What Would You Have Requested?

[lvbfanatic]

Last night I dreamt that I was standing in a queue of people waiting to ask Beethoven, seated at a grand piano, to play on that piano, a few minutes from any work of music that he had composed.

As the queue advanced, and my turn came near, I realized much to my regret that I had forgotten the piece of music that I would have requested, and then woke up.

Now, suppose that you were in this dream like situation, and it was your turn to make that one request to Beethoven, which one of his works would you have loved to hear played by him?



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A Calm Sea and A Prosperous Voyage

[Amalie]

Hmmmm,
Probably piano concerto no. 5 'The Emperor'

or the Hammerklavier, sonata no.29, 0p.106



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~ Courage, so it be righteous, will gain all things ~

[Peter]

It would have to be an improvisation - from all accounts Beethoven was at his most inspired and sublime at such moments.

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'Man know thyself'

[Hofrat]

Originally posted by lvbfanatic:

Now, suppose that you were in this dream like situation, and it was your turn to make that one request to Beethoven, which one of his works would you have loved to hear played by him?

I would have a hard choice between his Fantasia opus 77 and his B-minor Bagetella opus 126/4.

[Florestan]

Originally posted by Hofrat:

I would have a hard choice between his Fantasia opus 77 and his B-minor Bagetella opus 126/4.

I would have had the same hard choice between the piece which turned out to be his generally most well-known: the "Moonlight" 1st movement of Op.27 no.2, and the Arietta of Op.111.

[Rutradelusasa]

Originally posted by Peter:

It would have to be an improvisation - from all accounts Beethoven was at his most inspired and sublime at such moments.

I second that! Yet, I guess I'd like him to improvise while playing a concerto, so I'd ask him to play the 4th.


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"Wer ein holdes weib errungen..."

[crisss]

I'll ask him an improvisation.

[Sorrano]

Originally posted by Peter:

It would have to be an improvisation - from all accounts Beethoven was at his most inspired and sublime at such moments.

It would be fun to give him a theme and have him improvise on that.

[Hofrat]

Originally posted by Rutradelusasa:
I'd like him to improvise while playing a concerto, so I'd ask him to play the 4th.

Well, one of my choices, the Fantasia opus 77, is suppose to be a prime example of a Beethoven improvisation.

BTW, on which fortepiano would Beethoven be performing in this dream?

[Joy]

What a dream! So many to choose from!
Well, I would ask for him to play 'The Appassionata' and then, to slow things down a bit, 'The Pathetique'(second movement particularly), and, like a few others suggested, some improvisations as well!

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'Truth and beauty joined'

[Gurn Blanston]

Originally posted by Hofrat:
Well, one of my choices, the Fantasia opus 77, is suppose to be a prime example of a Beethoven improvisation.

BTW, on which fortepiano would Beethoven be performing in this dream?

Well, I want all that! The Op 77 would top the list, but some of the bagatelles, the Appassionata, the Pathetique etc., all there! And it would have to be on the Graf, I think, since that was the one he had when Op 126 was composed. Probably the best sound too.

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Regards,
Gurn
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That's my opinion, I may be wrong.
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[This message has been edited by Gurn Blanston (edited 01-06-2005).]

[Hofrat]

Originally posted by Gurn Blanston:
And it would have to be on the Graf, I think, since that was the one he had when Op 126 was composed. Probably the best sound too.

I prefer the Broadwood. I have all of the bagatellas and the fantasia on CD with Melvyn Tan performing on Beethoven's Broadwood. Absolutely sensational!!

[Rod]

Originally posted by Hofrat:
I prefer the Broadwood. I have all of the bagatellas and the fantasia on CD with Melvyn Tan performing on Beethoven's Broadwood. Absolutely sensational!!

I have that CD, he makes an awful mess of the fantasia to my mind, but is good elsewhere. From the many recordings I've heard, I prefer any Graf to any Broadwood. I have a recording of op110 with Beethoven's Graf, but the recording is very old and of poor quality and the piano does not sound in the best condition...and i still prefer it!


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

[Hofrat]

Originally posted by Rod:
I have a recording of op110 with Beethoven's Graf, but the recording is very old and of poor quality and the piano does not sound in the best condition...and i still prefer it!

With the increasing demand for playing on period instruments, many of these historical instruments have undergone major overhauls. The Beethoven Broadwood was overhauled in the early 1990's, so Tan's recording on the Broadwood sounds infinitely better than Schiff's pre-1990 recording on the same instrument.

[Rod]

Originally posted by Hofrat:
With the increasing demand for playing on period instruments, many of these historical instruments have undergone major overhauls. The Beethoven Broadwood was overhauled in the early 1990's, so Tan's recording on the Broadwood sounds infinitely better than Schiff's pre-1990 recording on the same instrument.

I agree there. But I'm surprised there has not been a more recent recording using Beethoven's Graf, my CD was recorded in the 60s'



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