I knew that Earl Wild had long cherished an ambition to record Beethoven sonatas, but given his reputation as an 'arch-virtuoso', I had rather expected a coupling of, say, the Appassionata and the Waldstein. His choice of works for this splendid LP reminds one that it is foolish to type-cast a true musician in any particular repertoire.
It is the clarity and instrumental polish that make these readings admirable. Unexpectedly, Wild plays down the caprice and quixotic changes of temperament that I had considered to be inherent in successful readings. Instead he opts for an overall balance that is conveyed with a masterful devotion to detail. Not one note is obscure either in its relative position or in its textural clarity.
The slow movement of Op. 22 is a severe test of any pianist's depth. With his beautifully weighted and velvety touch Wild tackles it with unaffected poetry. He has the line of the music within his grasp, and the movement comes off much more successfully than with many well-known Beethovenians. The finale has an air of gracious naivety.
What I missed in this record was evidence of Beethoven's quirky humour. Occasionally the pianist's poise is allowed to get the upper hand, but this is certainly preferable to trivialization. I have seldom heard the Presto finale of Op. 31 No. 3 sound so unruffled. The Bosendorfer piano is entirely responsive to the pianist's deftly articulated ornamentation, and its tone is not clangorous in fortes as is often the case.'