Beethoven: Piano Sonata No. 17 “The Tempest”, Op. 31/2 | Kit Armstrong, piano
90,055
Publicado 2024-03-16
(00:00) Intro
(00:20) I. Largo – Allegro
(09:32) II. Adagio
(16:56) III. Allegretto
His ears were hurting, his hearing difficulties were getting worse and worse, and the psychological strain was unbearable. In 1802, Ludwig van Beethoven wrote a letter from Heiligenstadt, near Vienna, to his brothers, asking where – after consulting with a doctor – he should go to recuperate. He revealed to his brothers his worsening deafness, telling of his desperation and suicidal thoughts. It was around this time (1801/02) that he also created his Piano Sonata No. 17 in D minor.
It is one of 32 piano sonatas Beethoven composed between 1795 and 1822. They are highly regarded and viewed as an extraordinary repertoire of piano pieces. Beethoven lived in Vienna as a composer and famous piano virtuoso. He was capable of masterfully improvising based on individual motifs, enjoyed experimenting and continuously shifted away from the classic sonata form in his later compositions.
Piano Sonata No. 17 is also known as “The Tempest.” Beethoven biographer Anton Felix Schindler claims Beethoven composed the piece based on Shakespeare’s drama of the same name. There is, however, no hard evidence to support this. Schindler was Beethoven’s secretary and first biographer, and he enjoyed being the center of attention. He later purported to be a good friend of Beethoven’s, but he didn’t necessarily always stick to the facts in his reports. It is even proven that he faked entries in Beethoven’s notebooks and other documents.
Out of this series of sonatas, Piano Sonata No. 17 is the only one in D minor (like his Symphony No. 9, by the way). The first movement starts out restrained and dark and then builds up dramatically, its sound reminiscent of a big “tempest.” Then an upbeat adagio and a rhythmic allegro. All three movements begin and end quietly – that was unusual, too. When Beethoven composed his Piano Sonata No. 17, he was 31 years old – the same age as American pianist Kit Armstrong when this recording was made.
Kit Armstrong intensely scrutinized Beethoven’s sonatas. The first musical theme in Sonata No. 17 builds up slowly and quietly, as though it were just in the midst of coming to be in the thoughts of the composer. You almost feel transported back into the room where Beethoven once diligently composed, as Kit Armstrong gingerly strings together one tone to the next in his interpretation, before pausing as though to think about what comes next and again and then – like he’s had a sudden realization – races over the keys.
Kit Armstrong, born in Los Angeles in 1992, is truly an all-rounder. By the age of five, Kit Armstrong was playing the piano and composing his own music. Besides elementary school, the very gifted student attended high school at the same time. He was then admitted as the youngest student to Chapmen University of California at the age of seven, where he studied composition and physics. At the age of nine, Kit Armstrong changed to Utah State University, where he studied music, mathematics, biology and physics, before going to the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia and completing a degree at the Royal Academy of Music in London with First Class Honours. In 2013, his first CD was released – with his own compositions and transcriptions of pieces by Bach. Since he turned 13, he has also been taught by Alfred Brendel. The world-renowned pianist referred to Kit Armstrong as a “child prodigy” in 2008, and as “the greatest musical talent that I have encountered in my life.” As a solo pianist, Kit Armstrong has worked with many of the most renowned conductors around the world, including Christian Thielemann and Robin Ticciati as well as orchestras like the Vienna Philharmonic and the NHK Symphony Orchestra.
Beethoven’s pupil Carl Czerny wrote that Piano Sonata No. 17 was perfect in form and that the greatest impact unfolded “when the player’s imagination is at the same level as his artistry.” Kit Armstrong fully taps into this “player’s imagination” in his interpretation of Beethoven’s Sonata No. 17 in D minor, Op. 31/2.
© 2024 Deutsche Welle
Watch more concerts in your personal concert hall:
• LISTEN AND WATCH - your personal conc...
and in our playlist with piano concertos:
• PIANO CONCERTOS
Subscribe to DW Classical Music:
youtube.com/dwclassicalmusic
#beethovensonata #beethovenpiano #beethovenpianosonata
Todos los comentarios (21)
-
MAGISTRAL! Bravo
-
Very special. He makes it so interesting. It feels like reading a book.
-
Wonderful, INTENSE interpretation! As this Beethoven should be.
-
This video is the most beautiful thing I have experienced today.
-
Thank you.
-
Absolutely wonderful interpretation played with so many feelings and great intensity when necessary! Thank you for the treat!
-
I wish I had been there. A beautiful place to fully enjoy Bethoven piano sonata. Bethoven music always heals my soul.
-
С благодарностью🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉
-
Superbe interprétation ! Merci ...
-
Awesome 👏🔥
-
ペタリングが素晴らしくて音が躍動している 🎶右手と左手の弾きわけが素晴らしい。奏者の解釈が完全に物に成 っている🎹テンポ、間の良さが絶妙!秘めたる感性を感じます❤
-
Bravissimo. Just fantastic. Sid Bloch
-
Thank You! Kit! Bravo!🌹🌹👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼
-
So great, wonderful, success
-
Spectacular :)
-
Hasta los que sabemos poco de música podemos observar que esta interpretación, los sonidos son muy bonitos.
-
Qué auténtica belleza.
-
Wonderful interpretation of this "Tempest". Thank you, Kit Armstrong!
-
Viel dank ❤ DW❤️❤️🇩🇪🇩🇪🇩🇪
-
Una interpretación diferente. Emotiva,pero si se quiere seca y sin momentos de emotividad. La interrelación en sí es brillante, pero se pierden matices, a mi parecer fundamentales! 22:47