Solomon plays Beethoven Moonlight Sonata (1945 recording)

If you wish to support The Piano Files, please consider membership at my Patreon page: British pianist Solomon’s 1945 recording of Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata, the first of two interpretations he set down of the work. Solomon produced this recording in three sessions in 1945: June 21, July 9, and August 10. In 1951, he would begin recording all of the Beethoven Sonatas onto LP - a task that would come to an end, uncompleted, when he suffered a stroke in 1956. The two Sonatas which he recorded in the 78rpm era would be re-recorded, and it was the later readings that were more regularly reissued over the years. The grooves of the 78rpm discs in this earlier traversal of the Moonlight capture Solomon’s rich singing sonority marvellously well, as does the acoustic of the studio and wonderfully calibrated Steinway at EMI’s Abbey Road. Throughout this performance, one can marvel at the pianist’s gorgeous tonal palette, refined dynamic layering, and magical pedalling - how skillfully he sustains an auric glow in the first movement without ever muddying the overall texture, and at an incredibly spacious tempo! Also remarkable is his crisp articulation in the second and third movements, as well as his rhythmic buoyancy. A stunning but seldom-issued recording by one of the legendary pianists of the 20th century.