Alban Berg Sonata op. 1 played by Alfred Brendel (1)

[EmilyMaddenMusic]

This is one of my favourite versions of this masterpiece.

[rezmogm]

He hears it! There are a few parts that are a bit rushed IMHO.

[rezmogm]

He hears it!

[GlerkyDestiny]

well that's an attractive photo.

[threviatghei]

@GlerkyDestiny It's like ---< O^O

[chrish12345]

@GlerkyDestiny which one?

[lyralary]

Brendel's version is the most beautiful.

[wistaphil]

For me, the fact that Brendel takes the repeat puts him well above Gould and Loriod (who I otherwise really like), just by not recomposing the shape of the piece by 25 percent; you all have, of course, followed the score in your critical endeavors....

[eek4rus]

@wistaphil gould observed the repeat both in his 1959 recording as well as in the 1974 version he played for bruno monsaingeon's documentary. It is only in his performance for television that he left out the repeat.

[djuit]

at least brendel worked together with Eduard Steuermann, who was the first pianist of the vienna school. i think he'll know much about this music. :)

[khbgkh]

Claiming his performance doesnt sound is not the same as claiming he has some limitations. You're just being a jackass.

[khbgkh]

Its not American logic to know that degrees of severity exist. And I'm becoming personal because It's way more fun to punch a wall than to try to teach it anything.

[DanKreiger]

@berlinzerberus i know europeans like that - some to a much greater degree - why generalize?

i guess in life there is no why - people are going to say what they are going to say and think what they are going to think. i always have hope for some sort of common understanding that we are all simply human beings trying to make civilization work.

lashing out - i've never understood it - why people disrespect each other - i've never understood that either. but alas, we're animals.

[shela2]

We know that Alban Berg is not for the vast majority so it is good to have super musicians on youtube who know the trade and have the ability ,as here to defend it , with respect.

[capedcamish]

@berlinzerberus Berg, let's not forget, was primarily a Romantic composer. He worked in a modern idiom, sure, but he was going for the heartstrings. He broke the dodecaphonic rules as often as he followed them. Brendel is playing this piece like one would a Rachmaninoff, full of dynamic contracts and harsh angles. I think his performance more than adequately captured the spirit of the piece.

[GarlandDrest]

@capedcamish You "get" berg - he made serialism his own. There are a few composers like him Dutilleux springs to mind. They fulfilled the original vision of the 12 tone system which was to create new musical possibilities. Somewhere along the line it turned into intellectual foreplay and any musical sense was lost. Berg brings the magic back with a bang

[CaptainBluebear08]

@berlinzerberus

rofl

[CaptainBluebear08]

@berlinzerberus

I know the Gould Berg record since 20 years, sir. In my Favorites I have a part of a documentary where Gould plays it. No one surpasses Gould, to be sure.

But that don't make other musicians useless. Interpretations and sounds have to differ.

peace

[Barbapippo]

What are you talking about, this is one of the best version of this masterpiece, and Brendel is a great man.