New interpretation of late sonatas
Here is an interesting news item:
Audience witnesses history in the making with new Beethoven interpretation
Gulf Islands Driftwood, Wednesday, June 28, 2006
By richard moses and dawn hage
Paul Verville, local piano teacher and, lately, musical scholar, presented to a sizeable and avid audience at ArtSpring on Saturday evening, the gist of his theories concerning Beethoven’s last three keyboard sonatas — Ops. 109, 110 and 111.
In much the same fashion as he sometimes learns to play a sonata — starting at the end and working forward — he described his discoveries regarding these three remarkable works. His first realization was that there was something not quite right about the way in which the last part of the last movement of the last sonata had been played for the last 200 years.
A lot of the complexities of the discovery soared right by some audience members: "9/16 time becoming 6/16 time then turning into 12/32 time . . . " — that sort of thing, but then he began to show us thematic ties between all three of these familiar piano pieces. He illustrated, using the piano (his own, by the way, as more familiar than the new ArtSpring Steinway) and an African drum. Things became a bit clearer. He had read, he said, that at one point Beethoven himself, in remarking on this final trio of sonatas, had muttered something like, "All in one breath." Some have imagined the composer, head bent over the keyboard, writing all three before he looked up again, and taken this to mean that perhaps they are, in fact, one long sonata with interlocking motifs which in turn are almost infinitely varied.
Verville commented that Beethoven’s publishers were less than generous with their renumeration and the payment for three sonatas would be triple the payment for one. It was fascinating as Verville shared with us some of the "editors' notes" that appear on the printed music, notes that more than once sound a distinct warning to the player that “there may be a bit of a problem here.” But apparently few have read the notes; the works are played as each teacher decides. A particular passage which is "always played" a certain way, including by Mr. Verville until recently): ba-DUM, ba-DUM, ba-DUM, etc., should actually be played (according to the markings on the score): BAH-dm, BAH-dm, BAH-dm, etc. He demonstrated; the change was astounding: a whole new slant.
After the introductory explanation of his rhythmic and thematic discoveries, Verville proceeded to perform Sonatas 109 and 110 before a short intermission and the concluding rendition of the Sonata 111 with the altered rhythmic interpretation.
The audience was spellbound as the performance flowed seamlessly with dramatic dynamic contrasts and stunning technical proficiency. Gasps were occasionally heard as examples of the earlier explanations became evident in the musical flow . . . ahhhh and yes! Verville received an almost unheard of standing ovation at the end of the first half of the concert.
The tension in the hall was palpable before the rendition of Sonata 111. The discovery in its core revolves around the variations in the second movement of this work — the new interpretation that has rocked academics in the classical music world — many of whom continue to debate the change. Verville was understandably less relaxed , but nonetheless managed to dazzle listeners both musically and technically and brought the house down. There was a sense of history in the making. The contentious variations flowed as Verville had demonstrated and — to this listener’s ear —sounded absolutely right.
The audience responded with another spontaneous ovation, demanding curtain call after curtain call until the exhausted musician finally stopped them to explain why there would be no encore.
" I've been practising nothing but these three sonatas for the last two years . . . I have no encore prepared!" The audience laughed and finally let Verville leave the stage.
Comments as listeners filed out ranged from "That was awesome!" to a visibly moved Scott Hylands proclaiming that "people like Paul Verville change the world!"
E-mail the writer: richard moses and dawn hage
Audience witnesses history in the making with new Beethoven interpretation
Gulf Islands Driftwood, Wednesday, June 28, 2006
By richard moses and dawn hage
Paul Verville, local piano teacher and, lately, musical scholar, presented to a sizeable and avid audience at ArtSpring on Saturday evening, the gist of his theories concerning Beethoven’s last three keyboard sonatas — Ops. 109, 110 and 111.
In much the same fashion as he sometimes learns to play a sonata — starting at the end and working forward — he described his discoveries regarding these three remarkable works. His first realization was that there was something not quite right about the way in which the last part of the last movement of the last sonata had been played for the last 200 years.
A lot of the complexities of the discovery soared right by some audience members: "9/16 time becoming 6/16 time then turning into 12/32 time . . . " — that sort of thing, but then he began to show us thematic ties between all three of these familiar piano pieces. He illustrated, using the piano (his own, by the way, as more familiar than the new ArtSpring Steinway) and an African drum. Things became a bit clearer. He had read, he said, that at one point Beethoven himself, in remarking on this final trio of sonatas, had muttered something like, "All in one breath." Some have imagined the composer, head bent over the keyboard, writing all three before he looked up again, and taken this to mean that perhaps they are, in fact, one long sonata with interlocking motifs which in turn are almost infinitely varied.
Verville commented that Beethoven’s publishers were less than generous with their renumeration and the payment for three sonatas would be triple the payment for one. It was fascinating as Verville shared with us some of the "editors' notes" that appear on the printed music, notes that more than once sound a distinct warning to the player that “there may be a bit of a problem here.” But apparently few have read the notes; the works are played as each teacher decides. A particular passage which is "always played" a certain way, including by Mr. Verville until recently): ba-DUM, ba-DUM, ba-DUM, etc., should actually be played (according to the markings on the score): BAH-dm, BAH-dm, BAH-dm, etc. He demonstrated; the change was astounding: a whole new slant.
After the introductory explanation of his rhythmic and thematic discoveries, Verville proceeded to perform Sonatas 109 and 110 before a short intermission and the concluding rendition of the Sonata 111 with the altered rhythmic interpretation.
The audience was spellbound as the performance flowed seamlessly with dramatic dynamic contrasts and stunning technical proficiency. Gasps were occasionally heard as examples of the earlier explanations became evident in the musical flow . . . ahhhh and yes! Verville received an almost unheard of standing ovation at the end of the first half of the concert.
The tension in the hall was palpable before the rendition of Sonata 111. The discovery in its core revolves around the variations in the second movement of this work — the new interpretation that has rocked academics in the classical music world — many of whom continue to debate the change. Verville was understandably less relaxed , but nonetheless managed to dazzle listeners both musically and technically and brought the house down. There was a sense of history in the making. The contentious variations flowed as Verville had demonstrated and — to this listener’s ear —sounded absolutely right.
The audience responded with another spontaneous ovation, demanding curtain call after curtain call until the exhausted musician finally stopped them to explain why there would be no encore.
" I've been practising nothing but these three sonatas for the last two years . . . I have no encore prepared!" The audience laughed and finally let Verville leave the stage.
Comments as listeners filed out ranged from "That was awesome!" to a visibly moved Scott Hylands proclaiming that "people like Paul Verville change the world!"
E-mail the writer: richard moses and dawn hage
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