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Topic: Beethoven Waldstein or Haydn sonata in C  (Read 5633 times)

Offline mingkei

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Beethoven Waldstein or Haydn sonata in C
on: November 14, 2008, 07:53:06 AM
I have played the first movt of Beethoven's Waldstein more than 15 years ago, then learned the 2nd/3rd movt. about seven years ago.

Indeed, the entire Waldstein is very difficult.

And my question is: I am planning on entering a competition next year, and I need to play a classical sonata. The waldstein seems to be good candidate since, as I already said, I played the whole thing and am very familiar with it. But still, I must say that all 3 movts are very difficult. (The 1st is extremely tough, but I have performed and competed in competitions and know that I can do fine. But then, the 3rd...full of challenges...yes, I played it through, but I think there're lots of room for improvement, and some of those improvments seem to be impossible to bring about...I mean, the challenges with trills everywhere, with how the Left/right hands should go together so to sound satisfactory, in a definite demand of an extremely good quality of touch, and with the big section before "Prestisimo", etc, etc...

Because of the concern I have for a satisfactory performance of the Waldstein, I started looking around for other classical sonata. I find Haydn's C Major Hob. 50. You know that light-hearted 1st/3rd movt, with a gorgeous 2nd movt??

I just want to hear people's opinion. Do you think I should work on the Haydn instead of the Waldstein for the competition? I know the Haydn should also have its challenges. But they seem more manageable. Of course, i don't think the Haydn is "easy", but considering that I don't have a teacher now to work with me in polishing the 3rd movt of Waldstein or giving me advice for the overall sonata, the Haydn seems to be something I have enough experience to make it sound very good on my own, but the Waldstein...I don't know. The only advantage of the waldstein, is I am familiar with it--I know the 1st movt so well that I won a scholarship for it, but that was 15 years ago.   

So, what do you think?
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Offline camstrings

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Re: Beethoven Waldstein or Haydn sonata in C
Reply #1 on: November 15, 2008, 09:57:16 AM
As I write this, I am listening to BBC Radio 3 CD review. The building a library section relates to this very Haydn sonata, so you might pick up some good ideas. (Gould's recording of this has humour in abundance.)

Comparing the 2 sonatas for competition purposes is going to depend on the level of playing itself. My only observation would be that the Haydn is a great Classical sonata whereas the Beethoven is already anticipating more heroic Lisztian times. 

Offline 00range

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Re: Beethoven Waldstein or Haydn sonata in C
Reply #2 on: November 15, 2008, 10:23:15 PM
I have no competition experience, however, I would think that a well prepared piece that is technically easier would be preferred to an error filled piece of higher difficulty; if you can't prepare the Waldstein up to standards you're satisfied with, by all means play something else.
'Science is interesting, and if you don't agree, you can *** off.'
 

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