God help us! Little Miss Prissypants records the Liszt Sonata

Posted by Chris from Lafayette (A) on February 24, 2015 at 19:32:03

That would be Angela Hewitt (of complete Bach keyboard works notoriety). And actually, I'm surprised to say that her performances (Liszt Sonata, Liszt Dante Sonata, and the Liszt Petrarch Sonnets) are not that bad. Of course, she's already got her cheer-leading going on at the Gramophone, courtesy of disgraced reviewer (and idiot in chief) Bryce Morrison, who counts this as one of the great recordings of these works - in the Sonata, up there with the likes of Brendel, Gilels, Arrau, et al. Since Brendel, Gilels and Arrau are pretty far down on my list of preferred recordings of this work, maybe Morrison isn't that far from the truth. For me, Hewitt's is a kind of middle-of-the-pack performance, notable chiefly for the beautiful tone quality of her Faz. (I listened to the 24/44.1 download from Hyperion - very quick download without using their download manager BTW!)

So, all in all, it's not bad. But one needs only to turn to the great recordings of the Sonata, such as the ones by Khatia or Pogo (or, in a more conventional interpretation, Nojima) to see what's missing here. Hewitt's octave playing is not bad, but it's certainly not on the level of the risk and daring you hear in Khatia's performance. Those downward octave triplets in the main theme are played pretty well in Hewitt's performance, but they light up the sky in Khatia's performance! Similarly, Hewitt plays the lyrical transformation of the main theme with some evident sensitivity - but to listen to Pogo play that same section is to be in another, higher realm of expression and feeling. There are some minor quibbles I have in Hewitt's renditions of both the Sonata and the Dante Sonata (some sections of minor over-pedalling in the latter), but, as I say, its not bad - just not all that great. Maybe a 3/5.

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Topic - God help us! Little Miss Prissypants records the Liszt Sonata - Chris from Lafayette 19:32:03 02/24/15 (32)

Little Miss No-Pants on the cover... - oldmkvi 07:26:54 02/27/15 (0)

Also, please tell us how Bryce Morrison - jult52 09:38:10 02/25/15 (13)

Morrison - Amphissa 18:01:42 02/25/15 (7)

That's all very well - Chris from Lafayette 19:16:44 02/25/15 (6)

I'm afraid I completely disagree - John N 07:38:27 02/26/15 (3)

Yes - as Roy says below. . . - Chris from Lafayette 17:07:11 02/26/15 (0)

RE: I'm afraid I completely disagree - rbolaw 08:19:57 02/26/15 (1)

RE: I'm afraid I completely disagree - John N 08:39:03 02/26/15 (0)

Agree completely, except ... - rbolaw 05:47:00 02/26/15 (0)

RE: That's all very well - Amphissa 20:15:12 02/25/15 (0)

RE: Also, please tell us how Bryce Morrison - Chris from Lafayette 09:53:43 02/25/15 (4)

RE: Also, please tell us how Bryce Morrison - Amphissa 12:37:53 02/25/15 (3)

RE: Also, please tell us how Bryce Morrison - rbolaw 13:10:32 02/25/15 (0)

My understanding is. . . - Chris from Lafayette 13:06:07 02/25/15 (0)

RE: Also, please tell us how Bryce Morrison - jec01 13:03:58 02/25/15 (0)

I've been listening to Hewitt's recording of the Bach - jult52 09:37:31 02/25/15 (1)

Thanks for the comment - that's my problem with her too [nt] - Chris from Lafayette 09:42:34 02/25/15 (0)

RE: So far I'm liking the Art of Fugue - Travis 06:59:33 02/25/15 (3)

RE: I agree with that astute observation - not even any air vibrato! [nt] ;-) - Chris from Lafayette 10:15:27 02/25/15 (2)

RE: air vibrato - genungo 11:42:49 02/25/15 (1)

Very similar! [nt] ;-) - Chris from Lafayette 11:57:05 02/25/15 (0)

RE: God help us! Little Miss Prissypants records the Liszt Sonata - pbarach 03:32:08 02/25/15 (1)

RE: God help us! Little Miss Prissypants records the Liszt Sonata - Chris from Lafayette 09:39:49 02/25/15 (0)

RE: God help us! Little Miss Prissypants records the Liszt Sonata - fantja 03:31:18 02/25/15 (0)

Opinions on Daniil Trifonov…? - andy evans 00:41:57 02/25/15 (1)

(I'll try to listen to Trifonov soon - thanks for the link!) [nt] - Chris from Lafayette 09:38:29 02/25/15 (0)

Okay, I'll bite - Amphissa 21:18:02 02/24/15 (5)

Have you read her comments about Rachmaninoff? [nt] - Chris from Lafayette 23:57:03 02/24/15 (4)

I've not read her comments about anyone. Should I? [nt] - Amphissa 08:36:32 02/25/15 (3)

It would be a waste of your time - Chris from Lafayette 10:12:12 02/25/15 (2)

Okay, got it. But ?? - Amphissa 12:10:44 02/25/15 (1)

LOL! - Well, OK - She didn't criticize his attire - I'm busted! [nt] ;-) - Chris from Lafayette 13:08:53 02/25/15 (0)

God help us! Little Miss Prissypants records the Liszt Sonata

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