Are there no suitable encores for all Beethoven recitals?

[pytheamateur]

As you may know, John Lill is in the middle of doing his 32 Beethoven Sonatas cycle in Cadogan Hall, London.  I have been to every single one of them; not once did he play an encore, despite coming back on stage to bow 3 or 4 times.

Are there no suitable encores for a Beethoven recital?  Was playing encore not the thing to do in Beethoven's time?  Has anyone heard John Lill give an encore in his recitals?

Having said that I went to part of another Beethoven sonatas cycle 2 years ago.  The pianist played a lesser work by Mendelssohn as an encore on one occasion and on another played a piece by Scriabin.  A bit awkward.

[orangesodaking]

Sure, there are plenty of suitable encores. Beethoven wrote plenty of wonderful miniatures (many that aren't played as often, or even that well known). I guess that was just the choice of the pianist. After all, he has to worry about the 32 Beethoven sonatas! Why worry about playing even more music on top of that? 

[j_menz]

Since he is doing the cycle, perhaps he feels that breaking it, wether with other works or with previews/repeats, spoils the effect. I need not reflect his attitude to encores generally.

That said, pianists attitude to encores varies. Horowitz did four regardless. Schnabel (I think) never did any.

[elongar]

I think it's always going to be difficult to find something appropriate to play after music of this depth and intensity without spoiling the mood - something which applies especially, but of course not exclusively, to the late sonatas. I think it would be somewhat easier to find good encores to the more classical sonatas, but this is going to be a matter of personal taste.

I had the opportunity to hear the Belcea Quartet play the last three Beethoven quartets, for which they were called back on stage several times too. We were then told, by the violist, Krzysztof Chorzelski, that he didn't think there were many options for encores after the music that we had just heard, but that they had prepared something anyway, which turned out to be a movement from a Frank Bridges string quartet (I can't remember which).

I think András Schiff has faced similar trouble too. I read that in his latest Wigmore Hall Beethoven cycle, on the penultimate evening, which ended with Op.106 he too decided to play an encore. Clearly having given the question some thought, he must have decided to play the only possible followup, namely Op.109. I think he has also repackaged such monsters as the Wanderer Fantasy as encores. I certainly wouldn't have complained!

[mikeowski]

Schiff is also playing the cycle right now and in the first concert (consisting of Op. 2 and Op. 7) he played three pieces as encore. Two pieces which I think were by Beethoven (I'm not sure since I didn't know them) and the Bach invention 1 with rhythmic variations, which I think he often plays as encore.

[visitor]

It's the performers stage. They can play whatever the heck they want or nothing at all. I will say I wish modern performers would consider the slower more lyrical works for encore or at least some Bach.  It's all flash it seems , ie big loud etudes , etc. 

[quantum]

During Beethoven's time it was common to encore select movements from a work that had just been performed.  If the listeners liked the music, they requested to hear it again. 


Regarding present day practice, I'd say it is the performers call if they wish to encore or not.  Once I attended a concert where a Mozart concerto was being performed.  For the encore the pianist decided to play a bombastic piece by Ginastera.  I found such stark contrast very refreshing to the ears. 

[indianajo]

One of the delights of owning all the non-famous LP records of the piano works of Beethoven performed by Alfred Brendal, is that it proves Beethoven actually had a sense of humor.  If I had brain cells to spare after learning 32 Beethoven Sonatas, I'd play the Fantasy on Rule Brittannia as an encore.  You never hear that one anymore.  There are some trivial and short arabesques, too.