Beethoven: Piano Sonata No. 8 'Pathétique' | Daniel Barenboim

Replete with passion and grace, the 'Pathétique' counts among Ludwig van Beethoven’s most popular piano pieces. Here, Daniel Barenboim masterfully interprets the Piano Sonata No. 8 in C minor, Op. 13 in the Palais Rasumofsky in Vienna. It is part of Barenboim’s complete recording of all 32 of Beethoven’s piano sonatas from the years 1983 and 1984. This Beethoven cycle is considered a reference rendition. 00:00 I. Grave – Allegro di molto e con brio 09:41 II. Adagio cantabile 14:51 III. Rondo: Allegro The Piano Sonata No. 8 in C minor, Op. 13 of 1789 comprises everything that characterizes Beethoven’s musical style: tender, reserved tones, explosive outbursts, abrupt shifts, touching melodies and artful virtuosity. Beethoven’s publisher was so enthused and moved that, with Beethoven’s consent, he gave the piece the title “Grande Sonate Pathétique” and published it in 1799. From a purely technical standpoint, the sonata is easier to play than many of his other sonatas, making the 'Pathétique' very popular among advanced piano learners. When Ludwig van Beethoven wrote this sonata in 1798 at the age of 27, he was in Vienna at the climax of his career as a pianist and, at the same time, was struggling with the onset of his deafness. Contrary to what is displayed in the video clip, Beethoven did not dedicate the 'Pathétique' to Joseph Haydn but to 1802 Karl Alois, Prince Lichnowsky, who not only provided him with accommodation for quite a while in Vienna – the prince also supported him financially for over 10 years. Beethoven penned a total of 32 sonatas for piano in his years in Vienna, between 1796 and 1823. They are among the most significant works in piano literature and include pieces such as the 'Moonlight Sonata,' the 'Appassionata' or, as previously mentioned, the 'Pathétique'. Hans von Bülow, a pianist himself and later – from 1887 to 1892 – the Principal Conductor of the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, considered Johann Sebastian Bach’s instructional piece, “The Well-Tempered Clavier” to be the “Old Testament of piano music.” He was so enthralled by Beethoven’s sonatas that he called them the “New Testament of piano music.” Over the long period of 30 years, Beethoven’s piano sonatas are considered to mirror his musical development. One expert who has examined Beethoven’s piano sonatas since his childhood is famed pianist and conductor Daniel Barenboim (*1942). Barenboim was considered a prodigy. As a young man, he studied in Rome under the instruction of pianist and music teacher Carlo Zecci. At the age of 15, he made his first recordings of a few of Beethoven’s piano sonatas, including the 'Pathétique.' In addition, he was already playing with the New York Philharmonic at that age. Five years later, Barenboim conducted the London Symphony Orchestra in New York. From that point on the doors of the greatest stages in the world stood open to him. From 1992 to 2023, the Argentine-Israeli pianist and conductor was the General Music Director of the Berlin State Opera. The Staatskapelle Berlin designated him the lifetime Principal Conductor in year 2000. Since 1999, he has also been advocating for a peaceful resolution of the Middle East conflict between Israelis and Palestinians with the “West-Eastern Divan Orchestra.” Pianist and conductor Daniel Barenboim dedicated a total of five complete recordings to Beethoven’s piano sonatas in the course of his career. He played the final cycle to mark the occasion of the composer’s 250th birthday (2020) during the COVID pandemic for the Deutsche Grammophon classical music label and stated at the time, “No matter how often you play them, there are always new, personal perspectives to discover.” © 1984 EuroArts Music International Watch more concerts in your personal concert hall: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL_SdnzPd3eBV5A14dyRWy1KSkwcG8LEey Find the best of Beethoven here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL_SdnzPd3eBWcX1eOXH-w75x-_-7gRF-w check out more piano sonatas here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL_SdnzPd3eBV8VQOtGGTUYSryvB_k8Wl- and some great piano concertos here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL_SdnzPd3eBU7k2TJgrgNCc9aygnNkaGZ Subscribe to DW Classical Music: https://www.youtube.com/dwclassicalmusic #beethoven #barenboim #pianosonata