Earl Wild's valedictory Brahms
Alex Serrano | Perrysburg, Ohio United States | 11/25/2002
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Not many people would associate Brahms with Earl Wild inmediately in spite of the fact that this is not his first recording of this music. In fact, Earl Wild made some (sadly unvailable)recordings of Brahms in the 60's. But then again, his reputation as a super-virtuoso has always been based on his seemingly effortless playing of the most complicated transcriptions in the repertoire (his live recital on the philips great pianists is extraordinary) and also his recordings of liszt and rachmaninov. But, Brahms would hardly come to mind in association with Earl Wild.
So it comes as a true revelation to hear him in this new recording well in his 80's, in full command of his legendary technique and also showing how works such as the 3rd sonata can be played and still sound fresh. And indeed, this is the performance of someone who is in no hurry, and yet manages to make everything absolutely coherent in this work which can be difficult for the performer and the listener as well. And in regards to a singing line, i surely hope younger pianists get a hold of this true lesson in legato and tone.
After some short works including intermezzos from various opus as well as rhapsodies, the other big piece on this recital is a live performance (1982) of the paganini variations. Here Earl Wild tinkers a bit with the ordering of the variations and in doing so produces a version which is much more of a concert piece than is usually heard. And the virtuosity is vintage Wild in its speed, accuracy, range of colors, and power.
Aged 87 now, i cannot help but wonder if the final word on this brilliant pianist has been said already. But judging by a recital as this, i doubt anyone will be able to dismiss Earl Wild as merely a vrituoso magician - true recognition for this master musician who obviously still has much to tell us is long overdue."
The Best on Record
Robert Thomas | Los Angeles, CA | 09/20/2004
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Earl Wild's performance of Brahms' 3rd piano sonata is jaw-dropping. I've compared it to other legendary performances of the work and it easily stands out as the most satisfying version to date.
In it's use and reuse of thematic material this sonata is unsurpassable, and Earl Wild takes great care to emphasize the important lines. Being a composer himself, Mr. Wild seems to have a true grasp on the form of this piece, and his overall pacing reflects this.
THE BIGGEST SURPRISE: Wild's reading of the sublime 2nd movement outshines even my beloved Artur Rubensteins' ultra-lush, heart-wrenching version. That scores big points in my book.
THE BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT: The smaller pieces on the album are ok, but I've heard better. Not to worry, though, because he redeems himself with a very exciting live 20 minute performance of the Paganini variations (books 1 and 2) at the end of the album. He even tinkers with the form of the piece and links books 1 and 2 as a set of continuous variations, ending with the coda of book 1, which I agree is the more effective way to end the piece.
SUMMARY: A superior perfomance, great sound quality, and the best liner notes I've ever read. Don't lend it to a friend, or you may never see it again."
Virtuoso at home in the works of Brahms
William R. Bettler | Indiana | 11/03/2008
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Earl Wild brings sensitivity, lyricism, and virtuostic fire to his interpretations of this set of Brahms piano pieces. While others capture either the virtuosity or the intellectual demands (Katchen, Kovacevich, Lupu, Cliburn) Wild seems unique in the way he combines both. The accomplishment is all the more amazing considering the piano's age (nearly 90 for all of these but a set of variations from the 1980s). I own several Wild CDs but this is my favorite. As much as I love his transcriptions, he really seems to make these pieces SING."
Track Listings (12) - Disc #1