December 16, 2011 at 5:49 PM
Happy birthday to Ludwig van Beethoven!He would be 241 years old on Saturday, if he were still alive. In so many ways, he still is!
What is your favorite piece by Beethoven? Since, very obviously, I couldn't exactly list every work by this prolific composer on the poll, I have listed some genres, and you can describe your favorite work in the comments. Vote first, then I'll share my thoughts!
As for my thoughts, Schroeder says it well:
As gorgeous as is the Beethoven Violin Concerto, Beethoven is a piano hero. Some of his finest works were his piano sonatas, and yes, I love the popular ones: the Moonlight Sonata, the Appassionata, the Pathetique (Billy Joel, you thief! note:1:19), the Waldstein… Being a frustrated pianist (I always wished I could play but never achieved fluency on the instrument) I absolutely love the works that combine my two favorite instruments: the violin/piano sonatas.
I love all such sonatas, but especially this one, Op. 12, No. 3 in E flat major (perhaps because I played it). Here it is, and please tell us about your favorite Beethoven!
I prefer the symphony format because of its expansive qualities.
My favorite Beethoven is the Archduke Trio. Always has been, always will be. My parents gave me the middle name Ludwig after guess who.
THAT was easy. (Smile)
Top favorite picks are:
Symphony #3
Piano/Violin Sonata #8, #9, #10
Archduke and Ghost Trios
Violin Concerto
Piano Concertos #3, #4, #5
Appassionata and Pathetique Piano Sonatas
All the String Quartets. That's right, all of them!
I pulled out my Gilels 9 CD set of Beethoven's piano sonatas for my listening stack this weekend. Life is good.
OK so I'm a bit biased.
Second would have to be Pathetique for the same perhaps a bit pathetic reason of hearing Shroeder play it (I once tracked down the pianist's name that played the recital on the famous peanuts cartoon). I'd heard a lot of classical music by that point - but Shroeder was the first to actually make me listen.
I really hate to isolate one piece or movement.
With over fifty years of listening to the fifth I still feel like I should stand or something during the second movement.
Oh and those four voices near the end of the ninth, yum, yum.
-3rd Symphony "Eroica", Finale
-Piano Sonata Op. 111, No. 32
-Piano Concerto No. 5 "Emperor", 2nd Movement
-Triple Concerto for Violin, Piano and Cello, 2nd Movement
But then there's Symphony no 1. And 2. And 3. And 4. And 5. And 6 (Ahhhhhhhhhhhh). How about 7, especially the slow movement? 8 is good. And with my Choral background, no 9.
It's easier to name the few pieces I don't like. Except that it takes so long to search for them, they are so rare. :-)
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