Ignaz Friedman plays Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata

A superb transfer of Ignaz Friedman's glorious September 7, 1926 recording of Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata, recorded for the Beethoven Centennial in 1927 (as can be seen on the label). Tom Jardine's spectacular transfer, graciously provided for this upload, reveals Friedman's playing with stunning fidelity in a recording made a staggering 92 years ago! This is the only full solo large-scale work recorded by Friedman (only the last two movements of Chopin's Funeral March Sonata exist) and it captures the great Polish pianist's tremendous imagination and glorious playing: a sumptuously spacious first movement, a surprisingly leisurely and sensitively nuanced second movement, and fleet third movement filled with tension and excitement. Throughout the performance, Friedman's gorgeous tonal palette, creative interplay of voices, and rhythmic vitality are on full display. What a great shame he recorded no other complete sonatas or other large-scale works! If you wish to support The Piano Files, please consider membership at my Patreon page:   / thepianofiles