Центр Упорный № 2 твердосплавный "CNIC" (DE2)

When I started listening to B. sonatas I didn't listen to his earlier sonatas, coz I tought they wouldn't be so incredible as the later ones ... boy I was so wrong :D

Blechacz: 00:00 – Mvt 1 06:15 – Mvt 2 13:51 – Mvt 3 16:47 – Mvt 4 Kovacevich: 23:07 – Mvt 1 (the development section is something special) 29:55 – Mvt 2 35:27 – Mvt 3 38:48 – Mvt 4 Pletnev: 45:12 – Mvt 1 52:59 – Mvt 2 59:55 – Mvt 3 1:03:30 – Mvt 4 Blechacz has an effortlessly clean, classical approach to the score: his scales are pearlescent, the chords voiced to a fault, and the tiniest details of articulation and phrasing are carefully projected (see 12:32, for instance). Kovacevich has a more earthy, mischievous approach: those bass arpeggios in the 1st movement are gulping snarls, the development (go listen to it) has Appassionata-esque pathos, and the staccati in the last movement are felt like pinpricks. The 2nd movement is taken at a tempo that is probably above the Largo indication, but is quite moving. When I bought the Pletnev I was told that this recording only existed because someone in the studio left the mikes on while Pletnev was fooling around in between takes for another recording. It’s no surprise that his rendition of the sonata is intimate, hyper-expressive, even a bit flippant. There’s loads of rubato everywhere: the opening downward octave arpeggio, the cadence-theme of the exposition, the heart-stopping moment at 54:25, the little rhythmic tugs of the Scherzo’s main theme. There’s also the entirely improvisatory approach to the Rondo’s first episode (1:04:17) and the unexpected _piano_ inserted into the otherwise stormy second episode (1:05:43). I find this kind of playing irresistible: its spontaneity and warmth is pretty compelling.

how the hell am I supposed to finger the arpeggios in 4th movement?

Ashish Xiangyi Kumar ..... what can I say other than "thank you" ? One day I'd like to shake your hand for your generous contribution. Cheers!

The finale is so amazing, harmonically-speaking! I love the fact that he utilizes enharmonic notes to modulate temporarily to another key.