Composer: Ludwig van Beethoven
Performer: Rudolf Serkin
Format: FLAC (tracks)
Label: Deutsche Grammophon
Catalogue: 4864935
Release: 2023
Size: 510 MB
Recovery: +3%
Scan: cover
Piano Sonata No. 21 in C major, Op. 53 ‘Waldstein’
01. I. Allegro con brio
02. II. Introduzione. Adagio molto
03. III. Rondo. Allegretto moderato – Prestissimo
Piano Sonata No. 23 in F minor, Op. 57 ‘Appassionata’
04. I. Allegro assai
05. II. Andante con moto
06. III. Allegro ma non troppo
As DG celebrates its 125th birthday this year, the label is bringing to light some great recordings from the past for the very first time, having unearthed some hidden treasures in the archives. In the first of a fascinating new series — The Lost Tapes — the Strategic Repertoire Team (formally known as the Heritage Team, formally known as the Catalogue Team) is releasing Rudolf Serkin’s final Beethoven recordings: The ‘Waldstein’ (1986) & ‘Appassionata’ (1989) sonatas. Serkin was too ill to give final approval to the tapes, while production had far advanced with even a cover already designed (the current cover is a slight adaption of the original cover for the release in the early 1990s). This historic release (which also celebrates Serkin’s 120th birthday) has been approved by Judith Serkin, the daughter of Rudolf Serkin, and herself an accomplished musician, who has also written a moving account of her father and the story behind these recordings: “My father died before he could confirm its release. It is not ‘perfect’. Nevertheless, I think it very much deserves to be shared, as it reflects so amazingly Beethoven’s — and his! — profound understanding of what it means to be human. And when one realizes that this performance comes from a man in his 80s, it is all the more formidable in its power and might.”
The “Lost Tapes” marketing device is doubtless effective, but actually, there are several recordings of Beethoven piano sonatas from the end of Rudolf Serkin’s life. This one was the very last one, and Serkin never approved its release. However, as the pianist’s daughter Judith points out in the notes, he was a perfectionist who rarely was satisfied with his recorded work. She also notes that his career spanned eras from the piano roll to the CD, and there is no question that this is a historic release. It is equally clear that Serkin had lost a step by the time he recorded the Piano Sonata No. 21 in C major, Op. 53 (“Waldstein”), in 1986, and Piano Sonata No. 23 in F sharp minor, Op. 57 (“Appassionata”), in 1989. Whether because his skills had declined further or simply because the intense “Appassionata” was a taller order, the “Waldstein” is the stronger performance here; the finale of the “Appassionata” is labored. What is near miraculous, however, is that even with diminished technical powers, these recordings are full of Serkin’s distinctive personality and style. He was among the most reserved of the great German-Austrian pianists of the 20th century, keeping to a strict tempo and unfolding details subtly in the upper layers. The finale of the “Waldstein” has a fascinating interior quality; lacking glittering double-octave runs, Serkin brings the quintessential Beethovenian narrative of adversity overcome to the work. This release is recommended for Serkin fans and lovers of historical recordings generally.