Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827)

[amw]

Opus 133 is magnificent, but it's also unconventional enough to be a tough nut for many listeners, even some who are otherwise comfortable with late Beethoven.

Honestly, I loved the Grosse Fuge the first time I heard it, and I was probably about eight or nine years old at the time. It took much longer to learn why most people considered it so inaccessible and difficult.

I think by the time even a teenager or young adult discovers the piece, let alone an older adult, they likely have more preconceived notions about what a piece of music "should" sound like and therefore find it more difficult. But that's partly just speculation on my part. Structurally it is quite arbitrary at times, and can give an unbalanced impression in performance due to being so heavily front-weighted, with the opening section being much more complex and physically exciting than the subsequent ones (the finale of the Hammerklavier also has this problem).

I started with the Budapest Quartet's mono recording (1952). I think these days I would recommend either the Arditti Quartet or the Hagen Quartet (their second recording, as the finale of Op. 130, not their first recording paired with the Schubert Quintet). But not both. I would also recommend people listen to the piano duet version, Op. 134, which some may find easier listening.

[caters]

Honestly, I loved the Grosse Fuge the first time I heard it, and I was probably about eight or nine years old at the time. It took much longer to learn why most people considered it so inaccessible and difficult.

Same for me except the age, I was in my teenage years when I first listened to Grosse Fuge. But yeah, I too loved it from first listening. I loved Bach's fugues before that, so I think Bach like prepared me for Grosse Fuge. As to why I didn't listen to Grosse Fuge earlier, well, I just didn't care for Beethoven's music until I was in my teenage years. At 12 years old, I was still doing my Mozart binges of symphonies and stuff. It wasn't until I started really craving minor keys and drama as a teenager that I started to love Beethoven. And that love has just grown with every work of his that I hear.

[Florestan]

During my early teens, Beethoven was my favorite composer bar none, and his S7 was my favorite composition by anyone.

I have just turned 50 --- Beethoven is no more my favorite composer (Mozart is) and every time I overhear his S7 on car radio I turn it off. I prefer Beethoven's early period to his middle/late one any day and night.

EDIT: Beethoven makes it to my Top Ten only because of very sentimental reasons.  I can live whole months without listening to his music.

[caters]

For me, as a child, my favorite composer would switch back and forth between Mozart and Chopin depending on my mood. Bach would be at #2 and Brahms or Tchaikovsky at #3. Beethoven stooped very low for me, like even below Haydn and I didn't exactly love Haydn either. But I just couldn't understand what was going on in Beethoven, musically or emotionally, and I felt I needed that to say that I loved their music. And it pains me to say this, but my favorite Beethoven work back then was probably Fur Elise.

As a teenager though, after that one day that I searched "C minor concerto" on YouTube and got Beethoven's PC 3 as the first search result, I was hooked on Beethoven, I started craving more Beethoven like crazy. Mozart became #2 and Bach #3. I can't say that I have a single favorite piece of his cause I just love his music too much, but I can say for sure that the top of the top, the cream of the crop for me, is his C minor pieces, PC 3, Symphony 5, Pathetique, Op. 111, etc.

And that's followed very closely by other minor key pieces like Appassionata, Symphony 9, Tempest etc. And then the more dramatic major key pieces like Symphony 3, Waldstein, Kreutzer etc. And then the more joyful like SQ 6, PS 3, Waltz in Eb etc.

Only piece of his that I can say I dislike is Symphony 1, it's just so underwhelming for me, especially since I heard the dramatic Symphonies 3, 5, and 9 years before I heard Symphony 1.

[Florestan]

My favorite Beethoven PC is No. 2.

In general, I love my Beethoven to be unbuttoned, not-serious, non-heroic, the-socialite-he-might-have-been-had-he-not-gone-deaf. Which means I love his early period, I like his middle period and I don't  much care for his late period.

My two cents: Beethoven, Bruckner and Mahler are for teenagers --- Mozart, Haydn and Schubert are for grownups, while Chopin is in a league of his own.

[Madiel]

My two cents: Beethoven, Bruckner and Mahler are for teenagers --- Mozart, Haydn and Schubert are for grownups, while Chopin is in a league of his own.

You're older. It's unclear whether you're wiser. 

[Daverz]

My favorite Beethoven PC is No. 2.

You and Martha Argerich.  3 is probably still my favorite. 

My two cents: Beethoven, Bruckner and Mahler are for teenagers

Well into my 20s I turned my nose up at Bruckner and Mahler as bloated, overwrought stuff.  Then I actually listened to their music.

EDIT: thinking back, I can now remember listening to Gunter Wand's NDR Bruckner 4 on cassette.

[caters]

You and Martha Argerich.  3 is probably still my favorite. 

Same. Anything in C minor is likely to be a favorite of mine, by any composer, but especially Beethoven.

[Madiel]

I love PC no.4 more than anything. Number 3 isn't far behind though.

I don't really get the more widespread adoration for the 5th, and sometimes wonder whether I just need to hear the right version. The one I actually own is Perahia/Haitink, where at least some people think the Emperor is the one weaker performance in the set.

[Jo498]

I think the "Emperor" might suffer a bit from overexposure. And the beginning and some passages of the first movement are in that representative/heroic mode that some people came to find clichéed. But the slow movement is really divine and the others are also great. The "2nd theme" of the first movement is more a complex with related themes that contrast wonderfully both with each other and the heroic main themes: first the minor with piano and pizzicato strings, than the horns and finally a heroic full orchestra that leads into the main theme. I rarely listen to the Emperor (admittedly, I don't listen that much to any of these concertos nowadays) but it was a piece that really stunned me as a teenager new to classical music.

[Florestan]

You're older. It's unclear whether you're wiser. 

    

[caters]

I've only ever heard the Emperor concerto once in its entirety. It's great, but not my favorite by any means.

[BasilValentine]

The finale of the Emperor is wonderful, probably my favorite concerto movement by Beethoven. I like the Fourth best overall, although the concerto is the Classical Era instrumental genre that interests me least.

[Jo498]

I think Mozart's and Beethoven's piano concerti (and to a lesser extent their other concertos) are the best concerti ever. There are a few later ones keeping up and also some Bach (although almost all baroque concerti are smaller scale and more chamber music than late classical and later ones, so they can hardly be  compared) but the 19th century usually oscillates between shallow virtuoso concerti and overlong/serious "symphonic ones", so with very few exceptions they are mostly flawed to me while with Mozart and Beethoven we have a perfect balance between seriousness and playfulness, symphonic coherence and virtuoso display.

[LKB]

My favorite Beethoven PC is No. 2.

In general, I love my Beethoven to be unbuttoned, not-serious, non-heroic, the-socialite-he-might-have-been-had-he-not-gone-deaf. Which means I love his early period, I like his middle period and I don't  much care for his late period.

My two cents: Beethoven, Bruckner and Mahler are for teenagers --- Mozart, Haydn and Schubert are for grownups, while Chopin is in a league of his own.

While l can't claim to love all of those composers equally or unreservedly, I've at least been able to appreciate them all since l was an adolescent. So it seems that my " two cents " are of a different currency. 

Of course, l was a performing musician for a long time, which is a very different dynamic compared to exclusively listening.

[SonicMan46]

Piano Trios - been listening to the Florestan Trio most of the day and now on the Maggie Cole (Trio Goya) set of Op. 1 on period instruments (excellent but just Op. 1 w/ a skimpy 30 min second disc although priced as one CD) - the other set in my collection is Trio Elegiaque.

Now, I'm quite happy w/ these sets - would like a more complete 'period instrument' recording but not sure what else is available.  Also curious about the bottom 3 offerings - have some Trio Wanderer in other composers, and wondering if they did a newer recording (last pic) since the performers look older in the cover art?  Any comments, other suggestions, or favorites appreciated.  Thanks - Dave

   

   

[Florestan]

I'm quite happy w/ these sets

Why then do you need another, Dave? 

[Todd]

Of the ones you listed, I know only this one, and it is quite good.  Fairly light, energetic, exuberant, it is worth a listen or even a purchase.

My current reference set, and one it will take a lot to dislodge, is from Trio Owon.  Top notch across the board.

[SonicMan46]

Why then do you need another, Dave? 

Hi Andrei - happy w/ the sets owned, but would like a more complete period performance - the Trio Goya is quite good but they don't seem to have recorded anymore?  And just curious about the others so wondering if anyone has some listening experience w/ them?  Dave

[Florestan]

would like a more complete period performance

Why?