Thoughts on "Pathetique?"

[Greg Cherone]

This piano sonata blows me away.
Breaks my heart each time I listen.

What is Beethoven's theme,
in your opinion?


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[This message has been edited by Greg Cherone (edited 11-11-2004).]

[Peter]

It is a striking piece with a glorious melody in the 2nd movement. Great fun to play and despite its difficulties, actually one of the easier of the sonatas. Dating from 1797/8, this is the first of the sonatas to have acquired a universal popularity. The title was Beethoven's own and the influence of Dussek, Grétry and Cramer rather than Mozart is apparent. The sketches reveal that the last movement was possibly originally planned for more than one instrument - probably violin and piano.

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'Man know thyself'

[ruudp]

Originally posted by Peter:
It is a striking piece with a glorious melody in the 2nd movement. Great fun to play and despite its difficulties, actually one of the easier of the sonatas. Dating from 1797/8, this is the first of the sonatas to have acquired a universal popularity. The title was Beethoven's own and the influence of Dussek, Grétry and Cramer rather than Mozart is apparent. The sketches reveal that the last movement was possibly originally planned for more than one instrument - probably violin and piano.

Are you sure about that...the first movement seems to me too be quite difficult, about the 2nd and 3th you're right I'd say, those 2 movements aren't too hard.His sonata op.14 nr.1 seems too be a reasonable easy one aswell the one in E major.

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Music is like Blood...vital too ones well-being

[Peter]

Originally posted by ruudp:
Are you sure about that...the first movement seems to me too be quite difficult, about the 2nd and 3th you're right I'd say, those 2 movements aren't too hard.His sonata op.14 nr.1 seems too be a reasonable easy one aswell the one in E major.

Yes well it is one of the easier ones, I didn't say the easiest or that it was easy! Obviously Op.14 and Op.49 are the easiest. Of the early sonatas Op.2nr3, Op.7 and Op.10nr3 are the most difficult.

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'Man know thyself'

[Chris]

It's one of my favorites both to play and to listen to. The second movement is one of my favorite slow/second movements in all of music.

And it definately sounds harder to play than it is, which is always nice

[KyleC]

yea i like the second movement a lot. the third is also very nice. this was one of the first Beethoven Sonatas i heard and is the main reason for my interest in classical music to have started. it is, and will always be one of my favorites.

[Joy]

It will always be one of my favourite sonatas as well. I have loved the second movement since a very young age and was one of the first Beethoven pieces I heard. I also love playing the second mm. You have to put a lot of feeling in it though which can be difficult at times. The first and third movements are marvelous also. A quote about his sonata: "What the sonate pathetique became under Beethoven's hands, one had to hear over and over again, in order to recognize that it was the same piece one had known before." Beethoven Encyclopedia by Paul Nettl.

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'Truth and beauty joined'

[Ateach Asc]

Just before we all go overboard on one of the more famous of the 32 piano sonatas of genius, how many have actually heard the next one in this magnificent lineup of Beethoven's regal piano repasts?"

The Sonata #9, op 14, is just as exquisite, even if it is less hummable.

Perhaps the only way one can deal with the 32 piano sonatas is as a single complete work of music created over one of the greatest musical life spans known to date.

I would be loath to ever have to suggest that any one, or particular extract, taken from these precious gems of musical monuments is my absolute favourite, even though there are movements in these works which I do favour over the rest.

For example, what do you think of the 2nd movement taken from the 18th, or the finale of the Waldstein, or the Arietta of the 32nd?

The only advice that I would suggest on this detail is to continually move ahead. Having suddenly grown fond of one sonata, listen carefully, over and over again, to the next one, until you become fond of it.

Beethoven's absolute genius in these precious piano compositions will never disappoint you.

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Must it be? It must be!

[Gurn Blanston]

atteach,
Yes, I would have to agree with that!
"What is your favorite Beethoven sonata?"
"The one I am listening to right now!"
--- Gurn Blanston



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

The most intriguing way of discovering all of the 32 sonatas is to link to the following site...
http://www.mp3.com.au/album.asp?id=5112

Here you will find in MP3 format, playable thru Windows Media Player all of the 32 sonatas.

Suggestion... It appears that you get a better sound using the lower resolution.

Personal thanks to the mp3.com.au people in Australia for having made available to the internet this fabulous collection of works!




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There are many princes but only ONE Beethoven!

[Uniqor]

student_ham, not to be a dick, but I think a much better way to discover the sonatas is by visiting: http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio3/classica...ro/index.shtml

Peace...

[stude_ham]

Originally posted by Uniqor:
student_ham, not to be a dick, but I think a much better way to discover the sonatas is by visiting: http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio3/classica...ro/index.shtml

Peace...

Thanks very much for this link Uniqor! The sound quality, because it uses RealPlayer, is decidedly superior to the WMP sound quality used by the mp3.com.au product.

The BBC also provides a set of notes for each of the sonatas. But I'm not sure if these notes can be properly understood. For example, concerning the musical elements of Sonata #18, the following comments are noted...

The Sonata opens with a striking harmonic idea that begins on an ambiguous added-sixth chord and does not reach the tonic until the sixth bar. The falling fifth motif in the first bar becomes the motto of the first movement and provides a thematic link between the different elements of the first subject group. The scherzo, although true to its title in its playfulness, differs from what Beethoven usually means by the form - a vigorous expression of relentless energy. The melodious minuetto is contrasted with a trio composed almost wholly of chords alternating between lower and upper registers of the keyboard (later used by Saint-Saëns in his Variations on a Theme of Beethoven of 1874). The 6/8 hunting finale is in sonata form with continuous quaver movement dominating both subject groups, themselves unified by common material.

One of the practical advantages of the mp3.com.au product is that when one sonata finishes playing, another one begins automatically. Also, the sonatas are playlisted in a *shuffled* order, rather in their sequential numeric order. So there is very little need for mouse diddling and clicking every so often as the performances unfold from sonata to sonata.

In any case, the existence of at least two web sites devoted to the non-MIDI reproduction of the complete set LVB piano sonatas represents an absolute testament to the sheer magnificence of that body of music.




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There are many princes but only ONE Beethoven!

[Uniqor]

Not to be another dick ham, but Pizarro plays much "musical" if you like, than the guy on your site, whoever he is.

Oh the notes, screw them, I'm into the music.

[PDG]

Originally posted by Peter:
The sketches reveal that the last movement was possibly originally planned for more than one instrument - probably violin and piano.

Also, I believe, Beethoven's original thoughts for the 3rd mvt. were to use what became the last mvt. of the String Trio, Op.9/3.

[PDG]

Originally posted by Peter:
Yes well it is one of the easier ones, I didn't say the easiest or that it was easy! Obviously Op.14 and Op.49 are the easiest. Of the early sonatas Op.2nr3, Op.7 and Op.10nr3 are the most difficult.

Yes, Peter. With Beethoven, the player's concentration is needed most between the notes. Play them merely at face value at your peril!