Beethoven's Appasionata

[marc]

dear all,

I am currently studying the third movement of the third movement of Beethoven's appasionata sonata. I had some discussion with my piano teacher about the tempo. She prefers a quite slow tempo (about 110/120) and I personally enjoy a faster one. Anyway, Beethoven says : "Allegro ma non troppo" but It is perhaps less passionate with a slow tempo (?). I appreciate the fast interpretation like the one of the french pianist Yves Nat (about 150). The problem is that it is for me very difficult, and even more to play so fast !

Do you know the tempo of other famous pianists (Brendel, Serkin, Arrau, Barenboïm, Kempff, etc.)? What is your personal feeling about this?

Thank you very much for your answers and sorry for the bad english of a french pianist !

Marc

[tph]

dear all,

Do you know the tempo of other famous pianists (Brendel, Serkin, Arrau, Barenboïm, Kempff, etc.)? What is your personal feeling about this?

I have an excellent recording by the Canadian pianist Anton Kuerti, who takes the last mov't at around 112-116, and then really takes off in the Presto.  The "ma non troppo" makes for a very haunting quality.  Kuerti describes it very well in his notes:

"It is quiet but chilling, like waves in the middle of the ocean.  Over this rises a series of desolate, penetrating cries, separated by gasp-like rests.... [T]he accompaniment continues to trickle on, accumulating more and more energy like water building  up behind a dam that must eventually burst."

I guess if you can learn to play it at any speed, then you can choose your tempo according to your mood.

Votre anglais est formidable!

tph

[BuyBuy]

Richter plays it quite fast too. It's storm like

Horowitz plays a medium tempo, but when the coda starts, boy, let me tell you, you better fasten your seat belt... Now that's a coda !

[e60m5]

When I play the Appassionata myself, I feel that the last movement should indeed be played fast.

Upon hearing other interpretations of the last movement taken at slower speeds, the last movement ceases to be a terrifying storm of anger and passion and becomes pretty dull and empty.

The name "Appassionata", apparently taken with this last movement in mind, does not quite seem to fit the slow, pedestrian pace interpretations that seem to be all too common nowadays.

However, this is just my own opinion. I respect the interpretations and choices of others - when I play, however, I choose not to listen to them, and only to myself, as to how the music should be played.

My tempo I am not sure of the metronome count, but it is above 150. If anyone wants, I can find my clock speed for this piece... I'm performing it as part of a 70 minute recital later this month.

[eddie92099]

Has anyone heard Myra Hess' recording. I have the video and it is extraordinarily fast and very exciting,
Ed

[shas]

Personnlly I love how Vlandimir Ashkenazy plays it, It's the first recording I everheard and have loved it ever since along with him playing the moonlight and the Pathetique as well as the Emperers concerto and piano cocerto in G major.
I onlly wish I cauld play the Appassionata ( I envy you ghys who can). I'm curently working on the Pathetique (1st mouvment) and I must say with some diffulculty even there. I would appreciate any addvice anyone cauld give on learning it.

[pskim]

I have also heard many recordings of this wonderful sonata and I really like the interpretation of Murray Perahia.  I really like the tempo that he takes, especially the third movement.  Try and give it a listen.

[Beethoven87]

I agree with shas...  Ashkenazy does about the best Appasionata I've heard.  I can't say for sure what the tempo was, though.  I didn't really like his Waldstein, now that I think about it.  Another good one for most any Beethoven Sonata is Goode.  Especially the Waldstein...

[shas]

Man isn't Beethoven extrodinery

[Roastie_FC]

that piece is too long