In 1960 Beethoven, Sonata Appassionata Op.57 Complete was in my repertoire,

I hope you add it in my page.

Kind regards
Setrak Setrakian

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Beethoven - Appassionata, Op.57 (Sontata)

I will never forget the first time I heard this demonic, passionate, furios and desperate Sonata by Beethoven. It was Myra Hess who played and she has a special place in my heart for her interpretation and she has been my reference for the Appassionata since then. Half of the first movement is present in the famous piano movie "Art of the Piano" and I have watched this sequence probably 30 times.

So, that is quite a reference and from there, I measure any performance and also yours . I have by now learnt a bit about your playing and your sometimes extreme use of dynamics. You must have fingers by steel to be able to produce that. It is amazing!

Technically, there is no doubt you handle every part of the Sonata, perhaps not always with ease but the most natural way. Your use of dynamics is about the most extreme I have ever heard and even though I believe that Beethoven was a furious man with a roaring temper, I think he kept most of it inside. Never got the love of his life, the early loss of his mother, the drinking and punishing father, his responsibility for his younger siblings, hearing problems. So I suggest that one should just hint about the demonic side fighting under the surface, never let the neast all the way out. You kind of show the beast for the audience while some restraint would be preferable if I could choose. But still, this is a marvelous performance which I suggest anyone who enter this Audition Room to listen to...several times!

Enough babbling from my side .

It is up on the site.

[quote="Setrak"]

> In 1960 Beethoven, Sonata Appassionata Op.57 Complete was in my repertoire,

Superb, wonderful interpretation.
Great and rich micro and macro dinamics; well rounded, natural, sure sound and conception.
Phrasing at the same time very sophisticated and robust.
Not far from my favourite (Richter) interpretation, and in 2nd/3rd position among
the 10/12 I know. Really a great pianism and a great pianist.

Thank you,
Sandro Bisotti.

Thank you Sandro for your nice and kind compliment, wishing you all the best.

Hello Mister Setrakian,

My brother worked with Walid AKL, did you know this pianist ?

Christophe

Hello Christophe,

For sure I know Walid AKL ,one of best performer from Lebanon, too bad he past away during open heath surgery, I have his recordings on LP,