It's the hardest piano piece I've ever learned - but memorizing wasn't a problem, because the music is so logically constructed and so emotionally compelling that I was just dragged into the maelstrom - winding up completely involved and identifying with the composition. On second thought, Alfred Brendel had trouble with this sonata, having to record it in numerous takes - so maybe it's not easy for everyone...
This piece is in H moll according to the rules of extended tonality as formulated by Schoenberg. In Berg's mind, it closed his years of study with Schoenberg to enter a wold of his own.
Can you send me some links to search and study this concept? I found out only the 12 st system so dodecaphony and ok but nothing about tonal extension (after G there Is H and then the extension goes until what letter?) Thanks
@@MichaSchlechtriem No... the first chord is c#-g-b-f# (if you think of the f# as resolving to g, it's basically a S6 = IIø7) and the Tristan isn't among those following it either...
Yes, in the introduction Glenn was sitting besides a chess set Glenn: Hey Alban! Berg: Hey Glenn! I see you learned my Piano Sonata Op.1….. Glenn:: I did. Berg: Anyway..oh, chess! Wanna play? Glenn: Sure… Berg: If you lose you can never play my sonata again! Glenn: *sweats* I like it so much though 5 seconds later Glenn: Checkmate. Now I’m gonna play the sonata.
Pieces like this contain rhythmic features that are usually consistent throughout the music and if you look closely there is almost always a diatonic relationship with the harmony as the piece progresses. I usually combine these two aspects with my own memorization strategies for C20th music that is highly abstract.
It also seems - in this interpretation - to have a logic, path, or plot to follow. That should make it less daunting to memorize than many have suggested in these comments.
@Richard P John Thanks for that. Got the urge to learn it and I'm sure your observations will help. I'll try to return some back in due time. I also had the pleasure of noticing the clear melodic line. It really makes for such a captivating piece eh?
I first heard it 30 years ago as a student. Believe me, if you listen to it enough you can walk down the street and sing it. You'll begin to hear the opening gesture everywhere in every possible permutation. It's definitely in B-minor, peppered with a lot of whole-tone and quartile harmony.
When I see lists of most complicated piano pieces, they never include this! Screw the transcendental exudes, I want to be able to play this! Just need about 10 more years of practice, something to look forward too
@Paul Davidson !!! Ahh you're a violinist ay. That's my favorite violin piece believe it or not. From the first time I heard it I was floored and in awe. I consider myself lucky to have been able to enjoy it off the get go because some people go their entire life appreciating music and still not having that masterpiece connect with them. There was a pretty cute girl I work with that played violin and I rememver asking her if she ever heard of this piece, nope but she said she would check it out. I actually think she did because we haven't spoken since then (either that, and or I'm just a turnoff haha). Anyway dude I believe in you, get rich or die trying. I hope you can play that piece someday, it's really in a class of its own. Maybe start with some shoenberg pieces like transfigured night or something to sorta get the vibe on an easier level (even though that's wicked hard)
I agree- I am studying in the Royal Conservatory of Music and on the list for ARCT (second highest level) was this. Alban Berg Op.1. Oh man, my brain was going “This is gonna be part of my program” even though I am in Level 9 and have 2 more levels to go. The problem is that my parents (and my neighbors ) don’t like atonal music. Scriabin they barely accept, and I played Schoenberg and then I heard neighors yelling. Don’t get me wrong my favorite composers is Bach and Chopin, and perhaps Debussy or Scriabin and Schoenberg. But I can’t wait.
@@pianosbloxworld4460 I have a great idea, how about you start sight reading some Charles Ives at 2am to condition them to what true semi atonality is, so when they hear Schoenberg it makes complete sense to them and their like at least it wasn't THAT bad haha. That's awesome to hear someone at a high level though, I would say congrats but I mean you worked harder than I can imagine to get to be that good so you deserve every but if respect for that. I'm sure youve thought if this, but how about try getting an electric keyboard with weighted keys and headphones for playing stuff that the neighbors don't like?
@@TheSonsofHorusx I don’t care that the neighbors get mad, just that if I do choose this for my exam my parents will ground me for years My teacher lovws Schoenberg and the Second Viennese School so it wouldn’t be a problem otherwise
how is there still footage being released systematically? why not release it all as its all 30 years old? is there realy this much as to only slowly seep it out? im confused
Right? I just attended a Yuja Wang recital last night (it was amazing, of course) and she played this and Scriabin 5 back to back, and if I wasn't already familiar with the pieces I wouldn't have even known she switched composers and eras entirely. The transition was seemless!
Azian2DaMax: I’m seeing her tonight in San Francisco. Same program. Can’t wait to finally hear Yuja Wang in a solo recital! Her last scheduled recital here was canceled due to illness. It’s been a long wait.
@@Azian2DaMax They were written about two years apart, so not different eras, but certainly different "schools of thought". The resemblance to Scriabin is striking, though, since so little from that era sounds anything like Scriabin.
Actually not hard on a technical level and not as hard to memorize as it may seem. The real challenge in playing it lies in doing justice to the immanent logic of the piece. I still remember how much I struggled with making every iteration of the motives intellegible while staying faithful to the structure on a macro-level
Agree heartily. I compare it to driving an Audi: a thrill backed by impeccable German engineering. Yes, immanent logic. There is not a note that cannot be explained. I hear movie music, a la Max Steiner. In my head it is a tragic monster movie.
What the hell is this interpretation? I have never heard anything so unorthodox before in my life. It is almost as crazy as his Beethoven Piano Concerto interpretation.
Berg's notation micromanages tempi, articulation, and dynamics. Hell, he puts "hairpins" over single notes-on a piano piece (my friends and I joke that the hairpins mean "furrow brow here."). Glenn Gould has his own ideas. I am learning this piece, and hewing close to Berg's markings. I'm not enough of a genius to do otherwise.
He makes playing Second Viennese School compositions from memory look easy.
Exactly.
It's the hardest piano piece I've ever learned - but memorizing wasn't a problem, because the music is so logically constructed and so emotionally compelling that I was just dragged into the maelstrom - winding up completely involved and identifying with the composition.
On second thought, Alfred Brendel had trouble with this sonata, having to record it in numerous takes - so maybe it's not easy for everyone...
Glen Gould's playing from memory never looks easy to me. Impressive, yes... easy no 😊
A stunning performance of a beautiful piece of piano music. It never fails to move me.
une sonate comme un poignard qui vous glisse le long de l'échine... excellentissime!
It certainly sends thrills down the spine, hopefully with no need for daggers or spilled blood!
Solemn,grave,serious.not pessimistic.arduous and spiritually intense.
Great, great music! Perfect performance! Thanks so much for sharing!
One of the greatest piano composition - and the best op. 1 ever - in its greatest rendition
You are right!
I can't think of another opus one where the composer's voice is established
@@James-eb9gsBrahms comes to mind
@okb0ss336 I hadn't considered Brahms. It's a wonderful sonata but I can hear echoes of Schumann. Berg's Opus 1 is all Berg.
@@James-eb9gs fair point, also Bachs keyboard partitas were technically his opus 1
This piece is in H moll according to the rules of extended tonality as formulated by Schoenberg. In Berg's mind, it closed his years of study with Schoenberg to enter a wold of his own.
Can you send me some links to search and study this concept? I found out only the 12 st system so dodecaphony and ok but nothing about tonal extension (after G there Is H and then the extension goes until what letter?)
Thanks
@@filimongraziano6928 Ha! "H" (auf Deutsch) is our B, and the German "B" is our B flat. ("BACH" comes out as B flat, A, C, B natural.)
Ci sta anche il manuale di armonia di Schoenberg. Cerca Harmonielehre
@@stefanoferlaino1895 exactly
I must say this is a wonderful musical journey from start to finish
Such great music
glenn is love❤
My cat played this for me in 1974. We were both tripping on acid at the time. Way groovy man….
Unreal performance
Just incredible to watch and listen to. I imagine Glenn was a formidable chess player too.
the beggining reminds me a lil bit of Tristan & Isolde...
I actually is the famous Tristan chord.
Haven’t listened yet but it’s prob a halfdim or something similar
@@MichaSchlechtriem Don't think the chord itself is in the sonata (although agree there's echoes of Tristan, e.g. 05:40)
@@jrgendyrstad It begins with this chord.
@@MichaSchlechtriem No... the first chord is c#-g-b-f# (if you think of the f# as resolving to g, it's basically a S6 = IIø7) and the Tristan isn't among those following it either...
Amazing technique.
"Oh, excuse me, I was just playing some Chess..."
Is this a reference to something?
Yes, in the introduction Glenn was sitting besides a chess set
Glenn: Hey Alban!
Berg: Hey Glenn! I see you learned my Piano Sonata Op.1…..
Glenn:: I did.
Berg: Anyway..oh, chess! Wanna play?
Glenn: Sure…
Berg: If you lose you can never play my sonata again!
Glenn: *sweats* I like it so much though
5 seconds later
Glenn: Checkmate. Now I’m gonna play the sonata.
How on earth can you memorize a piece like this….. its mental??????
I agree....that's got to be the hardest part....!
Pieces like this contain rhythmic features that are usually consistent throughout the music and if you look closely there is almost always a diatonic relationship with the harmony as the piece progresses. I usually combine these two aspects with my own memorization strategies for C20th music that is highly abstract.
@@PychStudios I play drums, it´s easier.
Estupemda y la interpretacion...
Love GG in this….GG always worth a close listen….
Even the backdrop is amazing
Keeps me from jumping off the bridge.
Gould’s performance makes me wonder whether it’s really atonal or just some extended harmonic patterns that my ear isn’t used to.
this sonata is tonal, it has a center key but has a different language of harmony.
It's written in B Minor
It also seems - in this interpretation - to have a logic, path, or plot to follow. That should make it less daunting to memorize than many have suggested in these comments.
probably both
How can anyone memorize this piece?
@Richard P John Thanks for that. Got the urge to learn it and I'm sure your observations will help. I'll try to return some back in due time. I also had the pleasure of noticing the clear melodic line. It really makes for such a captivating piece eh?
With practice
I first heard it 30 years ago as a student. Believe me, if you listen to it enough you can walk down the street and sing it. You'll begin to hear the opening gesture everywhere in every possible permutation. It's definitely in B-minor, peppered with a lot of whole-tone and quartile harmony.
How can anyone memorize any piece of music to begin with? That’s what you should really be asking.
@@RichardPJohn Can you perform Berg's Piano Concerto from memory?
When I see lists of most complicated piano pieces, they never include this! Screw the transcendental exudes, I want to be able to play this! Just need about 10 more years of practice, something to look forward too
@Paul Davidson !!! Ahh you're a violinist ay. That's my favorite violin piece believe it or not. From the first time I heard it I was floored and in awe. I consider myself lucky to have been able to enjoy it off the get go because some people go their entire life appreciating music and still not having that masterpiece connect with them. There was a pretty cute girl I work with that played violin and I rememver asking her if she ever heard of this piece, nope but she said she would check it out. I actually think she did because we haven't spoken since then (either that, and or I'm just a turnoff haha).
Anyway dude I believe in you, get rich or die trying. I hope you can play that piece someday, it's really in a class of its own. Maybe start with some shoenberg pieces like transfigured night or something to sorta get the vibe on an easier level (even though that's wicked hard)
I agree-
I am studying in the Royal Conservatory of Music and on the list for ARCT (second highest level) was this. Alban Berg Op.1. Oh man, my brain was going “This is gonna be part of my program” even though I am in Level 9 and have 2 more levels to go. The problem is that my parents (and my neighbors ) don’t like atonal music. Scriabin they barely accept, and I played Schoenberg and then I heard neighors yelling. Don’t get me wrong my favorite composers is Bach and Chopin, and perhaps Debussy or Scriabin and Schoenberg.
But I can’t wait.
@@pianosbloxworld4460 I have a great idea, how about you start sight reading some Charles Ives at 2am to condition them to what true semi atonality is, so when they hear Schoenberg it makes complete sense to them and their like at least it wasn't THAT bad haha. That's awesome to hear someone at a high level though, I would say congrats but I mean you worked harder than I can imagine to get to be that good so you deserve every but if respect for that. I'm sure youve thought if this, but how about try getting an electric keyboard with weighted keys and headphones for playing stuff that the neighbors don't like?
@@TheSonsofHorusx I don’t care that the neighbors get mad, just that if I do choose this for my exam my parents will ground me for years
My teacher lovws Schoenberg and the Second Viennese School so it wouldn’t be a problem otherwise
@@pianosbloxworld4460 anyway, this sonata is not really atonal
Extraordinary music by a 23 year old composer. I can't say I like it very much!
think you would after several listens
Try Seong-Jin Cho's version.
Whether you like it is not the point - any more than the fact that I and many others do ;-)
Беспощадное время уносит таланты. Но великолепные записи оставили нам их музыкальные мысли.
The piece sounds like a piano reduction of an orchestral work Berg never got around to orchestrating.
Chinese Australian composer, Julian Yu, has made an orchestral version.
ruclips.net/video/JkNhaRwOreI/видео.html
There is a version for string quartet, if you don’t know it I really recommend it!
I was humming this to myself this morning. RUclips must be spying on me.
just love this every bar is in different key,if there is any key at all??????
how is there still footage being released systematically? why not release it all as its all 30 years old? is there realy this much as to only slowly seep it out? im confused
roseman all these videos have been published in a DVD box by Sony for the 30th anniversary of GG’s death in 2012.
silly of it to not have been fully released at this point.
roseman they’ve to sell DVDs 🤷🏻♂️😉
A wonderfully written piece, though the timestamp formatting frustrates me lol
Glenn Gould opens the window to 12 tone music.
Also the video is not synced with his playing.
Glenn -- you left your queen knight en prise.
Who’s gonna win that chess match now
Continually kept thinking of Scriabin.
Right? I just attended a Yuja Wang recital last night (it was amazing, of course) and she played this and Scriabin 5 back to back, and if I wasn't already familiar with the pieces I wouldn't have even known she switched composers and eras entirely. The transition was seemless!
Azian2DaMax: I’m seeing her tonight in San Francisco. Same program. Can’t wait to finally hear Yuja Wang in a solo recital! Her last scheduled recital here was canceled due to illness. It’s been a long wait.
@@Azian2DaMax What a amazing experience!
Yes! Great comment
@@Azian2DaMax They were written about two years apart, so not different eras, but certainly different "schools of thought". The resemblance to Scriabin is striking, though, since so little from that era sounds anything like Scriabin.
"who was 23 when he wrote his graduation piece"
"who was 23 when he wrote"
"was 23 when"
"23"
Why do I keep seeing this number everywhere?
Because you keep looking for it
Prometheus Rising
@@swashknuckler The thinker thinks what the prover proves
@@camel3 It sure does!
It was considered a very mystical number by many mathemeticians, including Pythagoras and Joh Nash
Am I the only person that noticed that Glenn was sitting in the room with a chess set? Maybe he was gonna faceoff Berg in chess.
"Black Pearl" Sonata
roseman: There may be RUclips limitations on how much you can upload at a time.
even so, odd how footage from 30-40 years old can still be uploaded literally today.
It must be the decision of the one in charge of Gould’s estates.
@@john3501 Whether that's a good decision is a separate issue
@John any idea who's in charge of that? Maybe a cousin or something along those lines?
Wow and unusual name my Mums father was a Gould-Berg
0:29
0:31
😮
Actually not hard on a technical level and not as hard to memorize as it may seem. The real challenge in playing it lies in doing justice to the immanent logic of the piece. I still remember how much I struggled with making every iteration of the motives intellegible while staying faithful to the structure on a macro-level
Excellent comment.
For me, stated in much simpler terms for myself: I'm challenged [playing it] by the phrasing. The music 'breathes' so much.
Agree heartily. I compare it to driving an Audi: a thrill backed by impeccable German engineering. Yes, immanent logic. There is not a note that cannot be explained. I hear movie music, a la Max Steiner. In my head it is a tragic monster movie.
uah! 🐻👍👍 🌜🌹🌛
is there something wrong with the background hahaha
Traumleben, Verlassen, and the other Schoenberg songs are here: ruclips.net/video/LjgI1_yVYQ4/видео.html
What the hell is this interpretation? I have never heard anything so unorthodox before in my life. It is almost as crazy as his Beethoven Piano Concerto interpretation.
He's off the wall but what a genius.
Such a distinguished touch, utter confidence. The music of immortality! Thank you Glenn Gould and Alban Berg of the Second Viennese School.
Well yes, he's not just reading dots and reproducing others efforts....
Well then you must want to go and all-ban Berg.
Berg's notation micromanages tempi, articulation, and dynamics. Hell, he puts "hairpins" over single notes-on a piano piece (my friends and I joke that the hairpins mean "furrow brow here."). Glenn Gould has his own ideas. I am learning this piece, and hewing close to Berg's markings. I'm not enough of a genius to do otherwise.
three effing commercials before!
greed greed greed greed greed greed greed everywhere these days!
Agent Smith
Bad audio sync
Serial music is the most diverse, inclusive, and equitable music there is. No note gets preference.
this is not serial and there is very strongly implied tonality all over the place.
Una sonata insoportable que se justifica por las notas finales.
Cat like piano playing detected. lol
Why do musicians move their mouths and keep them open so much when they play? Keep that mouth shut - ok?
Well, in Glenn Gould's case, he had a habit of singing with everything he played. If you listen closely you can hear him.
Why does it bother you? Are you a dentist and you see cavities in Glenn’s mouth?
I think you should follow your own advice