Search - Wilhelm Kempff Plays Beethoven: "Hammerklavier" Piano Sonata, Op. 106/Rondo, Op. 51, No. 2 on DVD

The voice of Beethoven

Wiili | 03/22/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I know him as the voice of Beethoven. Just listen to the beautiful, lyrical and passionate rondo played by the greatest of them all, Wilhelm Kempff, and you see what I mean. You can hear Beethoven talking through him. The hammerklavier, being the hardest piano sonata Beethoven ever wrote, is also superbly played, although there are few wrong notes here and there, but once you listen to him carefuly, they don't matter anymore. It's Beethoven talking to us through Wilhelm Kempff.

This DVD is a gem in between classical DVDs. A must for every piano and Kempff fan."

Well, It Depends...

BLee | HK | 03/18/2005

(4 out of 5 stars)

"
Depending on what you are looking for.

From the camera point of view, we have depiction of the pianist's hands seen from a very comfortable angle. It is likely that the cameraman also played the piano: the photography is good for the audience who are pianists themselves. Having said that, the quality of the footage needs more to be desired. It is grainy and not well kept, and on one or two occcasions, however momentary they are, the pinanist's face was all completely in dark shadow for want of lighting... Yet, again, the sound is more than acceptable.

For those who have not heard Kempff talk, they will have a surprise here: in between the pieces, there was an interview with him where he talked about Beethoven's works. The way he talked reflected very much the way he played the piano, but with less subtleties and less gradations. Moreover, his soul spoke in his Beethoven: there is a lot of fantasy as well as spirituality. However, as far as his Hammerklvier is concerned, especially the grand monologue, some may well prefer his 50s or even his 60s DG recording. And in any event, is that what Sibelius remarked in his deathbed "playing more like a human being than a pianist"?

Last but not the least, the running time of this DVD is short: only 57 min and then there is an interposition of an interview... Having said that, for Kempff's fans like me, or any serious music lovers, they simply could not afford to skip this one."