Murray Perahia - The First Forty Years

Finally cracked open this wonderful set yesterday evening.  I started by listening to Perahia's first Beethoven sonata recording.  I had the LP of this recording which was never released on CD until now.  The CD sounded cleaner than my LP as the sfz parts weren't so clangorous as I remember them.  But maybe the SPL monitors and Yamaha receiver have something to do with that!

I've listened to a lot of late Beethoven sonatas recently, and these sonatas didn't move me as much as I remember from way back in high school.  The first movement of the fourth sonata is as ebullient as ever though.

This morning, I watched the DVD of Mozart's KV 467 and KV 595 with the Chamber Orchestra of Europe.  I've long had the CD and didn't know there was a companion video.  The conversations about the music between Perahia and Sir Denis Forman were very illuminating.  My older son said "they [the orchestra] get it right away and they're young".  Very enjoyable and educational indeed.  I have long thought KV 595 foreshadowed Mozart's own death and circumstances (it was first performed the year of his death).  The poignant Larghetto is very touching.  Perahia explores the darkness of the first movement quite thoroughly.  The bucolic last movement rondo reminds me of Brahms' second piano concerto's final movement.

Next, I listened to Chopin's 3rd Sonata.  I've listen to Valerie Tryon's recording of this beautiful sonata quite a lot and I never had Perahia's recording.  Not disappointed at all.  This was one of his first recordings shortly after his triumph at the Leeds Competition.

Next up are the Schumann Symphonic Etudes.  I once had this CD, but gave it to someone else.  I love Pollini and Anda in this music as well.

I think I take Murray Perahia for granted.  In the hard cover book included, he says he took to Beethoven quite late and he hasn't played Opus 111 yet.  I hope he does so soon and I also wonder when he'll record the Brahms Piano Concerti.  His core of Mozart, Schumann, Chopin and Brahms are shared with my own tastes.  He has played a lot of Bach of late (that is a composer I haven't fully gotten 'into' yet).  And, of course, Beethoven is always a presence!