Beethoven's Appassionata

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Every time I hear it, its prescience practically knocks me down. It doesn't matter if you're listening to Arrau or Ashkenazy or De La Rocha or whoever doin' it - even the most conservative approach to the Appassionata reveals melodic phrasings that're fifty years ahead of themselves, rich with jazz and pop flourishes but not in way that the folk-classical movement that came later would incorporate known melodies: these are more outgrowths of the recognizable lyricism within the composition, natural consequences of B's shepherding of the general transition from form-as-expression to expression-within-form. An unbelievable piece of music that has not aged even a minute; listening, I feel as though the world is still catching up to this one.

― Banana Nutrament (ghostface), Sunday, 17 July 2005 16:27 (twenty years ago)

it is especially potent early in the morning because the more intense moments demand focus that your just-getting-up brain can't quite muster, and so you feel like you're listening to speed metal even though the tempo's moderato

― Banana Nutrament (ghostface), Sunday, 17 July 2005 16:29 (twenty years ago)

YSI?

― The Ghost of Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Monday, 18 July 2005 02:52 (twenty years ago)

Thanks for reminding me of this one. I need to pull out my Rubinstein version this evening.

― o. nate (onate), Monday, 18 July 2005 13:52 (twenty years ago)

Legend has it that it was Lenin's favorite piece of music.

― Jena (JenaP), Monday, 18 July 2005 14:00 (twenty years ago)

thirteen years pass...

Second movement is the best thing Beethoven ever did. It's his Your Silent Face.

― Zelda Zonk, Saturday, 29 June 2019 13:42 (six years ago)

def my favorite of his piano sonatas

― Josefa, Saturday, 29 June 2019 15:11 (six years ago)

not got anything interesting to add other than agreement.

― calzino, Saturday, 29 June 2019 16:00 (six years ago)

I hope I'm alive for a future that still involves physical media and me not, embarrassingly, putting away a classical composer record sleeve due to embarrassment from having some other schmuck decide the best way to advertise his virutoso in recreation is to also show you his face.

The general consensus with any record sleeves for Wagner is that Deutschland ist depicted, which is fine with me and everyone else in the room.

― 57mg/20floz, Saturday, 29 June 2019 16:42 (six years ago)

is there a consensus on the best version of this?

― (The Other) J.D. (J.D.), Monday, 1 July 2019 01:14 (six years ago)

Gilels and Arrau are pretty lauded. People argue about which Gilels but the late Deutsche Grammofon one is well-regarded.

― Quilter Ray (rushomancy), Monday, 1 July 2019 01:48 (six years ago)

The Waldstein and Appassionata make natural siblings, both big formally explosive mid period masterpieces, but for me the Apps is far more performer-dependent - I have a hard time engaging with it unless the performance is absolutely stunning. The Waldstein has a magic which almost never fails and is the greater and more unfathomable piece imo.

Appassionatas that nail it for me: Richter, Moravec, Arrau, Claude Frank, Ronald Brautigam.

― valet doberman (Jon not Jon), Friday, 5 July 2019 03:01 (six years ago)

the Apps is far more performer-dependent

otm

I'm especially fond of Stephen Kovacevich's take.

― pomenitul, Friday, 5 July 2019 09:24 (six years ago)

The EMI kovacevich? I like his Waldstein from that series but I can’t remember the appassionata

― valet doberman (Jon not Jon), Friday, 5 July 2019 14:06 (six years ago)

Yep. I think he only recorded the Appassionata for EMI.

I haven't heard it in a long time but I seem to recall him getting Beethoven's controlled impetuousness just right.

― pomenitul, Friday, 5 July 2019 14:11 (six years ago)

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