Volume 3 of the Naxos/Schnabel Beethoven sonata cycle from the 1930s begins with the great Op. 10 No. 3, where the pianist’s fiery, headlong traversals of the outer movements crackle with passion and intelligence. Also note Schnabel’s sustained phrasing and expressive economy in the slow movement. I love how the pianist effortlessly sings out the three-against-two rhythms in the G major sonata’s first movement, and the controlled freedom with which he shapes the Andante. By contrast, he plays the companion E major sonata in a more straightforward, relatively less inflected fashion.
Acute timing and drama characterize Schnabel’s approach to the “Pathetique” sonata’s introduction, although some of the rapid passagework elsewhere is a bit flustered and rushed. While Mark Obert-Thorn’s transfers are clean and realistic, I marginally prefer the bite and brightness on top in Seth Winner’s transfers for Pearl. But the Pearl/Schnabel Beethoven Edition is only available as multi-disc sets and costs much more than Naxos’ single-disc reissues. The choice is yours.
