Sonatas for Fortepiano

[Gurn Blanston]

I was nosing around in the used CD bin today and ran across a brand new copy of 3 sonatas for fortepiano, Opp 13, 27#2 and 53, by Alexei Lubimov on a genuine 1806 Broadwood, for $5 US. Couldn't resist, and glad I didn't. This compares favorably to my ears not only to several modern versions that I have, but also to some other fortepiano versions. Ayone else heard of this chap? Are there any other sonatas in this series by him (on Erato)?


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Regards,
Gurn
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That's my opinion, I may be wrong.
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[Rod]

Originally posted by Gurn Blanston:
I was nosing around in the used CD bin today and ran across a brand new copy of 3 sonatas for fortepiano, Opp 13, 27#2 and 53, by Alexei Lubimov on a genuine 1806 Broadwood, for $5 US. Couldn't resist, and glad I didn't. This compares favorably to my ears not only to several modern versions that I have, but also to some other fortepiano versions. Ayone else heard of this chap? Are there any other sonatas in this series by him (on Erato)?

You will not be surprised to hear that I once owned this CD. On first hearing I thought it was a good effort but the Broadwood began to irritate me after a while. I much prefer the more refined sound of the Viennese pianos of the time, as do, it appears, most fortepianists with regard to Beethoven.

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

[urtextmeister]

I have always seen pictures of Beethoven's Broadwood and heard the story of how it was given to Beethoven. I just reread the excellent page of pianos at this site, but I didn't see anything about whether Beethoven liked his Broadwood.
Does anyone know what Beethoven thought of this English piano?

[Gurn Blanston]

Originally posted by urtextmeister:
I have always seen pictures of Beethoven's Broadwood and heard the story of how it was given to Beethoven. I just reread the excellent page of pianos at this site, but I didn't see anything about whether Beethoven liked his Broadwood.
Does anyone know what Beethoven thought of this English piano?

My reading indicated that he loved it sitting in the corner, and to show off to visitors. He was proud of it as an award, and of its beauty. Notice this doesn't mention the playing action or anything tactile? And he couldn't know how it sounded except with his ear trumpet resting on the top! But I think I read that he looked into having it modified into some sort of Viennese action, which obviously didn't work out!




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Regards,
Gurn
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
That's my opinion, I may be wrong.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

[Peter]

Originally posted by urtextmeister:
I have always seen pictures of Beethoven's Broadwood and heard the story of how it was given to Beethoven. I just reread the excellent page of pianos at this site, but I didn't see anything about whether Beethoven liked his Broadwood.
Does anyone know what Beethoven thought of this English piano?

His initial enthusiasm soon wore off, however we must remember he was virtually completely deaf at this time. Ludwig Reelstab provides a poignant account of this :
"This is a beautiful piano! I got it as a gift from London. Look at the name!" He pointed with his finger to the strip of wood above the keyboard."It is a wonderful present, "said Beethoven looking at me " and it has a beautiful tone," he continued turning towards the piano without taking his eyes off me. He struck a chord softly. Never will another chord pierce me to the quick with such sadness and heartbreak. He has played C major in the right hand and B natural in the bass; he looked at me steadily and repeated the false chord several times to let the mild tone of the instrument sound, and the greatest musician on earth could not hear the dissonance!"


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'Man know thyself'

[This message has been edited by Peter (edited 05-28-2004).]

[Gurn Blanston]

Originally posted by Rod:
You will not be surprised to hear that I once owned this CD. On first hearing I thought it was a good effort but the Broadwood began to irritate me after a while. I much prefer the more refined sound of the Viennese pianos of the time, as do, it appears, most fortepianists with regard to Beethoven.

Rod, no, I am not surprised at all. I do like the playing that it allows, I notice little tempo things that I never hear on a modern piano, and also like the "sustain" at the end of the first movement of Op 27 #2 is... gone! As to the sound, yes, it does jangle a bit more than the Walter repros I have heard, but not to the point of distraction, and anyway, that is the price one pays for historical accuracy. Also, I was just glad to be able to get this disk, it is the only fortepiano disk I have ever seen locally. And now, to top it off, I will be reimbursed and it will be free because I made a wager that you wouldn't like it, and I won! Life is good!




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Regards,
Gurn
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
That's my opinion, I may be wrong.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

[Rod]

Originally posted by Gurn Blanston:
As to the sound, yes, it does jangle a bit more than the Walter repros I have heard, but not to the point of distraction, and anyway, that is the price one pays for historical accuracy.

The thing is, this Broadwood is not historically important from a Beethoven perspective, whereas a Walter would be.

Originally posted by Gurn Blanston:

Also, I was just glad to be able to get this disk, it is the only fortepiano disk I have ever seen locally. And now, to top it off, I will be reimbursed and it will be free because I made a wager that you wouldn't like it, and I won! Life is good!

It is not a bad recording, I would prefer it to a Steinway effort, it is just that my taste had refined further within the fortepiano world



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

[spaceray]

I would like to read a book on Broadwood,could someone suggest one?

Muriel