Beethoven

Got through two more Beethoven sonatas from the new CD last night -- Nos. 13 and 14, 14 being the "Moonlight." 13 is probably not one I will go back to very often. The structure is again unusual, and the second movement has something to it, but as a whole it didn't grab me. Maybe I wasn't focused enough. The Moonlight, on the other hand, is really cool. I've heard it god knows how many times, but I forgot how compact it was. The famous opening movement is less than five minutes long. Maybe that's what accounts for its popularity -- almost radio-friendly. And Schiff's interpretation really is distinctive. He plays the entire first movement with the sustain pedal down, creating a humming resonance. Combined with his relatively brisk tempo, it creates an expansive sound that is far from delicate. In the last movement, his dynamics are extreme -- he positively pounds on the keyboard in the forte sections, making it sound almost scary. Good stuff.