Originally Posted by jadis

My connections with this are truly manifold.

First thing first, I used to play this sonata as a kid

A French philosophy prof I had years later, upon learning about me knowing a thing or two about the piano and pianists, would go on and on about being friends with Brendel (for a change from his usual schtick of going on about being friends with other famous people. he wasn't lying, he was a well-known intellectual, but it wasn't easy to keep the straight face)