Barenboim plays Mendelssohn Songs Without Words Op.38 no.6 in A flat Major

[felixdevilliers1]

If you don't mind I'll add to my previous comment. Firstly con moto means with movement. I have listened again. The other versions I heard have no idea of accompaniment The begin it grwoling and heavy and then tney play the melody plonk, plonk, plonk as though, note for more when it should flow on one thread. It is not true. he does allow breathing spaces, if no d for athmastics. B. transroms the oiece into sheer lyricism with a delicate enucniation of the melody exceptin forte passages.

[felixdevilliers1]

I think Mendelssohn would have played the piece at exactly this speed.He was known to like playing fast. Over the trun of the Bruno Walther century this kind of music was dragged down to appalling slowness and sentimentality. This can be checked with the metronome marks both Schumann and his wife gave to the Childscenes - much faster than normally taken.Here the meoldy sings at a speed that is not too fast. All ither youtube versions I tried are ghastly travesties.

[twilightsepitaph]

way to fast. ANDANTE not presto. Love your other pieces though

[otirudam]

I find it ravishing. But for those that think its too fast, can anybody give a name of a pianist that interprets it in the "real" andante con motto, so as to know what exactly you are talking about. Maybe and hopefully with a video that is available here in utube.Thanks.

[purplepeoplepurple]

@otirudam -- "Can anybody give a name of a pianist ..." For a very slow but gorgeous performance try Gilels here on YouTube, or Wolfgang Wagenhäuser. I agree with others here in feeling that Barenboim plays it much too quickly.

[ducati1000s2r]

I used to play this piece when i was 14 or 15, and I ADORE it. I haven't heard it performed by anyone else ever, until now. Barenboim is my favourite pianist and most definitely the foremost expert on Beethoven. My first reaction hearing this rendition? - it's 'andante con moto' not 'presto'. I guess he had his 'rationale' for this tempo, but it is a far superior piece when the harmonic changes have room to breath. You can disagree with me, but THAT is what i would tell my piano students.

[marcxopoco]

Superficial interpretation of a great, profound piece.

He plays it like a Czerny etude.

[SchuBomb]

I think for the people complaining that it's too fast, you're maybe confusing the speed of the accompaniment with the speed of the overall piece and the melody.

[pianistlover2008]

Toda la belleza melodica de esta pieza, la conversacion de altos y bajos. se pierde a esta velocidad. Muy mal la eleccion de tempo. Barenboim se jacta de ser un interprete genial y aqui se muestra lo contrario.

[mysamri92]

this love story seems to develop quite fast :-?

[beethomozart]

beautiful music , great author, outstanding pianist, let´s listen and enjoy

[lovesGenet]

at an andante speed it would have the depth of a Schubert melody here it is less interesting.This man who understands music as well as anyone alive.Did someone speed this and post here.

[thomasnewman8]

Is it just me, or is this piece marked "andante con moto", not "prestissimo"?

[enrothable]

@thomasnewman8 I agree. Too fast to be swept away IMO