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Author Topic: What's the best Beethoven Sonata?  (Read 1679 times)
thalberg
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« on: July 29, 2007, 01:47:48 AM »
Okay which one is the best and why.  Let's argue.
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michael_langlois
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« Reply #1 on: July 30, 2007, 12:24:05 AM »
Depends on if you believe in the electoral college - if not, I think Moonlight wins the popular vote.  After all, what is ratified by a majority vote, regardless of mass ignorance, is objective truth.
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jlh
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« Reply #2 on: July 30, 2007, 12:54:10 AM »
Quote from: michael_langlois on July 30, 2007, 12:24:05 AM
Depends on if you believe in the electoral college - if not, I think Moonlight wins the popular vote.  After all, what is ratified by a majority vote, regardless of mass ignorance, is objective truth.

Popular opinion does not necessarily determine the electoral college choice.  We found that out several years ago... 

Incidentally, what would be the "electoral college" in this case?  Serious pianists?  People on Piano Street?
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« Reply #3 on: July 30, 2007, 05:42:25 PM »
I have so many favourites, I don't even think it's possible to pick the 'best' sonata. I would say op27 no.1 is one of the best, in that it's so revolutionary.
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Nightscape
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« Reply #4 on: July 31, 2007, 01:09:58 AM »
This thread is off to a bizarre start.

Most pianists will pick a sonata from op.101-111, the last five of them.

I think the best one is op. 106.  I like it because it completely sums up every facet of Beethoven's writing for the piano.  The third movement, when it was originally composed, explored certain emotional depths of music that had never before touched.
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amelialw
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« Reply #5 on: July 31, 2007, 01:16:41 AM »
op.110.
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etudes
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« Reply #6 on: August 03, 2007, 11:52:24 AM »
op.53,106,111
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« Reply #7 on: August 03, 2007, 12:24:19 PM »
The best Sonata for me is op.31 no 3  (Eb major)  Cool

Why? It's full of surprise, changing moods, humor. Not as "deutsch" as many others  Cheesy
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prongated
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« Reply #8 on: August 03, 2007, 01:39:25 PM »
109 - so beautiful, that last movement
101 - beautiful
81a - beauti...

...what's the question again?
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goldentone
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« Reply #9 on: October 09, 2007, 06:13:49 AM »
I really think it comes down to a duel between opus 53 and 57.  For some reason I can't include any of the last five, even though they surpass the rest in certain ways, and are probably my favorites.  I think Beethoven's craftsmanship in opus 53 and 57 is amazing.  When I listen to them, I feel a strong sense of satisfaction, of completeness, as if the idea has been fully realized.  I think they embody unity.   
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opus57
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« Reply #10 on: October 09, 2007, 11:22:07 AM »
I won't say it, you have to guess...

Addditional Hint: Look at my nickname  Cool
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amelialw
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« Reply #11 on: October 09, 2007, 07:04:53 PM »
Op.110.

For me, Op.2 sonatas because they were written for Haydnand my teacher said that Haydn's music comes to me more naturally
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opus57
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« Reply #12 on: October 09, 2007, 11:08:57 PM »
But shouldn't you "feel" it if Haydn comes to you more naturally? I hope so...
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amelialw
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« Reply #13 on: October 11, 2007, 02:51:46 AM »
yes I do feel it myself
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« Reply #14 on: October 11, 2007, 09:53:12 AM »
I'm relieved to hear that. Then is everything ok  Wink
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dnephi
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« Reply #15 on: October 15, 2007, 10:53:47 AM »
Mine are Opp. 53 and 57.
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ronde_des_sylphes
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« Reply #16 on: October 15, 2007, 11:30:27 AM »
Objectively, I'd probably say op. 110 and op. 111, but I have a soft spot for op. 26 and op. 2 no 3 (the latter possibly because it was the first really "big" piece I learnt when I was young).
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« Reply #17 on: October 21, 2007, 02:13:26 PM »
The last 2 or 3 sonatas seem to reach deeper than all other works I know of, and seem to be on an entirely different level of philosophical, human and emotional depth.

As grand and wellconstructed as Waldstein and Appassionata may be, they fall short to those last sonatas.
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arensky
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« Reply #18 on: February 06, 2008, 11:56:24 PM »
For me,

Op.14 #1
Op.31#2
Op.101
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« Reply #19 on: February 07, 2008, 11:05:38 AM »
For me, the Pathetique has always been my favourite, for so many reasons. I forget the opus number Embarrassed, all I know is that it has an 8 and a 13 in it, and even that may not be right.
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« Reply #20 on: February 07, 2008, 01:22:47 PM »
Quote from: pianochick93 on February 07, 2008, 11:05:38 AM
For me, the Pathetique has always been my favourite, for so many reasons. I forget the opus number Embarrassed, all I know is that it has an 8 and a 13 in it, and even that may not be right.
Sonata #8, it's Op. 13.

My favorites are Opp. 53, 81a, Op. 27 No. 2, and Op. 31 No. 3.
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rhapsody4
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« Reply #21 on: February 07, 2008, 01:39:21 PM »
Op.31 No.2
Op.53
Op.106
Ok, they are all popular, but with good reason.
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dnephi
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« Reply #22 on: February 07, 2008, 01:58:55 PM »
Quote from: rhapsody4 on February 07, 2008, 01:39:21 PM
Op.31 No.2
Op.53
Op.106
Ok, they are all popular, but with good reason.
Let me know the last time you heard 106 performed live.

Cheesy

Daniel
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« Reply #23 on: February 07, 2008, 02:02:17 PM »
Quote from: dnephi on February 07, 2008, 01:58:55 PM
Let me know the last time you heard 106 performed live.

Cheesy

Daniel

My own sightreading. haha - good point, but that doesn't stop it being good! The Gilels CD of this is one of my favourite piano CD's ever.
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Petter
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« Reply #24 on: February 07, 2008, 05:10:15 PM »
Pathetique cause its never boring.
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« Reply #25 on: February 07, 2008, 08:09:30 PM »
Quote from: dnephi on February 07, 2008, 01:58:55 PM
Let me know the last time you heard 106 performed live.

Cheesy

Daniel

Van cliburn competition : Maria Mazo played that single piece for her first round(agaisnt other balanced and contrasting programs) ... and passed !
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« Reply #26 on: February 07, 2008, 09:52:50 PM »
Quote from: thierry13 on February 07, 2008, 08:09:30 PM
Van cliburn competition : Mario Mazo played that single piece for her first round(agaisnt other balanced and contrasting programs) ... and passed !

And you were there?  I mean literally hearing it performed live. 

I saw Stephen Beus play it once, and all the pianists who were there said that they had never seen it done before and that I was extremely lucky.
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« Reply #27 on: February 18, 2008, 01:20:51 PM »
tEmPesT
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thierry13
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« Reply #28 on: February 18, 2008, 03:16:15 PM »
Quote from: dnephi on February 07, 2008, 09:52:50 PM

And you were there?  I mean literally hearing it performed live. 

I saw Stephen Beus play it once, and all the pianists who were there said that they had never seen it done before and that I was extremely lucky.

Well the whole competition is on the cliburn site, so I listened to the whole thing in video streaming. It's not because people did not hear it often live that pianists are not capable of doing so. I think it is for the audience that people do not play it : most people would get bored with a nearly 20 minutes long slow movement with that much depth! Hammerklavier may be as hard as the Rach 3 to perform, I can't say it's not ... but how many times do you hear Rach 3? Kind of often... of course Hammerklavier as some more difficultys in the music, but nonetheless, I think many pianists could play it live, they simply don't.
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dnephi
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« Reply #29 on: February 18, 2008, 11:20:02 PM »
There's a difference between a live recording and seeing something performed live.

It's called "being there."

I've seen Rach 3 performed live twice.
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« Reply #30 on: February 21, 2008, 03:42:34 PM »
dont know about best, but my favorite's op. 109
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« Reply #31 on: February 21, 2008, 11:43:56 PM »
Best?  Probably Op. 111

Favorite?  Op. 109
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jlh
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« Reply #32 on: February 22, 2008, 05:12:14 AM »
Quote from: i heart xenakis on February 21, 2008, 11:43:56 PM
Best?  Probably Op. 111

Favorite?  Op. 109

Most difficult I've attempted?  Op. 111

I'm working on this sonata right now (actually auditioning with it in 2 days) and I find this to be incredibly difficult to perform.  I'm not talking about the loud fast sections either.  Those you can get working with some effective practice...  I'm talking especially about the second movement -- just to play the first few variations in an inspired way is so difficult.

I'm almost to the point where I think the fewer notes are on a page the more difficult it is to perform.  :/
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« Reply #33 on: July 14, 2008, 09:19:32 PM »
I find op. 53 absolutely perfect. It's my all-time favorite sonata. But the best would probably be op. 111.
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