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Piano Board => Performance => Topic started by: russell174 on November 09, 2013, 04:48:53 AM

Title: Beethoven Sonata op 109 2nd Movement
Post by: russell174 on November 09, 2013, 04:48:53 AM

I've been studying Beethoven op 109 for a while now, then noticed something strange.  In the 2nd movt. bar 146, you would think the LH should be a simple recap of the corresponding bar 45 (transposed).  But instead, the 2nd and 3rd eighth notes are inexplicably inverted.

I checked a few other editions that all show the same reading, and was surprised not to find any commentary on this.

I also listened to a few Youtube recordings and all the ones I listened to played the reacp as you would expect, not as written.

Anyone else noticed this or can explain it?

Thanks

Title: Re: Beethoven Sonata op 109 2nd Movement
Post by: faulty_damper on November 09, 2013, 05:04:15 AM

Simple: those pianists are just making a mistake.  It goes by so fast that it really doesn't matter, does it?

Title: Re: Beethoven Sonata op 109 2nd Movement
Post by: russell174 on November 09, 2013, 05:12:00 AM

Yes, it goes by so fast, it really doesn't matter.  I was kind of curious if anyone else had noticed this, and decided (like me) to just play it wrong!

Title: Re: Beethoven Sonata op 109 2nd Movement
Post by: faulty_damper on November 09, 2013, 05:24:09 AM

Not all recordings play it wrong, btw.

Actually, a more interesting decision is the final tema mit variazioni, m200: do you play it as a chord, which is what the orig. ed. and autograph indicate, ore do you play, by analogy, it as an arpeggio?  I'm pretty certain Beethoven was right that it should be a chord and not an arpeggio.  An arpeggio lessens the impact and slows the flow down while a chord maintains the pulse and allows the arpeggio in the next measure to blossom.

Title: Re: Beethoven Sonata op 109 2nd Movement
Post by: russell174 on November 09, 2013, 05:37:10 AM

I am using the Henle edition, which has the arpeggio but notes the discrepency between the autograph and the original.  I'll try it without the arpeggio tomorrow and see how it sounds.    Actually this would make it consistent with bar 192, where the arpeggio is also ommitted.

Thanks!