[VIDEO] BEETHOVEN: WALDSTEIN

[aaronpetit]

Sonata No. 21 in C Major Op. 53 complete

Thank you for watching!

Aaron
www.aaronpetitpiano.com

[georgey]

I enjoyed your performance of this great work!  All 3 mvts done well.  Nice tempos throughout. I’ll admit that my ear has been indoctrinated by hearing others play the 1st mvt opening “dry”, but your smoother sound is good also.   Exciting 3rd mvt! Very small point: Glissandos were evenly played but maybe not rhythmically correct to my ear. However, your method works well.  Better to play with confidence as you did rather than mess up this very tough section.

[aaronpetit]

I enjoyed your performance of this great work!  All 3 mvts done well.... Exciting 3rd mvt! Very small point: Glissandos were evenly played but maybe not rhythmically correct to my ear. However, your method works well.  Better to play with confidence as you did rather than mess up this very tough section.

Thank you very much for taking the time to do a full listen as well as give such helpful feedback. I really appreciate the fact that you are so respectful in expressing a different opinion. Yes, To me the Glissandos are alost like color that are birthed out of a bell sound at both the top and bottom. I am not sure that Beethoven actually intended the to be in time considering the fredom of the entire coda. There is virtually no way that playing the last 4 pages all in one tempo would really would in my head. Also, the fact the the top and bottom of the glissandos are "G's" is a clear reference to the g in the main rondo tune. So I figured "hanging out" on the ends of it makes sense to highlight that relationship. In any case, I will probably shape and mold that differently over time. This is a relatively new piece for me and it's a first study.

Best, Aaron

[ronde_des_sylphes]

Good performance (and I thought the notorious gliss section worked out quite well). The only suggestion I have is that in the beginning of the third movement, it could be improved by pushing the lh further into the background and making it somehow less "definite". I think you might find Pletnev interesting in this movement, both to illustrate this aspect and also because I think he's very good at bringing out all the little building block motifs.

Nice playing!

[aaronpetit]

Good performance (and I thought the notorious gliss section worked out quite well). The only suggestion I have is that in the beginning of the third movement, it could be improved by pushing the lh further into the background and making it somehow less "definite". I think you might find Pletnev interesting in this movement, both to illustrate this aspect and also because I think he's very good at bringing out all the little building block motifs.

Nice playing!

Well 3 years late, but thank you! (I haven't logged in for a long time and when I posted something new, I saw these comments among many others. Apparently I didn't have email notifications.
 Thank you for the constructive advice! I totally agree on the LH. It's always in the back of my mind to bring this piece back to regular performance standard so I will totally keep that in mind next time I play it.

-Aaron

[kalospiano]

unbelievable work, both on the waldstein and on the Bach prelude in the other topic, amazing!

[aaronpetit]

unbelievable work, both on the waldstein and on the Bach prelude in the other topic, amazing!

Glad you enjoyed both. I appreciate the feedback.

[carriecats]

This really got me… I listen to this sonata a lot and for some reason I don’t understand (I’m a beginner) I feel emotion welling up with your version that I have not experienced before. I can’t even name it cause it’s so mixed. Just off the top of my naive head - one thing that strikes me is that there is an earnest quality rather than slick. I never thought of other recordings as slick before but that is what comes to me. Such a wonderous mystery.  Thank you. I hope you post more.

[aaronpetit]

This really got me… Just off the top of my naive head - one thing that strikes me is that there is an earnest quality rather than slick.

Hi there. Thanks so much! Keep it up. It is a LONG road ahead if you are still a beginner. I have practiced roughly 25 thousand hours in the last 14 ish years and it has been so worth it. Every step of the progress is both frustrating and exciting. One piece of advice that I wish I had as a beginner to save hours and hours. every time you practice, make a clear goal of at least 1 thing you want to get better at each day. Not only  learn more notes or another piece. But try to focus proactively on improving quality of control or understanding. (Rhythm patterns, fluency of sound, evens of speed, better separation between hands, ect. Always focus on one thing at a time and don't end the practice session until you learned something that day that you didn't know before. Over the long run, you will get much better much quicker and probably have a bit more fun than mindless repeating.

As for your comment- I know exactly what you mean. It's that slick/ motoric/ and glib quality I always hated about this piece when it's often played. I view the repeated notes more as a vibration and breath rather than a machine that has the precision to cut through nose hair haha. Not everyone likes my approach, nor do I expect them to. But it is a testament to your ear that you were able to pick up the difference. Keep it up!

Feel free to reach out (my website is the best way) if you ever have questions. Best wishes- Aaron