It’s easiest to explain how Beethoven’s “Les Adieux” sonata comes alive in Ronald Brautigam’s hands by zeroing in on a few telling details. Notice, for example, the fortepianist’s slight elongation of the first movement’s loud sustained chords, the central movement’s unusual yet convincing alla breve sensibility, or how the finale’s edgy, forward momentum gives no quarter, and actually leaves wrong notes by the wayside. Marked dynamic contrasts and intensified melodic inflections also impart uncommon urgency throughout both of Op. 90’s essentially lyrical movements.
On a purely professional basis, Brautigam’s “Hammerklavier” cannot be faulted. He serves up the outer movements’ unwieldy counterpoint solidly and decisively, and takes sonorous advantage of his McNulty fortepiano’s unique damper and una corda pedal effects (the Fugue’s hushed D major episode, the Scherzo’s trio, and much of the slow movement). However, despite a problematic period instrument, I still prefer Peter Serkin’s early 1980s recording, which boasts generally faster tempos, more angular, nuanced phrasing, and palpable nervous energy. Just before the first-movement recapitulation, Serkin favors the “inspired misprint” A-sharp to the less jarring yet more likely correct (alas!) A-natural that Brautigam plays. As usual, BIS provides a vibrant and realistic surround-sound experience, although this disc sounds equally marvelous in conventional two-speaker stereo, and scarcely less fine via digital MP3 download.
