Stephen Kovacevich - Beethoven - The complete piano sonatas & Bagatelles Op. 119, Op. 1269CDs - DDD - Scans
EMI Classics 2003
Beethoven was a composer with almost too many different moods, and all are exposed in the 32 Sonatas. Someone who wants to tackle all 32 successfully should have the ability to give every piece its own voice. I think many pianists simply didn't have it, in the past as well as nowadays... And here then is Kovacevich, whose cycle I'd easily count alongside those three. I think he's in nature someone who wants to present a quite severe and angry Beethoven. But, unlike the others, he does not fall into the trap of seriousness when playing Ludwig's more humorous creations.
Kovacevich is at his best when he can create excitement. He performs lots of sonatas with much Sturm und Drang, and power, but he knows when to stop. His playing in the music is often gentle and lyrical (very faithful to Beethoven's original text by the way, unlike many others), but when Beethoven says to play `fortissimo' or `agitato', Kovacevich really does so, that's all. --Amazon customer
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