Love it. This was one of my best piano pieces back when I took lessons. I once got a standing ovation for it at a recital. Strings give it such a different color, and your playing is so gorgeous.
Thanks, this is the first time really that I have played Beethoven as I mainly played 18th century music before. Most pianists seem to play it slower, but I wanted to approach it with fresh eyes and not be influenced by what others have done. I really like the stormy nature of the later part at this tempo. Also check this out which you must also have played: th-cam.com/video/B5dhQxqSuOY/w-d-xo.html
It is softer, but pairs nicely with the mandora which also has single gut strings. I think the Cremonese mandolin went well into the 20th century, not sure why it disappeared. Perhaps as it's less suitable for the tremolo playing which took over.
Very nice! I'm always fascinated with unique stringed instruments, just recently saw a great theorbo performance (Johan Löfving) at the local Lammermuir Festival here in Scotland. I really enjoy your channel, thanks for sharing these performances.
Thanks, I also have a couple on a very rare German theorbo (it went viral on ClassicFM so you may have seen it) but it's also here: th-cam.com/video/qVk8VS-Ad2c/w-d-xo.html Have you seen the Portuguese guitar videos? That is a very unusual RH technique and tuning, and a unique sound: th-cam.com/video/sSRy6orRI98/w-d-xo.html
Wow Dru loooong time! Yes good thanks, trying to put a bit more energy into this now and I have a couple of albums in preparation. How did you come across it out of curiosity? How are things up there, are you still at GC (or whatever it's called now)?
@@Quatrapuntal It's very creative! 😊 It's going very slowly... But I love filming beautiful nature scenes and creatures, so I'm not stressing about it.
The tempo of Beethoven and others of the time is tricky as he did leave a lot of metronome marks but the interpretation of them is much argued about. Have you come across the single vs double beat theory? Some argue that they considered a beat to be a cycle of the metronome left and right, rather than just one direction as used today. That would mean interpreting many early metronome marks at half written speed. The alternative is to play them following modern understanding which ends up with very fast speeds and often borderline impossible to play. Most modern pianists just ignore them, even though many composers including Schumann were very careful to provide specific tempos, Beethoven stated that he wanted to get rid of the vagueness of allegro, adagio etc. Either interpretation of the original markings will sound different to what we are used to, but one of them is right! The YT channel Authentic Sound discusses this a lot if you are interested.
@@Quatrapuntal Yes: I have come across some theories. The thing is some of them make sense. Consider the Sonata Quasi una Fantasia op 27/2 (the so-called moonlight). Apart from the fact that Hanslick (I believe it was he) said it reminded him of the moonlight over Lake Lucerne (a strange thing when played as it is played nowadays), Beethoven had it published as suitable for both the pianoforte or the harpsichord. Considering the decay time of notes played on the latter, it would be impossible to play it as slow as it tends to be, as well as being out of style. Now. speed it up and it makes more sense and it sounds like Beethoven wrote it, not Rakhmaninoff.
@@sorryusernametaken66 I don't think there is an original metronome mark for that one so more difficult, I think the first mov is marked adagio isn't it? Clearly the tempos he had in mind were often either faster or slower than generally played today, depending on how you interpret the metronome. I'm sure it would have greatly annoyed him to hear his music played at the wrong speed! His mandolin music is written to be accompanied by harpsichord as well.
@@Quatrapuntal @Quatrapuntal Here is a video of the sonata played on a harpsichord, with all the points I made. There are some others around, including one by the harpsichordist who recorded one of my transcriptions. www.youtube.com /watch?v=20E8uOYcjqI
Yes please, the missing strings were wound in 24 carat gold, it's essential that they are to the same specification. And each one was 5m long, just so you know
Hi Chris,as you are a classical musician,I'm wondering how you might react to a young guitarist from a classical background who has developed his own unique way of playing.Perhaps you could do a reaction video.Here's his channel:- th-cam.com/users/MarcinGuitarvideos
Love it. This was one of my best piano pieces back when I took lessons. I once got a standing ovation for it at a recital. Strings give it such a different color, and your playing is so gorgeous.
Thanks, this is the first time really that I have played Beethoven as I mainly played 18th century music before. Most pianists seem to play it slower, but I wanted to approach it with fresh eyes and not be influenced by what others have done. I really like the stormy nature of the later part at this tempo. Also check this out which you must also have played: th-cam.com/video/B5dhQxqSuOY/w-d-xo.html
This is great! Love the sound of the mandolin with just the four strings here
It is softer, but pairs nicely with the mandora which also has single gut strings. I think the Cremonese mandolin went well into the 20th century, not sure why it disappeared. Perhaps as it's less suitable for the tremolo playing which took over.
Beautiful piece. Played with flair. Well put together Chris. Excellent!! x
Thanks Vicky, I feel like I should get some Regency style waistcoats to complete the look, what do you think? 😆
Beautiful! 👏👏👏
Very nice! I'm always fascinated with unique stringed instruments, just recently saw a great theorbo performance (Johan Löfving) at the local Lammermuir Festival here in Scotland. I really enjoy your channel, thanks for sharing these performances.
Thanks, I also have a couple on a very rare German theorbo (it went viral on ClassicFM so you may have seen it) but it's also here: th-cam.com/video/qVk8VS-Ad2c/w-d-xo.html Have you seen the Portuguese guitar videos? That is a very unusual RH technique and tuning, and a unique sound: th-cam.com/video/sSRy6orRI98/w-d-xo.html
Beautiful my friend!🙌🏻
Thanks! How are you getting on with the PG?
Love the videos Chris, hope you’re well 👍🏾
Wow Dru loooong time! Yes good thanks, trying to put a bit more energy into this now and I have a couple of albums in preparation. How did you come across it out of curiosity? How are things up there, are you still at GC (or whatever it's called now)?
Beautiful! You and your "twin" have done a great job! 😉
Thanks, there is nobody down here who plays historical instruments so I had to get a bit creative! How is it going with your channel?
@@Quatrapuntal It's very creative! 😊 It's going very slowly... But I love filming beautiful nature scenes and creatures, so I'm not stressing about it.
This works quite well. Had you not mentioned a fast tempo (and if I knew the piece better) I would never had said anything was amiss.
The tempo of Beethoven and others of the time is tricky as he did leave a lot of metronome marks but the interpretation of them is much argued about. Have you come across the single vs double beat theory? Some argue that they considered a beat to be a cycle of the metronome left and right, rather than just one direction as used today. That would mean interpreting many early metronome marks at half written speed. The alternative is to play them following modern understanding which ends up with very fast speeds and often borderline impossible to play. Most modern pianists just ignore them, even though many composers including Schumann were very careful to provide specific tempos, Beethoven stated that he wanted to get rid of the vagueness of allegro, adagio etc. Either interpretation of the original markings will sound different to what we are used to, but one of them is right! The YT channel Authentic Sound discusses this a lot if you are interested.
@@Quatrapuntal Yes: I have come across some theories. The thing is some of them make sense. Consider the Sonata Quasi una Fantasia op 27/2 (the so-called moonlight). Apart from the fact that Hanslick (I believe it was he) said it reminded him of the moonlight over Lake Lucerne (a strange thing when played as it is played nowadays), Beethoven had it published as suitable for both the pianoforte or the harpsichord. Considering the decay time of notes played on the latter, it would be impossible to play it as slow as it tends to be, as well as being out of style. Now. speed it up and it makes more sense and it sounds like Beethoven wrote it, not Rakhmaninoff.
@@sorryusernametaken66 I don't think there is an original metronome mark for that one so more difficult, I think the first mov is marked adagio isn't it? Clearly the tempos he had in mind were often either faster or slower than generally played today, depending on how you interpret the metronome. I'm sure it would have greatly annoyed him to hear his music played at the wrong speed! His mandolin music is written to be accompanied by harpsichord as well.
@@Quatrapuntal Quite right: only Adagio sostenuto.
@@Quatrapuntal @Quatrapuntal Here is a video of the sonata played on a harpsichord, with all the points I made. There are some others around, including one by the harpsichordist who recorded one of my transcriptions.
www.youtube.com
/watch?v=20E8uOYcjqI
bravo
Grazie ancora!
What happened to the other 4 strings? Do you want me to send you some?
Yes please, the missing strings were wound in 24 carat gold, it's essential that they are to the same specification. And each one was 5m long, just so you know
And if you have some to spare you could send me some, too. :)
And can you send them by personal 24 hour courier as well? Thanks
@@alanfbrookes9771 did your strings fall off as well?
@@Quatrapuntal What have I started? So they're not just mandolin strings then?
Hi Chris,as you are a classical musician,I'm wondering how you might react to a young guitarist from a classical background who has developed his own unique way of playing.Perhaps you could do a reaction video.Here's his channel:-
th-cam.com/users/MarcinGuitarvideos