Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Pianist Corner Beethoven Op. 79 piano sonata #25

A great video by my friend and PW member Andy Strong.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xeXeifJz3Ow

I just listened to some of the beginning. There's much that's EXTREMELY impressive. I won't say more because, since this wasn't posted by Andy himself, we don't know if he really wanted it here, and we don't know if he really wants critiques. I'm not sure how good an idea it is to post performances by other members....

(I'm wondering especially because the recordings that he wants to post, he usually posts himself in that other section.)

Not to worry. Andy posted this recording as part of the PW Beethoven e-cital several months ago. He later gave it the fancy YouTube treatment seen above. BUT - since he didn't post it himself in this particular thread it might be better for members to simply enjoy his performance without offering any constructive criticism.

I loved it, and the old spinet sounds gorgeous. Thanks for posting (and bravo Andy)

I posted it simply for appreciation of a great performance on a unique instrument. That 1940 Lester just sounds great. I particularly enjoyed the video of all the teacher's notes along the way. Just goes to show how intellegence and thoughtfullness can come through regardless of intrument, although I do like the lester's tuning.

I like to refer to Andy's spinet as "the mighty Lester" - as indeed it is !!!

Oop! Imagine my surprise... I saw the thread title and thought, "Oh, I know that one a little bit! I wonder if I'll have anything helpful to add to the discussion?"

Ack! Ha-ha!

Ralph, I take it you recently found this by poking around on YouTube? I put it there figuring that, since I put so much effort into it for the e-cital, I didn't want it to go to waste, and, art being a creative process and all, I had a flash of inspiration one day to put a twist on the "rolling score video" genre by making it very personal...

Mark, as far as critiques go, I figure every time I post something to the universe, that, somehow or other, criticism is bound to come my way. Being a life-long learner, that's fine with me. You know how much I like to post recordings to generate discussion! We ALL can learn together! I tried to capture the spirit of this Sonata to the best of my ability at the time. (BTW, carey helped me find it in some much needed behind the scenes help as I was practicing for the e-cital. Also, I must say that I know the third movement has quite a bit of fudge on the plate, but I was out of time to practice any more for the e-cital deadline. In the first movement, too, I wanted to accomplish some lighter, more accurate touches, in the hand over hand sections especially, but the Lester was giving me fits at the time.)

When I listen to this now, I hear it against all that I've learned in two years of Piano World involvement, both on the public threads and also with some very rich and profound behind the scenes correspondance.

Never apologize for your art! That said, were I to work this up for performance at the present time, there are quite a few things I'd do differently...

Thanks, Ralph! It's nice to be appreciated!

--Andy

P.S. edit--that Beethoven e-cital was years ago, carey! Years! (Almost two years, to be exact! LOL! Time flies when you're having fun!)