Beethoven Sonata Op. 81 A Les Adieux 2nd and 3rd mvts.

[MrLisztian]

I feel the same way... I think the playing is very thoughtful... emotional... and sung beautifully...

And the person who mentions the 2nd movement not being butchered.. Amen to that... I think the last movement tempi is fine... you give it breath, nuance and lots of sound color rather then just toasting if off to the wind as fast as you can... and all for...? show... this approach is far better...

[dreamcools]

i can't watch it properly, the sound never matches the video. i love your interpretation, but the sound starts to loop from 4:28...i really wanna hear your playing :'(

[Hellstenen]

1:45 - 1:55 is played in Amnesia: The Dark Descent.

[1810to1849]

wonderful warm tone, vertical colouring just terrific.  you're amazing, inspiring.

[BiipoOO]

simplemete perfecto..

[opusAlex125]

wonderfull playing

thank you for sharing!

[INFINITYWAY]

Just amazing and fantastic .....thanks 4 u

[javiertw89]

I don´t understand the expression "poco andante". Does it mean he has to play slower or faster than andante?

[12345qazx1]

a very sound and traditional performance played wih respect and love

[benjamindimeglio]

Wonderful performance. It sucks watching it with a delay of video from the audio though. Most frustrating

[Havenscope]

The second movement is spectacular here, despite it being quite slow. You have a very unique interpretation, most definitely.

[dalecampbl5]

great job

[huypn127]

You have an immense heart, what a beautiful sound you have, the intensity is very captivating ! At last someone who doesn't butcher the 2nd movement ! Continue in this way, great future !

[estcla]

just wonderful. Bravo!

[fredericko9]

Absolutely great. I think the 3rd movement was played plenty fast - and you played it very musically well. Many other performers show the awkwardness of the piece rather than its musicality. I think the 2nd movement however should have been played andante rather than adagio. Thank you very much for this excellent performance.

[bboydaduke]

you have superb technique

[horses1]

Lovely performances you have shared here. I wonder if you could say something about how/why you chose the tempo for the Third Mov't of 81a? Thanks.

[kimballagher]

I have to admit when I hear it now I wish I had played it faster or with more ebullience...but at the time I was trying not to take it too far and in the space I was playing it was very difficult to play clearly at too fast a tempo. Also trying to really feel a six-eight meter but again perhaps too much restraint.

[horses1]

Quite understandable; this issue of tempi and volume is especially problematic in non-concert venues. Thank you for your reply.

[organman52]

I feel that the tempos are perfect. In the 3rd mvmt., you capture the 6/8 meter just right - as a duple meter with triple subdivisions. It sounds like it is 'in 2' the entire time, which was Beethoven's intention.

[Pischnaholic]

Mr. Gallagher, you play extremely well. It's obvious you've put a great deal of thought and feeling into it as well as technical practice. Please don't let the negative comments others may make cause you to doubt yourself. True interpretations come from within.

Tovey would agree with your idea of Vivacissimamente, which he said meant in the liveliest TIME - not the fastest TEMPO. You play this with intelligence and restraint. It might sound more EXUBERANT with less care but it's fine as is.

[kusuna7]

good playing.... the third movement is a bit slow though: on the score beethoven wrote 'vivacissimente: im lebhafsten Zeitmasse' which means very rapid, in as lively tempo as possible! The playings convincing in its own way, but maybe not Beethovens....

[ChopinARG]

the 3th mov haves repetitions but he doesn't play them, however he is amazing, bravo!!!

[anaperezventura]

Very sensitive playing!Thank you

[chad410]

very expressive

[pianopera]

I like this playing very much - it's sensitive, expressive (without "overdoing" it), well-balanced, stylish, pianistically on a high level.

In the last movement I only miss a certain exuberance.

[organman52]

You are amazingly sensitive to the harmonies and your melodic intensity and shaping are wonderful. Your knowledge of this music is unsurpassed.

[organboi]

just incredible. i want to hear more of you. and so should the world. BRAVO!!!

[saori2216]

beautiful performance, i'm actually playing this piece right now and, i need some help on interpretation and such can anyone give me some tips?

[FranckFromFrance]

this piano sonata anounces beethoven's later work, which are the most difficult pieces to play on the piano. 2nd movement of this piece is called "Absence" (Die Abwesenheit).It then tells about nostalgia, a soft sadness, interrogations,wondering where to go...

Lots of different sounds to be done, like an orchestra, to show harmonic and polyphonic richness of this piece (like all Beethoven works).

Good luck

[FranckFromFrance]

I was trying to answer saori2216 about some tips.

This comment is not about K. Ballagher performance which is complete.

[lachness11]

This sonata was written during the years 1809 and 1810.

Napoleon attacked Vienna in 1809 and that forced Beethoven's patron, Archduke Rudolph, to leave the city. He titled the three movements "Lebewohl," "Abwesenheit," and "Wiedersehen," and reportedly regarded the French "Adieux" as a poor translation of the German "Lebewohl" (Kolodin, 1975). Indeed, Beethoven had written the syllables "Le-be-wohl" over the first three chords.

[lachness11]

In music I think it generally means passionate and fiery.

[gerryrains]

I am guessing that you mean appassionata as in the Beethoven sonata. There actually is a free online Italian-English dictionary. Here's the result, which loses me:

As a verb: 'appassionata': feminine singular past participle of the verb 'appassionare' Full conjugation

Multiple results for appassionata: appassionare appassionato

appassionare:

appassionare ⇒ v fire (get on fire).

Gerry

[pianosig]

'les adieux' - french, meaning 'missing or farewell'. this is a sonata about a best friend left and away, and then return.

[dirq1]

so calm,..soft....slow,...quiet..­..relaxed. Zen.

...living on another universe.

nice 3th mov too. Bravo !!

[mumultiple]

Bravo Bravo Bravo ! (L) !

[Y3k666]

amazed! I could barely hear one error at 4:59-5:00 minutes...sounds like you hit a wrong note..it's only me or i'm right? by the way OUTSTANDING performance. Gratz!

[tjb2990]

excellent work kimball, you still amaze me every time.

-tim booser

[XAdadglgmutX]

Awesome! what kind of piano were you playing on?

[kimballagher]

It's a nine foot New York Steinway. I think it is fairly recent from the 80s or 90s. Thanks for asking and thanks for watching.

[Mumum2]

amazing, great job, only part I didn't fully like was the poco andante in the 3rd mvnt. A little fast for my taste but great.

[didyougethathing]

my favorite beethoven sonata, great job

[skg1991]

Nicely done Kimball! This is my favourite Beethoven piece (and my 2nd favourite piece of all time) and you've played it like a true virtuoso. Definetaly a second to my Claudio Arrau and Alfred Brendel recordings.

Again, great job!

[danielito1979]

well done, thank you for your art

[zAKUCAVAC]

CONGRATULATIONS.You play very clean and not forsing the tempo.And you are very musical,you show it with your entire interpretation.Keep it up.Cheers

[dirq1]

bravo !