Beethoven v Chopin on the piano

[AeolianHarp]

Interesting because that's generally where the fortepiano fails in comparison to the modern piano - sustaining of long notes in a slow tempo. I shall have to find time to listen in the holidays!

Well...the music was written on a fortepiano so it must be possible! How else did Beethoven write to sustain notes?

My mistake- it is Paul Badura Sokda I have downloaded playing Tempest on fortepiano- not got Ronald yet- but he's on Amazon!

Paul Badura Skoda:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZabrnBFNlhQ


Paul and Ronald are just sooooo good!!

I always prefer the fortepiano- it just sounds so much more alive to me.

And I have seen one Peter! A man had one at the Mozart opera the other week! He was tuning it in the interval- but a woman played it during the performance. He lends it out! I touched one of the keys!

[AeolianHarp]

The Allegretto- oh yes!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MZJigetGRO4

This piano is the real deal (Ronald plays a new fortepiano)- this one was made in 1810!!!

[AeolianHarp]

Well I have just listened to the Allegretto on a modern piano ( for comparison) on you tube and I do have to say that the fortepiano from 1810 I much prefer- it sounds so much more crisp and clear. The bass notes are where it is really noticeable! The beat is more driving and strong!The modern piano sounds muddy. I am just so used to listening to fortepiano now, always feels like something is missing on new pianos. And of course fortepiano players often play in the historical tunings which make a difference.

P.S Lots of Ronald on you tube playing Beethoven on fortepiano Peter! And Paul too. I hope you get to hear them- they are superb!!! Ronald playing Hammerklavier is simply incredible!!!!

[AeolianHarp]

You were so lucky to hear Haitink live! Yes, a good example of a difficult slow movement to bring across is Beethoven's D minor sonata 'Tempest' - few pianists have success with this.

Ha maybe they need to play the fortepiano on which the sonata was written on in the first place...

[AeolianHarp]

Now I am listening to Ronald playing the Tempest- got the mp3 album from Amazon!
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Beethoven-L-...+sonatas+vol+5

The slow movement is great- the bass notes rumble like a warning of the storm to come! The tension is brought out very well. I hope you get to hear this Peter! Everything I have heard Ronald play is brilliant.

[AeolianHarp]

I have now come to the way of thinking that The Tempest is one of Beethoven's greatest sonatas- perhaps of all his sonatas the 3 movements follow each other in such a logical way; you just cannot imagine anything else would have worked. I am not great at music theory- in fact I am pants at it, so forgive my beginner's descriptions, but it seems to me that the bass notes define it somehow. It is stunning to listen to! It must have knocked people's socks off back then! I bet nothing like it had ever been heard!

The first movement alternates brief moments of seeming peacefulness with extensive passages of turmoil, after some time expanding into a haunting "storm" in which the peacefulness is lost. This musical form is unusual among Beethoven sonatas to that date. Concerning the time period and style, it was thought of as an odd thing to write; a pianist's skills were demonstrated in many ways, and showing changes in tone, technique and speed efficiently many times in one movement was one of them.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piano_S...28Beethoven%29

I bet this is extremely hard to play!!!

I am comparing Paul's now with Ronald's- both are excellent- of course they are both fantastic pianists- but I do think the fortepiano is what adds to the factor!