Did Beethoven......

[Russt45]

Does anyone know if beethoven played the fortepiano or the harpsichord most???

[stout]

My dear madame,

I am not a scholar in many things and though I open myself to ridicule(yes I think I spelled it wrong) I would say Beethoven played the Piano forte more. I am sure in his early years, as a child and on up he used the Harpsichord. But, on a more historical basis, I believe Beethoven helped the piano forte by offering suggestions in what the Piano Forte should do. I mean when we hear the piano and Beethoven's music, the volume goes from loud to soft, gentle to agitato. Harpsichords are plucked so the volume is very same. So, in all my answer to you is Beethoven probally played the piano forte more.
Regards my dear madame
Stout

[Peter]

Originally posted by Russt45:
Does anyone know if beethoven played the fortepiano or the harpsichord most???

Beethoven may well have played the Harpsichord as a child, but it is as a pianist that he made his reputation and it was for the piano that his keyboard works were written. The Op.2 Sonatas actually stated on the title page that they were for pianoforte or Harpsichord - this was done by the publishers as a means of attracting a wider market - it's quite clear from the dynamics that Beethoven fully intended these for the piano not the Harpsichord.

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'Man know thyself'

[This message has been edited by Peter (edited 04-21-2001).]