Hammerklavier, Beethoven Sonata n. 29, by Brendel. (1/6)

Sunday, May 30th, 2010 at 8:37 am

One of the greatest sonatas ever. Sonata nº 29, Hammerklavier, op.106. Ludwig van Beethoven. I Allegro Performed by Alfred Brendel and recorded in 1970. ENJOY IT!! From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia en.wikipedia.org Ludwig van Beethoven’s Piano Sonata No. 29 in B flat major, opus 106, known as the Große Sonate für das Hammerklavier, or more simply as the Hammerklavier, is widely considered to be one of the most important works of the composer’s third period and one of the great piano sonatas. It is considered Beethoven’s single most difficult composition for the piano, with the possible exception of the Diabelli Variations, and it remains one of the most challenging solo works in the entire piano repertoire to this day. Composition The sonata was written primarily from the summer of 1817 to the late autumn of 1818, towards the end of a fallow period in Beethoven’s compositional career, and represents the spectacular emergence of many of the themes that were to recur in Beethoven’s late period: the reinvention of traditional forms, such as sonata form; a brusque humor; and a return to pre-classical compositional traditions, including an exploration of modal harmony and reinventions of the fugue within classical forms. The Hammerklavier also set precedents for the length of solo compositions (it runs for approximately 37 minutes, if the tempo is adhered to exactly); while orchestral works such as symphonies and concerti had often contained movements of 15 or even 20 …