I'm just back from an amazing recital by Sokolov. He played the tempest and performed the 3rd mov in a way I never heard before: he played the main theme nonlegato. The group of four notes came across as tick-tick-tick-tick rather than the usual da-da-da-dan. Moreover, he chose a modest tempo but held it precisely - practically no rubato. No delay at all in the jumps even though some are tricky.
At first it seemed bizarre but as he continued he used the full spectrum of volume with sometimes very harsh accents, without ever breaking stride. The effect was completely hypnotic, as of being carried away on a ride to an unknown destination. The main theme is quite pervasive, the same four note figure coming again and again, and eventually that created a quite sinister mood, towards the end even on the verge of horror. In the final bars the theme evaporates and in the very final notes he used some rubato, hesitating, as if the theme only left unwillingly. It seemed to take the air of the hall with it.
I've heard this sonata more times than I remember and played it myself, but never thought of the final movement as emotional high-power stuff, nor that such an effect could be achieved in that way.