ALFRED BRENDEL - Moonlight Sonata (1st mvt)

Ludwig van BEETHOVEN
Sonata No. 14 in C sharp minor, Op. 27 No. 2 "Moonlight" - "Clair de lune"
1. Adagio sostenuto
by Alfred Brendel



After a performance of the "Moonlight" Sonata, "The Times" wrote :
"Playing the "Moonlight" is the pianist's equivalent of an actor speaking "To be or not to be" ; the entire audience can sing along, so how can it be made to sound unworn without introducing eccentricity ?
In Brendel's case, by lavishing on every phrase such intensity of feeling that we are simply unable to hear the familiarity."

Après qu'Alfred Brendel eut exécuté la sonate "Clair de lune", le critique du "Times" écrivit :
"Pour un pianiste, jouer la sonate "Clair de lune" équivaut pour un acteur à réciter le fameux monologue "Etre ou ne pas être" de Hamlet. Tous les spectateurs sont capables de le reprendre en choeur ; aussi comment peut-on jouer cette sonate sans routine et sans excentricité ?
Mais Brendel joue chaque phrase si intensément qu'on oublie à quel point cette oeuvre nous est familière."

Category:

Music

Tags:

• alfred
• brendel
• sonata
• moonlight
• piano
• beethoven

[Videogamerfan1441]

The first time I heard Alfred Brendel he was playing Beethoven's Choral Fantasy at Carnagie Hall doing the 100th anniversary of the building. With the New York Philharmonic Orchestra. He said he didn't have time to rehearse. And he nailed it, a flawless performance. I wish I could find that performance.

[Angepianiste]

@Videogamerfan1441

Thank you very much for telling this fine anecdote ! =)

Best wishes,

Olivia

[neurosis12]

Don't know if I should be ashamed of myself or not, but as a (merely) grown man I cannot seem to hold back my emotiotions when I hear this masterpiece. In a way, the sonata makes me depressed and thorougly happy at the same time, in a way that confuses me. In conclusion, this is probably the most wonderful musical piece ever created, coming straight out of a, usually, emotionally stable person. If I could play this myself I would probably keep on doing it until I fall asleep on the piano. :)

[Brunildilla]

Maestro Alfred Brende, you are a genius...

[GinoS1977]

Es una delicia!!!!

[leanmv]

I completely agree with you! and playing particulary Mozart and Beethoven is superb. My favorite pianist

[Finarphin]

This is an intensely spiritual rendition. 

[sidesplitter07]

An excellent version, but, after listening to dozens of gifted performers playing this piece my preference is still Wilhelm Kempff. Magical, dreamy, inspiring and six and a half minutes of lost time. Treat yourself and listen to Wilhelm Kempff play this piece on youtube - beautiful.

[paradoxicus]

En el arte la perfección,posiblemente no exista.Aquí no solo lo roza,lo hace suyo.¿¡Perfecto?!

[simmo303]

A fine version. How cruel of nature to wreck his hands with arthritis.