Beethoven Piano Sonatas and Eroica Variations

"Perlemuter had carte blanche to record what he wanted from his repertoire for Nimbus. He chose three Beethoven sonatas – the Waldstein is on NI 5350 – and the Eroica variations, the last of which derives from a Birmingham performance. What is revealing about the Appassionata, in particular, is Perlemuter’s explicit revelation of the harmonic implications of the music, notably the left hand steps in the central movement. What may seem didactic in other hands is here a study in carefully balanced drama. One may not think of him as a Beethovenian, but clearly he approached the few works he chose to record in a spirit of precision and concentration." Jonathan Woolf Musicweb-international.com 

"In the summer of 1961, Vlado Perlemuter came to the United States for the first time, to serve as visiting professor of piano at Indiana University. I had the good fortune to be a summer student at IU that year, and I heard what turned out to be Perlemuter’s only recital in the U.S. I had never heard of the pianist before, but after the impact of that thrilling concert I became a devoted fan of the pianist, and I have collected most of his recordings—for Vox, Concert Hall, Denon, and now Nimbus…

With this release. Nimbus has now recorded all of that program I heard in Indiana: Bach’s Italian Concerto, the Beethoven “Les Adieux.” Chopin’s Etudes, Op. 25, and Ravel’s Toccata from Le Tombeau de Couperin. Perlemuter is not, I think, a very typical French pianist. He plays on the grand scale, with a big, commanding sound and sometimes highly extroverted style. His Chopin and Ravel recordings are outstanding, but I find nothing he does to be without interest. His “Appassionata” may not be the best detailed performance I have ever heard; some of the articulation is blurred, perhaps in part by Nimbus’s excessively resonant recording. But the musical insight and driving energy still come through Perlemuter’s octogenarian fingers, and the result is quite an exciting “Appassionata,” maybe not your basic recording but still one well worth owning…

Since performances like these would be well worth hearing even if they were dubbed from 78s, I wouldn’t let my reservations about Nimbus’s recording stand in the way of a wholehearted recommendation for this disc. Exceptional performances like Perlemuter’s are worth hearing even through qualified recording and despite a few blurs here and there in the “Appassionata.” I’m delighted that Nimbus continues to record Perlemuter; I’ll continue to buy everything that comes out, and I’ll see you at Newport!" © 1989 Fanfare