For listeners who enjoy historical recordings, and particularly those of artists still performing today, this album is a real gem. It features a youthful (all of 22 years old)
Vladimir Ashkenazy performing the
Beethoven sonatas Opp. 53 & 111. Although a great deal of his interpretation is different between this recording and his subsequent 1997 London recording, the young
Ashkenazy still demonstrates an amazing amount of control, restraint, and wisdom in these two sonatas. Particularly in the Op. 111 Sonata --
Beethoven's final offering in the genre --
Ashkenazy rewards his listeners with an extremely mature performance with levels of introspection and melancholy rarely achieved by artists three times his age. The second-movement Arietta -- perhaps the most poignant moment in all of the sonatas -- is handled with the utmost of sensitivity and etherealness. For listeners who aren't big on historical recordings, this CD may pose problems. Although recorded in 1959, it is still presented in monaural sound, making the piano somewhat dull and lifeless at times. Balance is also a huge issue, with the bass of the piano swallowing up the treble any time the dynamics rise above mezzo piano. Still, the artistry remains intact and
Ashkenazy fans will doubtless find this album a welcome addition to their collections.