Beethoven the Pianist

Abstract

The widely held belief that Beethoven was a rough pianist, impatient with his instruments, is not altogether accurate: it is influenced by anecdotes dating from when deafness had begun to impair his playing. Presenting a new, detailed biography of Beethoven's formative years, this book reviews the composer's early career, outlining how he was influenced by teachers, theorists and instruments. Skowroneck describes the development and decline of Beethoven's pianism, and pays special attention to early pianos, their construction and their importance for Beethoven and the modern pianist. The book also includes new discussions of legato and Beethoven's trills, and a complete annotated review of eyewitnesses' reports about his playing. Skowroneck presents a revised picture of Beethoven which traces his development from an impetuous young musician into a virtuoso in command of many musical resources.

Performing Beethoven’s musical dynamics

“…1074 in Vienna in December 1808 would have observed much in Beethoven's performance at the piano that would prompt a strongly embodied experience of the music and of the composer, more in line with the anti-dualist and materialist epistemologies emerging across Europe. Contemporary accounts of Beethoven's piano playing attest to his tremendous power, brilliance and orchestral conception (Skowroneck, 2010). The Czech composer and pianist Václav Tomášek (1774-1850) narrates in his autobiography how he was unable to touch a piano for days after hearing Beethoven perform in the Konvikt Hall, Prague, in 1798, so powerfully overcome he was (Bateman, n.d.).…”

The Banking Union: Agencies and the Lesson from the US

“…The ICC was the first federal agency, but even before its establishment several states utilized the regulatory commission structure in their attempts to regulate the railroad industry. 73 After the ICC was set up, the US saw, together with the centralisation of power 74 and the rebuilding of the nation state 75 an increase in its administrative capacities to regulate phenomena of federal interest. An aspect of this renewal of Washington's power was an outgrowth of federal agencies (which in turn derived from the state commission movement which dated back to the early Nineteenth century 76 ).…”

Revolutionary Pedagogy: A Historical Perspective on Improvising in Beethoven

“…201 It is important for students to know the stories about Beethoven deviating dramatically from the score, 202 such as when he left his fellow musicians waiting awkwardly while he improvised a long cadenza in the performance of his Piano Quintet, 203 or how he mysteriously changed the written notes in the closing themes of his sonata expositions. 204 Students should know that Beethoven instructed his students to embellish repeated material, 205 not just that he reprimanded Czerny for his wild and uncouth additions to the score. 206 Students should also receive help and encouragement in their experimentations with creativity.…”