Beethoven Sonata No.7, Opus 10, No.3
Largo e mesto

May I do this on the installment plan? (LOL) Although I've been working mostly on the first movement of this sonata, at 4:30 this morning I recorded the second movement. I hope it's not too bad. I guess it's the best I can do at this time. It's frustrating to try to play very softly only to have some notes not sound...

That was nice, John. Having never played it myself, I can't say much. It sure sounded very "Beethoven-like"

I hope you don't live in a condo townhouse. If so, you have very good neighbors who don't mind hearing you playing at 4:30 am. btw. the sound quality - there was quite a bit of what I think they call 'clipping' (too loud for the speakers?) It's not terrible but next time you record maybe you can check that.

Thanks, Pianolady, for listening to my post. The technical part of recording is a real weakness for me. I turned up the input volume because Chris said the last recording I posted was too soft. Since most of this second movement is rather soft, I didn't lower the input volume. So now there's clipping again. (You can't win for losing!)

I decided to attempt learning some more "serious" music such as Beethoven, after having been doing so much Nazareth and Joplin. I hope I'm up to it.

As for disturbing neighbors, we have been having so many hurricanes that I had impact windows and doors installed throughout my house. I have the windows and doors all closed and the air conditioning running which makes the house pretty soundproof. Suffering from insomnia, I occasionally play the piano at 3 or 4 AM. So far there have been no neighbors complain.

Installment plan: haha! Don't worry I am doing that too with Tchaik's Album for the Youth. I think that is the most common plan available here.

4:30 in the morning? Do you sleep? Or are you nocturnal? (Darn I wish this recording was a nocturne because then it would have been a funny pun )

I never heard this before. Is your piano in tune? Because sometimes, I think, it sounded a bit "boing-gy" (for a lack of a better word).

Juufa, guess what? I just got my piano tuned. I had noticed that it needed it. I have two piano tuners and get it tuned every three months at least. Now I wish I hadn't recorded that Beethoven this morning. I wonder if they'll let me try again with a tuned piano.....I didn't know the tuner was available today.

Ahaaaahhh... an installment plan. I know all about these
Well played, very concentrated and faithful to the score. You'll do just fine with the classics.
I must admit this movement (and some other slow movements from his early Sonatas) rather stretch my patience, and your Richter-like slow tempo does not help here. It seems like it just gets too protracted compared with the other parts of the sonata.

Apart from the tempo, there's nothing much to niggle about here. Technically solid, just a couple of minor mistakes which you are probably well aware of. In the more sonorous passages you do really well, but in the softer passages you are losing notes (I wel know that problem, too...). The only solution, I think, is an overall firmer touch. If your forte sounds like mezzoforte, the pianissimo will always be a problem. The one thing I did not like is the mannered ritenuti on these descending staccato 32ths. I am not against a bit of rubato in Beethoven, but it needs to be done very discreetly.

I did not hear any clipping here. You'll need to decide on a fixed volume setting that only just avoids clipping at the loudest passages (assuming you ever play triple fortissimo), and stick to that.

Thanks, Chris, for having the patience to listen to this Largo. It's funny you mention it being so slow. I've listened to a couple of pianists play it, and they also played it quite slow. It was difficult for me to maintain the slow tempo. I get frustrated with this Largo because I feel like I'm straining to crescendo while holding notes down. It seems like an organ would be a better instrument to play parts of it. Do you think I should make the whole thing a bit louder to avoid the chance of not sounding a few notes?I hope you will permit me to do this over since I had my piano tuned about four hours after I posted it. I will also take your advice as much as I can when I re-do it. I'm working quite diligently on the other movements. If you prefer, I will wait to post them all at once. Or is it better to post one movement at a time?

Well do not take my advice too much.... I am not such a Beethoven expert and I just get impatient with these huge slow movements (Schubert's can be darn long too but they hold more intensity, variety and interest).

As for playing louder... I can only say that I used to be a rather soft and modest player and the first thing I was told at lesson is that I just do not make enough sound. I balked at that for a long time but am beginning to see the point now, and living up to it. It is easier to make contrasts when you are not confined to a mezzoforte range.

Up to you if you want to submit a sonata at once or separate movements at a time. I do not have a preference although it has something nice to be able to present a complete set !