First attempt on Pathetique Sonata 2nd movement

[lkwroger]

Not a satisfied playing for myself, but still hope to get comments. Feel free to give strict comments please Comments leads to my improvements.

And my previous video

[mcdiddy1]

Hey, nice job playing!. You put a lot of work into this piece and it shows. Here is my take on it.

Positive aspects

You have a very strong grasp on the piece. I enjoy some of your interpretive ideas. Most of the notes are correct and you have an overall strong understanding of rhythm and the various articulation.



Suggestion for improvement

Choose a slower tempo and use a bit of rubato in rising eight notes and bring the tempo back down to the slower speed at the end of phrases. Adagio means slowly and stately.

In the A section the 32 second notes should be twice as fast as the 16 th notes. They were not in this recording

There is no accent on the C at the beginning of the b section so there is no need to create one. The fact it that is lands on the downbeat, is the highest note, and is an agogic note will create an accent without forcing the key.

There is a lack of clarity and a blurry note in the second mordent turn. I think it was the B natural.  Try using a finger legato and not using pedal at that point to clean it up.

In m.24. hold back a bit more. It is usually marked tenuto there.

In the C section, there is no fermata on the pick-up so it needs to lead in to the next section.

Also Beethoven is famous for his subito pianos, especially a crescendo to a piano like the measure directly after the fortissimo it goes directly into the forte piano so there should be a sudden surprising drop in dynamic and it happens in a number of places in the C section and throughout the piece which did not come through in the recording

Interpretive wise -be mindful the motive in the Left hand of descending triplets is the same motive as the grace notes at the end of the B section. If you have rubato on the triplets, you lose the forward momentum of the triplets as well as lose the rhythmic motive that Beethoven intended. I think if you choose rubato it should be in the right hand melody rather than the  triplets in the left hand.

The bass notes will sound better if they are not pedal at all. Flick the piano keys to get a more muted,hollow sound there. It sound very grumbly and unclear in the recording. It may be the piano, but you may be able to control it a great deal better

In the final a section, you played the 32 notes incorrectly. It must be faster than the 16 th regardless of tempo.

The three chords should become progressively quieter with gradually more space in between

Keep in mind all of these are suggestions. Feel free to use them if you wish. Keep up the great work!

[lkwroger]

Really thanks to the above comments, I must admit that my scale is really BAD. Practicing and will upload a new vid soon!