Authentic page - Sonata Op.7 - 1st mov

[Peter]

Available to members
www.kingsbarn.freeserve.co.uk/authentic.html

------------------
'Man know thyself'

[Andrea]

Here's ome info I found on this sonata from "Thayer's Life of Beethoven":

The Sonata is inscribed to the Countess Babette Keglevich, one of Beethoven's pupils, who afterwards married Prince Innocenz Odescalchi in Pressburg. Nottebohm quotes the following from a letter written by a nephew of the Countess: "The Sonata was composed for her when she was still a maiden. It was one of the whims, of which he (Beethoven) had many, that, living as he did vis-a-vis, he came in morning gown, slippers and tasseled cap (Zipfelmütze) to give her lessons."...

...Thus according to Carl Czerny, Beethoven was supposed to be in love with the Countess Keglevich, and the Sonata in E-flat, Op.7 (dedicated to her) was called "Die Verliebte" ("The Maiden, or Woman, in Love").

******

Thank you again Rod for this piece. I really enjoy hearing any of Beethoven's piano works performed on period instruments. It makes me feel that I am back in time and actually hearing Beethoven playing these pieces live. The fact that I live here in Heiligenstadt makes this felling even more believable. I can close my eyes and see the flat he lived in (just up the street from me) as it was 200 years ago when he lived there. He's seated at the keyboard, and his music fills the air...heaven!

[Rod]

Originally posted by Andrea:

Thank you again Rod for this piece. I really enjoy hearing any of Beethoven's piano works performed on period instruments. It makes me feel that I am back in time and actually hearing Beethoven playing these pieces live. The fact that I live here in Heiligenstadt makes this felling even more believable. I can close my eyes and see the flat he lived in (just up the street from me) as it was 200 years ago when he lived there. He's seated at the keyboard, and his music fills the air...heaven!

It's my pleasure Andrea. This is the first time I have posted music for the authentic page played on an English piano. It has a solid sound and is quite colourful, but the overall effect is a rather rough compared to the best Viennese instruments - this is typical from my experience of the English pianos during B's time and, all things considered, I much prefer the Viennese school instruments.

Importantly Badura-Skoda plays the movement in a real con brio manner as Beethoven asks, unlike most other renditions of this piece I have heard.


------------------
"If I were but of noble birth..." - Rod Corkin

[This message has been edited by Rod (edited June 18, 2003).]

[Sorrano]

Thanks for uploading this! This is one of my old friends, that I have played from time to time (but not at that tempo!) and it sounded very good to me. I enjoyed the energy and vibrance of the performance!

[Rod]

Originally posted by Sorrano:
Thanks for uploading this! This is one of my old friends, that I have played from time to time (but not at that tempo!) and it sounded very good to me. I enjoyed the energy and vibrance of the performance!

Well Beethoven is quite clear on the tempo - Allegro molto e con brio. This should be very fast by anyone's standards. This is easily the fastest rendition I have heard, but others may know differently. I suggest this recording be the minimum standard regarding tempo for this movement, but the advantage of the fortepiano is that the sound is more transparent at quicker tempi thanks to the lighter tone, or put another way the chances of it sounding rushed will be less than is likely on a modern piano.

------------------
"If I were but of noble birth..." - Rod Corkin


[This message has been edited by Rod (edited June 19, 2003).]

[urtextmeister]

Thank you Rod for this music.
Thank you Andrea for the background. That was very interesting. It has always been my goal to work in my pajamas and slippers also and now, thanks to the internet, sometimes I do.
I agree that this is a rough sounding instrument. At times you can hear something jangling in there. Like somebody left a pair of keys on the soundboard.
This is not one of my all time favorite Beethoven pieces (does anybody find the recap a bit abrupt?), but I think the performance is very good. He certainly strips away the prettiness that modern performers add. It is just blood and guts Beethoven. What was he thinking with those low repeated chords, ff? I think this piece must have shocked a few people. The tempo that Badura-Skoda chose underscores the aggressive and startling quality of this movement. I think it is a wonderful tempo.

[Rod]

Originally posted by urtextmeister:
Thank you Rod for this music.
Thank you Andrea for the background. That was very interesting. It has always been my goal to work in my pajamas and slippers also and now, thanks to the internet, sometimes I do.
I agree that this is a rough sounding instrument. At times you can hear something jangling in there. Like somebody left a pair of keys on the soundboard.
This is not one of my all time favorite Beethoven pieces (does anybody find the recap a bit abrupt?), but I think the performance is very good. He certainly strips away the prettiness that modern performers add. It is just blood and guts Beethoven. What was he thinking with those low repeated chords, ff? I think this piece must have shocked a few people. The tempo that Badura-Skoda chose underscores the aggressive and startling quality of this movement. I think it is a wonderful tempo.

The Viennese pianos of this period are typically more refined in nature sonically. Jangling of strings (which is what you were hearing) can occur with fortepianos if you really let rip, so to speak. For some people this may be too much of an imperfection but I can live with it. It does not occur to such an extent that it becomes an annoyance.

I have a recording by Brendel and it is played in the typical manner, that is rather too prettily and moderate. In reality this is an electric piece that needs a suitably excited performance for the effect to really work.

------------------
"If I were but of noble birth..." - Rod Corkin

[This message has been edited by Rod (edited June 23, 2003).]