Audition: Beethoven Op. 106 Hammerklavier, Friedrich Gulda,

Friedrich Gulda (19.5.30 - 27.01.00)

Gulda recorded the Hammerklavier sonata when he was 31, on the 19th of May in the Musikverein in Vienna. This was part of a cycle of the Beethoven Sonatas recorded by Decca.

At the time he dwelt in the world of post war "old school greats" many of whom will be in this series.  These were fabulous pianists with ferocious reputations, young blood and wise old school Beethovenians with credibility on record and in concert. His technique was seldom in question in the classical field envied, but I think he spread himself too thin as he drifted in his late years more towards jazz and experimental music. He excelled in Mozart, Bach, Beethoven and Chopin, Ravel and Debussy

The piano recordings especially in big works like the Hammerklavier require a lot from the player and even more from the sound engineers.  This Decca recording (now available on Phillips) was in the early 60s and one would expect great sound.  But this recording has a significant problem - at least in the version I downloaded, the surfaces of the recording media are poor with surface noise and at least two dropouts.

In essence, in this reading Gulda is, I think, always trying to feel a innovative path in this work, but in this instance, I think the challenge was beyond him.

All the starts in confidence stride fast, fluid and fullsome. His playing is elegant, in the first movement. He is at ease and his touch is distinct and glorious, especially from bar 97, showing a wonderful fluidity. He runs into the bars from 104 with pace and a secure grip on the structure and serves us a repeat which is welcome.  At the fugato (bar 138) the music lights up helped by Gullda's a variety of touch and exquisite attention to the weight and strength of attack - it's glorious all the way to the modulations at bar 178.

Gulda imposes a strict control going forward into the recapitulation and beyond, at the transition when the false start of a new motto variation leads us into a passage where he is exquisite touch  leads (from bar 279). The second group is enchanting too.

That said Gulda doesn’t soften the final bars, this coda is brutal and Gulda stabs the accented chords all the way to the end of the movement.  He doesn’t hang around for the scherzo opening - it’s fast and fleet at the diminuendo finds him in glorious form.  He seems – it’s not timed – to be faster than in the repeat, but there's another surface noise intrusion at bar 136'ish.

The great Adagio is typically solemn and fluid. It moves well enough but by bar 24 onwards maybe before, Gulda is not convincing here, there’s a reserve and a shaky recording glitch, but it’s soon controlled. The second group is peaceful and his playing warm and clear. As the lines thicken and flourishes Gulda is superb but again there is surface noise.  After the second group Gulda, it’s very subtle and bar 144 and this seems to live in progress which seems to have stalled somewhat. From bar 163 Gulda is piercing and probing as though he’s decided to be better engaged.  The final page which concludes this movement is flowing with a delicate touch and near perfect balance.

The Largo is one of Beethoven’s most futuristic, if you will in my head, Gulda explores the uncertainty in the early bars and is mysterious but eventually gentle. At the start of the three voice fugue Gulda is distant and careful in the exposition until he rushes into the accelerator and prestissimo. When only when Beethoven leads us to the allegro (11) do we hear Gulda on firmer ground?

But we forget the Beethoven was pushing the form here, and in the same sense of exploration, Gulda was experimenting, but the the meeting of minds can only go so far though. And by bar 43 the pianist sounds less than comfortable once again. Then he composes himself at 55. Mostly Gouda is very good and throughout thoughtful but by bar 110 he slips again and something more desperate and harsher.

After the barrage of fiendish trills, Gulda's flow is so elegant is now stuttering.  The next page labelled by Tovey as treatment by augmentation) Gulda is uncomfortable again upon 91 but a few bars on and he is back to business. This section ends around bar 182 with Gulda losing focus again for a couple of pages: this is becoming tiresome. 

At the third subject - with surface noise again - at bar 250 Gulda isn’t calm a bit of a pattern of the mood rather than artistic excellence. Progress is steady thereafter for two pages more acoustic dropouts spoil this party.  The coda seems to clarify provide him with some energy and, after the poco adagio and the return of the original tempo the pianist is emboldened (bar 384).

Sadly, in this great sonata Gulda, seems less of an advocate for Beethoven in this work, but also he doesn't have the will or energy it needs. 

There are other recordings this one disappoints.

Performance (rarely exceptional) 6 out of 10

Recording (blighted) 6 out of 10

Interpretation 6 out of 10