I enjoy watching this video. F. Gulda is a genius. His playing is powerful , partly because he is physically strong. He is in total control of the piano. I like, for example, at 2:20 and 2:54 , how he can change so fluidly and technically his dynamics and moods . However, at 2:37, he seems to be a little rough and ruthless in banging the instrument. Anyway, little flaws do not obscure the fact that he is a great master.
I love the Emperor Concerto. It is a piece of mastermind in which one can see how immensely deep and beautiful Beethoven is. Perfection.作者: Cmajor 时间: 2009-12-4 15:50 回复 11#estoy1
We have to thank that God brought his musical heavenly being Ludwig van Beethoven and such a genious artist Fredrich Gulda to human being. We also need to appreciate that God give us a pair of ears so we can enjoy such an amusing and entertaining music gem like this concerto. I am sorry I cann't agree your comment on his playing at 2:37. From 2:19 to 2:39, the soloist use his piano to bring the orchestra to a local climax through his two continual chords following a whole orchestra chord. This is a typical Beethoven style music and full of tension and energy.作者: 誠品書友 时间: 2009-12-4 22:32 本帖最后由 estoy1 于 2009-12-4 23:19 编辑
Thanks for your reply.
I would like to make two comments :
1. Even though Beethoven believed in God, the message conveyed by the conclusion of his music , Symphony No 9 ‘Ode to Joy’ , is that : the ultimate freedom and will rest in mankind, not God. We , human beings , are our own saviour, and only through searching from within ourselves and in the harmony of mankind that we can liberate our pain and sufferings – This is the wisdom and ultimate insight of Beethoven. Beethoven was torn by pains and tolerated all his sufferings, and eventully he realized he could only find peace in his own music. This is not to say that he did not seek the help of God, he did, but the final answer rest in himself – his sanctuary was in his own music.
2. What I was saying about 2:39 was that Gulda handled the chord too roughly than what some other pianists would tend to play and interpret. The chord was played fortissimo, I supposed, but if it were played with subtlety, not big bangs, it would sound much better, and would have more classical sense.
The person putting up this video in Youtube called it “funny”, well, think about why one would describe the performance of a very classical and grand Emperor Concerto “funny” ! Again, where is this classical sensitivity ?!
By the second music stage of Beethoven, i.e. after 1800, he was already maturing into a composer with more inner intensity and classical logic, and was thus producing music with more dramatic subtlety. The Emperor Concerto was composed around 1811, I don’t think Beethoven would want a ferocious bang at the chord for such a majestic piece. Rather, it should sound like an energetic and GRAND fortissimo exclamation, at least this is what the interpretations of other pianists tell me.
Anyway, listening to Classical music is about listening and comparing performances of different interpretations. Not necessarily we have to find every piece perfect.作者: Cmajor 时间: 2009-12-5 12:57 回复 13#estoy1