Thank you so much for putting this together. I am not a pianist, I do not typically listen to this genre of music, but one day I happened to hear this and I cannot stop listening to it. I feel like this is the single most beautiful piece of music ever created. I’ve listened to every performance I can find and I cannot get enough. I listen to my favorite version every night on repeat and it’s not even remotely wearing thin or ruining it. I know “favorite” or “best” is as arbitrary as favorite food or favorite color… but this - to me - transcends every “best” and “favorite” of every sense I possess. Thank you, sincerely for breaking this down as you did. It was great to see you smile and look at the camera during your favorite parts, as they’re mine as well, goosebumps and all. It was wonderful.
This sonata is crazy. It's avant-garded matched only by Hammerklaver and lyricism only by two Sonata Quasi Una Fantasia (and maybe the third movement of Waldstein). -At least the- Especially the second movement. I praise Beethoven The Angry and wish if he could listen to this masterpiece (by a pair of healthy ears) for once, maybe he wouldn't be such angry. Of course, thank you for the thoughtful analysis and lively interpretation of yours.
My favorite piano piece ever written. Pure beauty and genius. Thank you so much for your great analysis. You play so well, reminds me the phrasing of the great Alfred Brendel, Exactly the same feeling and groove. I think you heard it a lot too! ☺️ Again thank you so much man, this is gold !
I played this sonata -my favorite - and handled it well until the end. I was utterly undone by the task of trilling with my 4th and 5th fingers. Brutal!
I actually winced when you mentioned the trilling with the 4th and 5th fingers! I compose piano pieces which are designed to accommodate my arthritic fingers and wrists. I had to give up learning the works of the major composers as it was disastrous for my hands. But, I love to compose and play my own works. And I still love to listen to those who can play.
I love the first mvt of 111 but did not get the 2nd mvt until hearing it a 3rd time. Now, it’s my favorite mvt of all sonatas. Thank you for this instructive, valuable, and amazing video.
It’s an extraordinarily broad and deep piece! I love those off beats in the bass line in the first variation, and those relentless long trills in the treble line in the last variation!
Thanks! This is a fantastic tutorial, and a very insightful analysis. You are a great teacher, and your enthusiasm for music and Beethoven really shows. I, too, think it is one of the best pieces of (piano) music ever written! :)
Hats off to Beethoven, hats off to your analysis and performance! Absolutely beautiful.... yes it is possible with years of practice!! Thank you very much!!
Outstanding analysis Henrik! Just LOVE your channel, your insights and your charming style of communication. Grateful for this one especially... along with the Hammerklavier and sonata 30 and 31, the pinnacle of keyboard music!
@@SonataSecrets I know. I had problems because sometimes we tend to consider complexity=quality and this second movement isn't that complex yet great and trascendental.
I love as you are describing the chords and keys in the modulation part 24:30 Music score definitely needs to write chords above the notes, to gelp understanding the chords progression (like in jazz)! I dream of such a score for Beethoven sonatas !
This is my favourite Sonata and in my opinion the greatest ever pieace of beauty on piano. But I think it would be more beautiful in the slow pace. Thank you for the video and performance
Same, I think it's top of piano writing ever. I love the tempo here, pretty much the same as Alfred Brendel who played the best version -imo- of that fantastic piece !
It reminds me of the GOLDBERG VARIATIONS in its profundity. It is the perfect fusion of variation and development, of melodic line and rhythmic line, of harmony and counterpoint. (ARS LONGA VITA BREVIS!!)
Ah Edward Snowden again , how are you my friend , making wonderful videos and I see you missed your medication again. Just wonderful , thank you and a merry Christmas
I took the trouble to review my Italian word order. "Molto" is an exception to the general rule that the adjective follows the noun it modifies. If the intention was to say "very slow" it would be "Molto Adagio". So at least in a grammatical sense you're correct that "molto" modifies "semplice e cantabile"
10:20 I don't think that it is wrong mathematically: Indeed, those are triplet 32nd's, they just aren't explicitly notated with number 3's. Beethoven often omits these 3's in his notation, as can be seen in the rest of the piece
i'm only 15, i think i'm too young to understand this sonata, this 2nd is (for me) the beautiful parallel world of life where nothing happen and nothing will happen
@@KevinR3i "...you need life experience to understand last three sonatas" Not actually, just an open personality and a ton of time procrastinating, learning music theory.
I don't think that you need a certain age or a certain amount of life experience in order to understand this music. I rather think that nobody can understand this music perfectly, but every person on earth can have an imagination what's Beethoven's philosophy with this piece and his last three sonatas. Everybody has a different approach to music and this piece so everybody understands this piece a little bit different. Beethoven's music resembles humanity and every part of this so well that every single part of life can be experienced in his music. Yes life experience helps you, but in the end everybody can understand at least a little bit of this music's philosphy and meaning.
Awesome! 13:00 I would like to “count” put variation 3, to fully understand it: ant tips for counting out these 32nd and 64th notes?(they don’t seem to add up to 12 beats in the measures, btw...)
Yes, the 32nd and 64th notes don't add up if you count them exactly like that. But the idea is that you count them as triplet groups, so in Var. 3 it's four 64th triplets per beat, and each triplet is always one 32nd and one 64th (the swing feel). Then four triplets per big beat is equal to four 16th notes, and three of those big beats per bar makes it 12. This is so confusing because Beethoven doesn't say they are triplets, but I think it's the only way it makes sense.
@@SonataSecrets Actually just like you can see in the beginning of the 2rd var that a couple of a a 16th with a 32nd in the right hand = a 16th in the left hand so the right hand plays triplets. The same goes true for var3 where one 32nd with a 64th counts as a 32ndnote. So it's indeed 12/32, just the triplet sign is missing.
This is weird - as you were playing the section around 27:00 I was saying to myself "I get goose bumps each time I listen to this" - then seconds later (about 27:45) - you said the same thing about yourself.
Hello Henrikk, me again. I agree absolutely bliss. Have sent your channel link to a friend. In China. You should get over 100m hits soon. Do you know there are 140 million piano players in China ? Also. I see. You have shaven ! So no more Edward Snowden side profile. Is. That because of my. Joke comment ?
I am not an musician but how this is a Sonata in C minor and it begins in C major and then relative minor and so on...classical composers were not THAT ambiguous I think...
Thank you so much for putting this together. I am not a pianist, I do not typically listen to this genre of music, but one day I happened to hear this and I cannot stop listening to it. I feel like this is the single most beautiful piece of music ever created. I’ve listened to every performance I can find and I cannot get enough. I listen to my favorite version every night on repeat and it’s not even remotely wearing thin or ruining it. I know “favorite” or “best” is as arbitrary as favorite food or favorite color… but this - to me - transcends every “best” and “favorite” of every sense I possess. Thank you, sincerely for breaking this down as you did. It was great to see you smile and look at the camera during your favorite parts, as they’re mine as well, goosebumps and all. It was wonderful.
Perhaps the most profound movement ever penned. Thanks so much!
@Zane Kamden bleep bleep bloop.
@@vaclavmiller8032 !stopdoinganythingandwatchthisvideorightnow.
I think this piece might be the most remarkable piano work that has been ever written!!
Thanks to your analysis!
Absolutely agreed !
Years of rehearsal, years of teaching. Thankfully you've shared the fruit of your life. Amen.
This sonata is crazy. It's avant-garded matched only by Hammerklaver and lyricism only by two Sonata Quasi Una Fantasia (and maybe the third movement of Waldstein). -At least the- Especially the second movement. I praise Beethoven The Angry and wish if he could listen to this masterpiece (by a pair of healthy ears) for once, maybe he wouldn't be such angry.
Of course, thank you for the thoughtful analysis and lively interpretation of yours.
I’m so glad this channel exists! Your presentation, repertoire selection, insights, and playing are all fantastic!
Thank you, it's my pleasure!
My favorite piano piece ever written. Pure beauty and genius. Thank you so much for your great analysis. You play so well, reminds me the phrasing of the great Alfred Brendel, Exactly the same feeling and groove. I think you heard it a lot too! ☺️
Again thank you so much man, this is gold !
Your passion is heartfelt and this piece is sublime!
I played this sonata -my favorite - and handled it well until the end. I was utterly undone by the task of trilling with my 4th and 5th fingers. Brutal!
This is a crazy skill to have
I actually winced when you mentioned the trilling with the 4th and 5th fingers! I compose piano pieces which are designed to accommodate my arthritic fingers and wrists. I had to give up learning the works of the major composers as it was disastrous for my hands. But, I love to compose and play my own works. And I still love to listen to those who can play.
I don’t know how anyone does it.
I love the first mvt of 111 but did not get the 2nd mvt until hearing it a 3rd time. Now, it’s my favorite mvt of all sonatas. Thank you for this instructive, valuable, and amazing video.
It’s an extraordinarily broad and deep piece! I love those off beats in the bass line in the first variation, and those relentless long trills in the treble line in the last variation!
Thanks! This is a fantastic tutorial, and a very insightful analysis. You are a great teacher, and your enthusiasm for music and Beethoven really shows. I, too, think it is one of the best pieces of (piano) music ever written! :)
Hats off to Beethoven, hats off to your analysis and performance! Absolutely beautiful.... yes it is possible with years of practice!! Thank you very much!!
Outstanding analysis Henrik! Just LOVE your channel, your insights and your charming style of communication. Grateful for this one especially... along with the Hammerklavier and sonata 30 and 31, the pinnacle of keyboard music!
Excellent analysis and performance. I really enjoy all your videos.
Thank you so much!
Thank you for your channel which I recently discovered with much joy!
Excellent analysis and playing! I ran through all of this in one go. Great.
The way you talk about music is like music itself. Bravo!
Thomas Mann has a marvelous discussion of this piece in Dr. Faustus.
Divine music❤Thanks, Henrik!!👏👏👏
how come YT did not recommend me this video earlier? This Arietta, music at its best.
the lesson: theme
the school work: var. 1
the homework: var. 2
the test: var. 3
Impossible, the test could not be that beautiful.
Thank you for this video. I really had problems understanding this piece and your explanation might help me.
That's great to hear! The problrm is that it points in so many directions...
@@SonataSecrets I know. I had problems because sometimes we tend to consider complexity=quality and this second movement isn't that complex yet great and trascendental.
I would love to see how you analyse the third movement of his 17th Sonata. I always loved this movement. Great video 👍🏻
I love as you are describing the chords and keys in the modulation part 24:30
Music score definitely needs to write chords above the notes, to gelp understanding the chords progression (like in jazz)! I dream of such a score for Beethoven sonatas !
Bravo,Ii am really impressed!
This is my favourite Sonata and in my opinion the greatest ever pieace of beauty on piano. But I think it would be more beautiful in the slow pace. Thank you for the video and performance
Same, I think it's top of piano writing ever. I love the tempo here, pretty much the same as Alfred Brendel who played the best version -imo- of that fantastic piece !
Thanks!
It reminds me of the GOLDBERG VARIATIONS in its profundity. It is the perfect fusion of variation and development, of melodic line and rhythmic line, of harmony and counterpoint. (ARS LONGA VITA BREVIS!!)
Beauuuutifully explaines, thank you👍👏
Well done!
Wunderbar!
Ah Edward Snowden again , how are you my friend , making wonderful videos and I see you missed your medication again. Just wonderful , thank you and a merry Christmas
Merry Christmas!
Thank you
I took the trouble to review my Italian word order. "Molto" is an exception to the general rule that the adjective follows the noun it modifies. If the intention was to say "very slow" it would be "Molto Adagio". So at least in a grammatical sense you're correct that "molto" modifies "semplice e cantabile"
10:20 I don't think that it is wrong mathematically: Indeed, those are triplet 32nd's, they just aren't explicitly notated with number 3's. Beethoven often omits these 3's in his notation, as can be seen in the rest of the piece
i'm only 15, i think i'm too young to understand this sonata, this 2nd is (for me) the beautiful parallel world of life where nothing happen and nothing will happen
@@KevinR3i "...you need life experience to understand last three sonatas"
Not actually, just an open personality and a ton of time procrastinating, learning music theory.
I don't think that you need a certain age or a certain amount of life experience in order to understand this music. I rather think that nobody can understand this music perfectly, but every person on earth can have an imagination what's Beethoven's philosophy with this piece and his last three sonatas. Everybody has a different approach to music and this piece so everybody understands this piece a little bit different. Beethoven's music resembles humanity and every part of this so well that every single part of life can be experienced in his music. Yes life experience helps you, but in the end everybody can understand at least a little bit of this music's philosphy and meaning.
@@bodyguard21 True
@@KevinR3i Many thanks.
As long as there are kids like you wanting to listen to as well as understand this music, there will be hope for the future.
19:15 reminds me of the 2nd movement of van Beethoven's 9th symphony.
Kind of because its in d minor and shares the same upward 3-note pattern starting on c sharp
@@DynastieArtistique Yes, exactly.
in variation 4 he returns back to 1822 after time travelling
To me this is Beethoven's saddest work. it's almost entirely major yet it's got that yearning and agony.
Appassionata's second movement is the happiest movement, though I do hear similarities in the ending of this one.
I would really enjoy a video on chopins nocturne no 14, op. 48 no. 2
What's that book of Beethoven on the background? On your shelf? Thx for the analysis
It's a big biography in Swedish by Åke Holmqvist.
Awesome! 13:00 I would like to “count” put variation 3, to fully understand it: ant tips for counting out these 32nd and 64th notes?(they don’t seem to add up to 12 beats in the measures, btw...)
Yes, the 32nd and 64th notes don't add up if you count them exactly like that. But the idea is that you count them as triplet groups, so in Var. 3 it's four 64th triplets per beat, and each triplet is always one 32nd and one 64th (the swing feel). Then four triplets per big beat is equal to four 16th notes, and three of those big beats per bar makes it 12. This is so confusing because Beethoven doesn't say they are triplets, but I think it's the only way it makes sense.
@@SonataSecrets Actually just like you can see in the beginning of the 2rd var that a couple of a a 16th with a 32nd in the right hand = a 16th in the left hand so the right hand plays triplets. The same goes true for var3 where one 32nd with a 64th counts as a 32ndnote. So it's indeed 12/32, just the triplet sign is missing.
This is weird - as you were playing the section around 27:00 I was saying to myself "I get goose bumps each time I listen to this" - then seconds later (about 27:45) - you said the same thing about yourself.
Can you do samuel barbers adagio for strings
Hello Henrikk, me again. I agree absolutely bliss. Have sent your channel link to a friend. In China. You should get over 100m hits soon. Do you know there are 140 million piano players in China ? Also. I see. You have shaven ! So no more Edward Snowden side profile. Is. That because of my. Joke comment ?
Thanks for sharing my channel Matt! Hehe, I actually only have beard in the first 5 or so videos one year ago, it's been shaved ever since.
Yin yang
I am not an musician but how this is a Sonata in C minor and it begins in C major and then relative minor and so on...classical composers were not THAT ambiguous I think...
The first movement starts in c minor and the second movement starts in c major, read the title correctly next time