pass still prefer Klien for stereo.

The Rubinstein records are fascinating because one was recorded after an angry exchange with his son who just "came out".

Anyway, this sonata can be a life changing event.

 

[soulpope]

And the beat goes on ....

[HutchFan]

and 

 

and 

 

 

and

 

and . . . 

[mikeweil]

One of my favourites is this Badura-Skoda recording on a one hundred year old Bösendorfer grand piano that sounds absolutely beautiful. He played that instrument as a boy and was able to acquire it from the owner's legacy. You can hear how much he loves that piano. 

[Peter Friedman]

[Larry Kart]

Life-changing for sure. When I first heard the work, some 55 years ago, I knew right off that I'd never heard anything like it -- the measured way it unfolded in particular, if "measured" is the right word. Time was flowing in a new way.

Yes, to several recordings already mentioned, to which I'd add a sleeper -- the young Dezo Ranki (age 24), recorded in Tokyo in 1975.

 

[mjzee]

I have a Sviatoslav Richter (1961), a Lazar Berman (1980), Rubinstein from 1969 and 1965, Perahia (2002), and Vladimir Horowitz (1953), all from buying big boxed sets when they come down in price.  I'll have to pay attention to the differences.  Interesting that the shortest is the Horowitz (32:31), and the longest is the Berman (45:33).

[king ubu]

I was supposed to hear Radu Lupu play D 960 and Kreisleriana tonight ... alas he cancelled his concerts. The replacement ain't bad at all (Maria João Pires with K 332, the Pathétique and half a dozen Nocturnes and a couple of Waltzes by Chopin), but still a let down.

Anyway, this is the Rubinstein I love:

--

@soulpope What's that Regis disc by Richter? I think Regis is only a licensing label putting out stuff others produced? Is that a version that's neither on Universal (Decca, Phillips, DG whatever) and Melodiya (Brilliant)?

Regarding Paul Badura-Skoda, by re-recorded you mean that there are two recordings of some Sonatas found on RCA (now in that Sony box) @Chuck Nessa? And that recording you display @mikeweil is different from the well-known/easy-to-obtain cycles (RCA/Sony, Arcana), right? Seems not exactly easy to find. How do his Genuin discs fit in? Yet another cycle?

[king ubu]

btw, this here stands out among the recent recordings (Zimerman's D 959 is gorgeous, a bit less sure about his D 960 ... Khatia Buniatishvili is interesting, but I've yet to really sit down and listen to her latest disc with the necessary concentration):

 

[Chuck Nessa]

6 hours ago, king ubu said:

 

Regarding Paul Badura-Skoda, by re-recorded you mean that there are two recordings of some Sonatas found on RCA (now in that Sony box) @Chuck Nessa? 

 

The RCA series was recorded from 1967 to 1971. It appears Badura-Skoda re-recorded 5 of the sonatas (664, 845, 850, 959 & 960) again in 1971. These versions are included in the set as discs 10-12.

Edited May 27, 2019 by Chuck Nessa

[king ubu]

10 minutes ago, Chuck Nessa said:

The RCA series was recorded from 1967 to 1971. It appears Badura-Skoda re-recorded 5 of the sonatas (664, 845, 850, 959 & 960) again in 1971. These versions are included in the set as discs 10-12.

I see, thanks! I have that box and have wondered about that ... not sure they give that reason in the booklet, I think I searched in vain for why some sonatas are included twice.

[Mark Stryker]

On 5/25/2019 at 7:03 PM, Chuck Nessa said:

This might be my favorite piano piece.

My all time favorite is the Schnabel.

I also like Klien, Wuerhrer and at least a couple of Rubinstein recordings as well as maybe a dozen others.

This week I broke down and ordered the Paul Badura-Skoda set of the "complete(d)" sonatas. I ignored these in when issued because he and his wife were dreaded customers in my record store in Madison, WI.

It seems Paul didn't like his playing and re-recorded the big sonatas. I have been listening and at first pass still prefer Klien for stereo.

The Rubinstein records are fascinating because one was recorded after an angry exchange with his son who just "came out".

Anyway, this sonata can be a life changing event.

 

Why "dreaded"?

[soulpope]

9 hours ago, king ubu said:

What's that Regis disc by Richter? I think Regis is only a licensing label putting out stuff others produced? Is that a version that's neither on Universal (Decca, Phillips, DG whatever) and Melodiya (Brilliant)?

Recorded (D958) Schloss Klessheim, Salzburg 12-13 August 1972
(D960) Schloss Anif, Salzburg August & November 1972
Licensed via Olympia CD, London. Previously Olympia OCD 335 and later on

[mikeweil]

10 hours ago, king ubu said:

And that recording you display @mikeweil is different from the well-known/easy-to-obtain cycles (RCA/Sony, Arcana), right? Seems not exactly easy to find. 

It was an original recording for the small French Harmonic label. He also made a Debussy disc for them on the same piano. Ask the label if they still have copies: https://harmonicclassics.com - click on "inquiry" beneath the album cover.

Edited May 27, 2019 by mikeweil

[bogdan101]

Also Afanassiev on ECM.

So what were Badura-Skoda and his wife doing, return off center pressings? 

[Chuck Nessa]

1 hour ago, bogdan101 said:

Also Afanassiev on ECM.

So what were Badura-Skoda and his wife doing, return off center pressings? 

They would come in the store (alone or singly), requisition one or two clerks and hand them lists of recordings they might buy. Stacks of lps were made and after an hour or two they would select one or two. We were left to restock the piles and they expected one of the clerks to carry their package to their car.

I meant to say "together or singly". Sigh.

Edited June 11, 2019 by Chuck Nessa