Authentic page mp3s - piano sonata Op.28

[Peter]

Now available to members at www.kingsbarn.freeserve.co.uk/authentic.html

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'Man know thyself'

[Rod]

Originally posted by Peter:
Now available to members at www.kingsbarn.freeserve.co.uk/authentic.html

After recent experience I inform in advance Badura-Skoda uses the moderator pedal in the Andante, though not throughout in this case. The piano used in this case is unusual and rare, originating from Prague. It still follows the Viennese school in its construction however. The keyboard span is 6 octaves and it has a total of 6 pedals.


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

[Rutradelusasa]

This sonata always leaves me wanting to hear it again and again and again, the tremolos in the first movement (not presented here) makes me feel that finally the piano could be treated as an orchestral instrument, it finally states that one piano can win over a bunch of instruments, paving the way over to the Kreutzer sonata, where the piano makes such a cover for an orchestra that one could almost say that this sonata is indeed a concerto or a sinfonia concertante, with a solo violin.

The second movement is one of the most inspired things I ever heard, when he looses the staccato in exchange for a legato on the left hand and the right hand plays a sort-of variant of the theme, with it's quick gracious notes, you can really feel that this is indeed one of the finest moments in piano writing.


Just one sugestion, could you upload the pieces with the movement number on the file name? I mean, instead of op28a and op28b, could it be op28m2 and op28m4?

[Rod]

Originally posted by Rutradelusasa:

...Just one sugestion, could you upload the pieces with the movement number on the file name? I mean, instead of op28a and op28b, could it be op28m2 and op28m4?

Well, after you download the files you can rename them yourself in any case!


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

[Rutradelusasa]

Originally posted by Rod:
Well, after you download the files you can rename them yourself in any case!

The problem is that many times I'm not sure of which movement is presented (in this case I did) there, and I guess that there are other ones who feel the same way.
It's just a thought anyway...

[Peter]

Originally posted by Rutradelusasa:
The problem is that many times I'm not sure of which movement is presented (in this case I did) there, and I guess that there are other ones who feel the same way.
It's just a thought anyway...

I think it's a good idea except most people probably wouldn't realise the significance of it - I'll add the movement numbers for you in the description next time!

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'Man know thyself'

[This message has been edited by Peter (edited February 17, 2004).]

[Andrea]

From Maynard Solomon's "Beethoven" on his Sonata, Op. 28:

"Beethoven's exploration of the possibilities of expressing new impulses and ideas in the fantasy sonata did not end in 1801; he would once again take up this thread in his later years. At this moment in his creative journey, however, Beethoven was setting himself other tasks. With the calm and ferlective Sonata, Op. 28 (Pastorale), Beethoven reverted, for the last time in his life, to the normal four-movement sonata form, with a traditional distribution of emotional weight and emphasis. Like so many of Beethoven's works which follow hard upon a dramatic achievement, opus 28 celebrates the peace that comes from the fulfillment of a difficult creative effort and withdrawls to a relative traditionalism, from which Beethoven will gain strength for a new creative surge.

Beethoven had gained the high ground of the Viennese tradition; he was now faced with the choice of endless repetition of his conquests or casting out in an uncharted direction. According to Czerny, it was soon after the composition of the Sonata in D major, Op. 28, that Beethoven said to his friend Krumpholz: "I am only a little satified with my previous works. From today on I will take a new path". Several paths lay open before Beethoven. One of these lay in the direction of Romanticism, toward the loosening and imaginative extension of Classic designs and the consolidation of an internal, probing, transcendent style. For reasons which are necessarily obscure, Beethoven chose to delay this stage of his development, perhaps because in the years around 1801 and 1802 he found within sonata form new, unexplored possibilities-thematic condensation; more intense, extended, and dramatic development; and the infusion of richer fantasy and improvisatory materials into an even more highly structured Classicism."

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Thanks again Rod for bringing some sunshine into yet another cold and rainy day here in Heiligenstadt.

[Rod]

Originally posted by Andrea:

Thanks again Rod for bringing some sunshine into yet another cold and rainy day here in Heiligenstadt.

It's sunny here today in London too, for once. Glad you think op28 is repertiore enough for you to download it ;-) !

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


[This message has been edited by Rod (edited February 18, 2004).]

[Chaszz]

Well, I'll now probably never live down that comment about repertoire. I thought I had explained it, but it will persist I suppose.

This sonata, being a little more traditional, sounds to me more suited to the fortepiano. I don't know if Badura-Skoda is the artist who played the Presto of the Moonlight, but whether or not, two of the retards here also sound artificial, and the artist seems to be banging loudly in certain places, although not producing the kind of distortion that was present on the Moonlight Presto cut. Also the instrument seems a little out of tune in the second cut at one or two points. I would say, my own opinion, that is all, that it's good on this ancient instrument but no particular advantage over the versions I've heard of this sonata on modern piano. The description is nice in pointing out that this is a work of consolidation and rest after Op. 27, and the sonata to me has some of the rich feeling I find in other of Beethoven's 'rest and consolidation' works, such as several of the even-numbered symphonies.

Is this performer really a good example of a fine fortepiano player? I know the name is well-known, and I've not heard him play before. And I'm not trying to give Rod a conniption, but really, is this great playing? Or even good playing? Again, he seems to me to bang, artificially, and some of his retards sound unfelt. I'd be interested in hearing what the pianists here think of it.

[This message has been edited by Chaszz (edited February 18, 2004).]

[Rod]

Originally posted by Chaszz:
Is this performer really a good example of a fine fortepiano player? I know the name is well-known, and I've not heard him play before. And I'm not trying to give Rod a conniption, but really, is this great playing? Or even good playing? Again, he seems to me to bang, artificially, and some of his retards sound unfelt. I'd be interested in hearing what the pianists here think of it.

[This message has been edited by Chaszz (edited February 18, 2004).]

There a no 'great' Beethoven pianists. This performance is adequate enough to demonstrate the possibilities of the piano with regard to Beethoven's music. This instrument is far from being one of the big brands of Beethoven's time but has a colour an vibrancy you don't get on a Steinway. I've lost count of the number of 'conventional' performances of this sonata that sent me to sleep.

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

[This message has been edited by Rod (edited February 19, 2004).]

[Chaszz]

Originally posted by Rod:
There a no 'great' Beethoven pianists. This performance is adequate enough to demonstrate the possibilities of the piano with regard to Beethoven's music. This instrument is far from being one of the big brands of Beethoven's time but has a colour an vibrancy you don't get on a Steinway. I've lost count of the number of 'conventional' performances of this sonata that sent me to sleep.

Leaving aside the issue of modern vs. period instrumnets, I have heard many better pianists playing Beethoven sonatas than this. I would still like to hear a comment or two from the several pianists who post on this forum.

[Chaszz]

Originally posted by Rod:
There a no 'great' Beethoven pianists. This performance is adequate enough to demonstrate the possibilities of the piano with regard to Beethoven's music. This instrument is far from being one of the big brands of Beethoven's time but has a colour an vibrancy you don't get on a Steinway. I've lost count of the number of 'conventional' performances of this sonata that sent me to sleep.

Leaving aside the issues of 1. period vs. modern pianos,and 2. who Rod would consider a great pianist, I've heard many better pianists than this playing Beethoven sonatas. I'd still like to hear a comment or two on these performances from the pianists who post on this site, if any are lurking here.




[This message has been edited by Chaszz (edited February 19, 2004).]

[Peter]

Originally posted by Chaszz:
Leaving aside the issues of 1. period vs. modern pianos,and 2. who Rod would consider a great pianist, I've heard many better pianists than this playing Beethoven sonatas. I'd still like to hear a comment or two on these performances from the pianists who post on this site, if any are lurking here.

They are - but busy teaching and redesigning this site! I honestly haven't had time to listen to this weeks offering but I will.

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'Man know thyself'

[Rod]

Originally posted by Chaszz:
Leaving aside the issues of 1. period vs. modern pianos,and 2. who Rod would consider a great pianist, I've heard many better pianists than this playing Beethoven sonatas. I'd still like to hear a comment or two on these performances from the pianists who post on this site, if any are lurking here.


[This message has been edited by Chaszz (edited February 19, 2004).]

If these 'pianists' you are seeking have no experience of the fortepiano then I fail to see how their input in particular can offer any further insight. It is hard enough to get people to comment here as it is with restricting the discussion further to just pianists! PS the piano is in tune, perhaps it is Serkin's that isn't?

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


[This message has been edited by Rod (edited February 20, 2004).]

[Chaszz]

Originally posted by Rod:
If these 'pianists' you are seeking have no experience of the fortepiano then I fail to see how their input in particular can offer any further insight. It is hard enough to get people to comment here as it is with restricting the discussion further to just pianists! PS the piano is in tune, perhaps it is Serkin's that isn't?

1. If one instrument were a tuba and the other a fortepiano then I might see the logic of this argument. When the second instrument is fairly closely related to the first, since it is in fact its descendent, I think that people who have learnt to play one are at least as qualified to comment on a performance on the other, as a listener who has learnt to play neither.

2. I wonder why it so hard to get people to comment here since you have always declared that proper period performances would prove themselves manifestly superior as soon as listened to.

3. Were we not impartial colleagues here, met in a disinterested spirit dedicated only to truth and not personal advantage, I might imagine that you were implying that I cannot tell the difference between a tuned and untuned piano. However, since this is not possible, I have banished the thought from my mind.