Desert Island Beethoven

[Peter]

Although we've had similar threads before and generally I'm not keen on 'favourites' I was recently looking at the BBC desert island archives and it was interesting to see the choices and who the people were making those choices - you can select just one composer and I was looking to see who had picked a Beethoven piece. Some of the choices were predictable 'Fur Elise' , 'Moonlight sonata' and quite frequently 'Ode to Joy' - it was refreshing to see though that many obviously had a wide knowledge of Beethoven.

My own top 8 Beethoven pieces which allows single movements rather than complete works:

Missa Solemnis - Gloria & Credo
Symphony no.8 - finale
String quartet Op.130
Piano concerto no.4 - 1st movt
Piano sonata in Bb Op.106 - 1st movt
Fidelio - Finale
Symphony no.3 - 2nd movt
Piano sonata Op.111 - 2nd movt

Ask me again next week and the list would probably be quite different, although I think I've picked some of my consistent favourites.

[Sorrano]

Peter, your first selection includes two movements. I really have a difficult time trying to select favorites; there are too many of them. Perhaps I would be better off just with manuscript paper and create my own music.

[Peter]

Peter, your first selection includes two movements. I really have a difficult time trying to select favorites; there are too many of them. Perhaps I would be better off just with manuscript paper and create my own music.

I know it does Sorrano - I'm allowing myself that freedom! Yes I agree it is a virtually impossible task (and perhaps pointless), but if you took it as meaning you're going on holiday next week and you can only take 8 Beethoven pieces with you. On the desert Island disk archive I noticed someone chose the 1st movt of the triple concerto - there's one for you Philip! The choice by one person of Fur elise I thought was sure to induce insanity within 2 days!

[Sorrano]

If I were going on a vacation I would select 8 Beethoven selections with which I was not very familiar. There are quite a few of them to chose from!

[Chris]

My 8 Beethoven movements:

Symphony No. 4 - First movement
Symphony No. 9 - Fourth movement
Piano Concerto No. 5 - First movement
Grosse Fuge
Violin Sonata No. 9 - First movement
Piano Sonata Op. 53 - First movement
Piano Sonata Op. 106 - Fourth movement
Fidelio - Mir ist so wunderbar

[Tony John Hearne]

Would have to include the final movement of Op 61 the Violin Concerto If videos were allowed this would have to be the live recording on YouTube with Joshua Bell and an unnamed orchestra, shot in the Far East, possibly Japan? I have watched this so many times and the sheer joyful thrill of his playing remains an overwhelming experience. Try as hard as I can though I just can't see a conductor in action - could he possibly be conducting himself ‘from the violin’ so to speak, like for example Barenboim from the piano in the five concerti?

[Sorrano]

Would have to include the final movement of Op 61 the Violin Concerto If videos were allowed this would have to be the live recording on YouTube with Joshua Bell and an unnamed orchestra, shot in the Far East, possibly Japan? I have watched this so many times and the sheer joyful thrill of his playing remains an overwhelming experience. Try as hard as I can though I just can't see a conductor in action - could he possibly be conducting himself ‘from the violin’ so to speak, like for example Barenboim from the piano in the five concerti?

Is this the one?

[YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v1ytfIArGt4[/YOUTUBE]