Beethoven Pathetique Petra Somlai

Petra Somlai, fortepiano, copy Anton Walter (c.1795, Vienna) by Chris Maene, 2000
Concert Paaskerk, Baarn (NL)
November 5, 2016
Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827)
Piano Sonata No. 8 in C minor, Op. 13, 'Pathétique' (1798)
Picture: Robert Smeekes & Louk van Dijk
Sound: Kees Koudstaal
©2016 Prelude Baarn - All Rights Reserved.

[@johnbarry5036]

I love the bass on these fortepianos. They have this clangy, metallic sound which brings a rawness to the music. Modern pianos "smooth" everything over.

[@matteomagurno3068]

I view it as being more orchestral

[@matteomagurno3068]

There’s much more variation between single registers and much more variation on timbre depending on dynamics. also much better pedal effects frankly.

[@matttondr9282]

Old instruments have generally a much richer sound, full of overtones. Modern instruments have a clean and focused sound, but you lose a lot of the unique character. It’s the same on violins, guitars etc.

[@srothbardt]

@@matttondr9282You’re obviously a musician. Your remarks are very specific and exact. Thanks.

[@srothbardt]

@@matteomagurno3068You seem to be a pianist. Thanks for your comments.

[@usernotfound6475]

12:55 that page turn was smooth as hell

[@dees3179]

Finally. An interpretation that makes sense. Normally there is just too much noise and it ends up moooshed into nothing meaningful. This interpretation on this instrument, such a relief. Thanks for sharing.

[@davidklein5007]

Yep. The Steinway kills this.

[@scottalbers2518]

What is all that background movement? Annoying audience.

[@zombiemachinery4868]

@@scottalbers2518, arthritis.

[@kentrosaurusboi3909]

@@davidklein5007 I agree, too mashed up and muddied.

[@andymilstenmusic8520]

@@davidklein5007 Yeah, too much unnecessary mushiness on a Steinway. This interpretation is perfectly delicate!!

[@akemihikaru2989]

What a crass, blaring, temperamental instrument....absolutely wonderful!

[@kelvinyearwood8212]

Made me laugh. And Petra's so sexy, too. Beethoven would have fallen in love, but, alas, 'You are mad and ugly, Ludwig... Of course I'll marry you.'

[@johnbarry5036]

This is really an ear opener. Like the first time you heard a beethoven symphony on period instruments...but this is even more dramatic.

[@saldana7395]

This has to be to way Beethoven probably played the piece. Also, I didn't think I could experience Beethoven like if it was the first time listening. This was amazing and I loved it!!!

[@tonyb4192]

I love her phrasing, especially the articulation at the end of a phrase. And the spaces in her tempo are beautiful.

[@datashed]

It's almost as though there's a ghost of a harpsichord whispering through the overtones of the fortepiano.

[@pnoman316]

Yes like a ghost!

[@lonewolf604]

I love that analogy. Modern pianos just evoke more romanticism, clear tones and longer sustain, better for Chopin etc. Beethoven and the fortepiano are a perfect marriage

[@nicholasarthur5525]

you prolly dont give a shit but if you are bored like me during the covid times then you can stream all of the new movies on InstaFlixxer. Have been streaming with my brother these days :)

[@jesusrodrigo9827]

@Nicholas Arthur Definitely, been using instaflixxer for since december myself =)

[@zackeryhardy9504]

@@lonewolf604 The way I always think about it is the masters of past days learned to use every nuance of the instruments they had as opposed to the instruments that would eventually come out. Objectively speaking modern pianos are better in nearly every way, but Beethoven didn't have one and therefore he had to make due with what he had. Chopin on the other hand had pianos that are a lot closer to the modern piano we have. In fact the piano went through its most defining years during the romantic era and ultimately did not change that much after that. While there have been advancements in that last several decades in piano engineering, none of it has really changed the nature of the instrument. Only refined what was there. As such chopin, liszt and other romantic era composers play very nicely on modern instraments while classical era composers like Beethoven and mozart loose something given they wrote pieces specifically for the instruments of their day and ultimately used the qwerks of the instrument for musical effect.

[@adriengomez630]

I love this piano, glad that now we have recordings of what it really sounded like.

[@AltoonaYourPiano]

I love this woman's brilliant interpretation of this piece. One of my favorites that I've heard so far.

[@dennydoran6526]

Thank you Petra, Ludwig is present. Wonderful instrument.

[@miletone6221]

1st Movement 0:09 2nd Movement 7:38 3rd Movement 12:33

[@prototypeo1404]

Is there no 4th?

[@amarillo1525]

​@@prototypeo1404 nope

[@lesptitsoiseaux]

I finally get why in the beethoven movie they talk about the violence of his music. That keyboard is pretty hardcore loud when she bangs the low notes. The piano doesn't have volume range. This is a pretty cool instrument.

[@Brythepilgrim]

Absolutely incredible and stunning!! Petra’s genius interpretation coupled with the raw, pure sound of the fortepiano makes this performance an invigorating and awe inspiring experience! Words almost fail me here...

[@giovannidicarpegna8948]

Amo Beethoven più di ogni altro, così Mozart, e nei sui confronti provo un senso di colpa quando mi commuovo ascoltando Beethoven. Il fortepiano mi entra nel corpo e nell'anima ed è uno strumento meraviglioso. Grazie Giovanni

[@christian_florez]

What a brilliant interpretation. Such an interesting, unique, and vibrant take on a popular classic.

[@jimmyhygaard2252]

Breathtaking level of expertise,even Beethoven himself may be shocked if he could only hear you play,not enough words in a dictionary to tell you how much I Love your music,even though it is Beethoven,it is actually Petra,thanks.

[@hritviknijhawan1737]

The pure rage and tragic in the 1st movement, it is so perfect I say it doesn't miss by even a 0.0001 to me.

[@gilgermesch]

From one musician to another: this is absolutely brilliant!

[@maestromusician5630]

Brava! I am glad that there are still people who remember what music means and are passionate in their convictions. Do not listen to the "modern" experts in their confusion. Continue to follow your timing and range which I find remarkably natural and very close to my own interpretations of this masterpiece when I was younger. Best Wishes....

[@danielwaitzman2118]

Wonderful playing on a wonderful instrument!

[@andrejsljunggren]

Excellent! (For me that is) Yet funny to read the negative comments. Its like watching kids eating sweets and then throwing a tantrum over one piece of candy that didn't match their taste.

[@michelmagnard9483]

You are the only musician who has perfectly understand the truth sens of bach music

[@markusaustria7952]

Great Petra, outstanding performance driving the excellent Chris Maene/Anton Walter like Ludwig in red zone with a maximum of power, sensibility and musical intelligence!

[@suhonenN]

Precis som jag vill höra (och se) henne spela! Vill ha mera, helst här på KZbin, så jag hittar lätt. Bravo, Petra!

[@HaritheRenaissanceMan]

Love this performance! I hope she will one day re-record with no one around, I really hate the background noise from the live audience, was intrusive from the first few seconds.

[@davidklein5007]

This is really exceptional playing. Chris Maene's MiNe109 is also outstanding in its genre.

[@robertfrowe7119]

Dazzling. Best I’ve ever heard.

[@JR-ht8pn]

I appreciate your interpretation I never get tired of listening to him Keep going like that!

[@Rasmus_Schweden]

Dem Kommentar kann ich mit vollem Herzen ❤️ zustimmen. Ich hätte nicht gedacht dass ich Beethoven einmal so interpretiert höher würde. Danke für diese Aufführung. Rasmus aus Schweden 🙏🙏🙏🙏🎹

[@folkeholmberg3519]

She surely brings out the nuances of the piece, I think Ludwig would have enjoyed it. Very fine tone in that piano.

[@michaelthomheadley]

An unbelievably good interpretation - this piece sounds perfect on the instrument

[@goldenlight2277]

What a sensitive instrument is this. Very beautifully played.

[@freeman61]

And that is how you interpret Beethoven !!!

[@ManuelMartinez-hu7bx]

Acabo de escuchar su interpretación de la sonata n 8 de Beethoven, me ha encantado, he escuchado muchas veces esta sonata interpretada en un piano moderno, pero al escucharlo en un piano Forte me ha sorprendido para bien, su interpretación me ha encantado, pero el primer movimiento ha sido sensacional, la fuerza, el desgarro, el drama que usted consigue en las notas graves con este instrumento, no lo he oído nunca en un piano moderno con tal intensidad y fuerza, ha sido realmente fascinante, es mi versión favorita desde hoy de esta sonata. Gracias.

[@feliperodriguezbarrera]

Estoy completamente de acuerdo contigo. El sonido que logra, la violencia y el canto logrados son maravillosos

[@svetlanagao1563]

Very talented girl! Best version of pathetique sonata

[@maximpfeifer]

Sounds wonderful, very nice!

[@simonprecheurllarena]

Absolutely astonishing

[@javierbiaggi3072]

This is the true sound for that piece. I love it! Its another Beethoven! Well played too.

[@jochanaan58]

A captivating performance! I thought the first movement good but not great; the second was beautifully played, and with the third she had me.

[@annakarenina7287]

Großartig!!! Gänsehaut im Jahre 2020!!!

[@Shost7]

Wow !! Amazing interpretation !! Brava !!

[@bennorris1476]

This old fortepiano is messing with my brain😂 sometimes it sounds like a harpsichord, then a harp, then piano. Really interesting how much the piano has moved on since the 17 to 18 hundreds.

[@preludebaarn]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/gHmvh5etmMSofZI

[@folkeholmberg3519]

It's not old, it's a replica.

[@jakesmith3724]

Beautiful absolutely amazing

[@nic123ification]

This is so much more beautifully violent and passionate on a forte piano if that makes sense❤

[@Cap-Nemo49]

I agree with you on Beethoven's willing touching with a genuine piano walter.

[@timlev37]

So moving.

[@wblynch]

WOW !!! Just WOW

[@janingewijk5716]

Forbidable! Fantastic rubato!

[@75Chopin]

Excellent period piano player she s!

[@supertal6074]

Just Beautiful!

[@gaturroincorrecto8959]

Emotional, identifying.

[@pnoman316]

Beautiful and powerful!

[@chessematics]

The name pathétique really makes sense given the anguish of the ghostly bass of the Allegro con brio

[@geiryvindeskeland5985]

The public doesn’t know how lucky they are. If Alberto Sanna were to perform the sonata, no one would have had time to write a will before they were all dead of old age.

[@henkmarinus]

Prachtig!

[@GiacomoPhilipp92]

Wundervolle Interpretation!

[@FirebladeXXL]

beethoven on a forte piano is the most metal thing those old ladies and gentlemen in the audience ever listened to.

[@michelroussanne906]

... merci pour les vidéos madame ...

[@Jaguar106-sl3ls]

Bravo!

[@YunusOzturks]

I like Beethoven if it just sounds like this...

[@priyanthahettige7694]

Oooh! I cant play like that - !! Wonderful!! Brilliant!!! Surely, its how Beethoven would have played!!

[@dollerakos]

BRAVO PETRA!!! 👍👍👍

[@bryanbarajasBB]

Very interesting, love it!

[@anirbanmazumder5542]

AMAZING. BEETHOVENS MUSIC WAS VERY MODERN ALWAYS. THIS SOUND SIMPLY SAYS THAT HOW DESPERATELY A MODERN PIANO WAS NEEDED. AND BEETHOVEN OPENED THE DOORS TO EVERYTHING WE DO TODAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

[@nic123ification]

I think this period instrument has its own charm....

[@SeanSecret]

I misread the title as ""Beethoven Pathetic Piano Sound" and I was like WHAT? This is pretty nice though. Lovely music!

[@maxflex69]

What is the history of the piano?

[@carburetedseltzer120]

Well, All I can say is that this "style" of piano is what was used before the modern piano. These are known as a Forte Piano. What makes them different from the modern piano is the Forte Pianos have leather covered hammers giving a more harpsichord like sound. Also that have no cast iron heart plate like the modern piano. One final detal distinguishable to other pianos is that these have no actual pedala but instead they have levers pressed by the knee. Usually these would have what is known as a Moderator which us a "pedal" thar puts a peice of leather or felt between the hammers and strings.

[@mihalymok7428]

Finalmente! Bravo / mille baci 👌🍒

[@saltyandrawwilson6590]

I keep coming back to listen to this fantastic interpretation just the way Beethoven intended it to be played . This beautiful lady with the ugly name is my favorite !.

[@geiryvindeskeland7208]

«Ugly name?» yeah, «Salty and raw wilson» sounds much nicer…

[@saltyandrawwilson6590]

@@geiryvindeskeland7208 thank you. It ain't a perfect world; believe me!. I'm in it...,and then , to save it all, there is love, and there is music 🎵.

[@geiryvindeskeland7208]

Mr. Salty 😉😊

[@handsfree1000]

Fantastic

[@jamchiell]

Wow!

[@FingersKungfu]

It's funny she just absolutely rocked the house in front a bunch of old people.

[@ounben]

1:47 octaves left

[@DottoreSM]

is the fortepiano tuned in equal or unequal temperament?

[@ChalieChaplin]

OUTSTANDING :D

[@velisercanbahtiyar2579]

Bravo Bravo Bravo!

[@marimbadearco]

Magnificent. She needs a studio recording, too many geezers geezing in the background

[@edwardchoi1611]

12:33 III

[@mihalymok7428]

Have a '420" ' scetch amid heeding 0p 13/3 🍒

[@esaulr.775]

Nadie joven entre el público. Europa está muerta.

[@preludebaarn]

Dear Esaúl, I'm afraid you are right. Young people have free access to all of my concerts, but unfortunately it doesn't help. By the way, it also becomes more difficult to attract older people to concerts. More and more 'music lovers' are looking for entertainment and 'experiences' today, instead of serious classical music. I'm very concerned about the future for classical music ...

[@carlosbashuertas]

La gran música está muerta, es tan común ver "cabellos blancos" en estos conciertos, ver que los intérpretes son más, mucho más, jóvenes que los espectadores. A mí me da mucha tristeza.

[@arteguey]

In this discussion, difference should be made between the interpretation of Ms. Somlai and the particular sound of the Fortepiano. I'd like to listen this disginguished ladyt playing the sonata on a modern Bösendorfer...

[@alexparkin8736]

She's killed me

[@ronwalker4849]

THE LADY CERTAINLY HAS HOT COURAGE AND BRAVURA. A REAL QUEEN BEUTICA FROM ENGLAND IN THE LATE ROMAN PERIOD.

[@Aficionados9]

I believe she is Hungarian

[@MariaJArce-bl3jm]

1:48

[@geckosnhamster]

12:32 Rondo 7:39 Andante

[@RodrigoFernandez-td9uk]

Wim Winters and 41 sloths disliked this video. PS: I loved the fast and furious tempo.

[@davidroux7987]

🎆🎇💟

[@christianschwarz1574]

😮

[@militaryandemergencyservic3286]

she doesn't do 1st mvmnt usual way

[@ks1700ks]

Mvt.2 7:36

[@alicaramba7680]

0:08 when you hate piano lessons.

[@Alex-666-]

Заебумба❤

[@ritschardt]

The piano sounds as if it is voiced in shoe leather the bass should be round and full even when played this vigorously. I think there is still a perception that Walters should still keep a tinny Stein sound. I think Walter was looking ahead tonally to the later sound of say Graf. I think a re-leathering in softer Chamois with enough layers in the bass would transform the instrument and enhance the players experience.

[@rothschildianum]

I played this piece (all three movements), I like her performance. My only concern is her rubato, some of them disturb the flow of the music. Otherwise, I think it is a great performance.

[@jaimegvr1]

medium quality player.

[@mrJohnDesiderio]

Marry me

[@johncoleman7122]

I guess I've been watching too many Wim Winters videos; she seems a tad too fast to me.

[@geiryvindeskeland5985]

John Coleman, even for me as a single beat supporter, yes - this is fast. :) But don’t make a fool of yourself, Lorenz Gadient and Wim Winters are not right! Look at this video, John: «Wim Winters’ Metrical Second Debunked» Skip to 5:45 and you will understand where it all went wrong for Gadient and Winters.

[@Saudemental69]

Beethoven is a modernist, he prefer the modern pianos 😅

[@oeoe-3435]

Too strong touch for fortepiano: she’s relying on the range of the volume rather than colour of the sound and rubato...perhaps she would be apt for Steinway rather than this?

[@Lionheart352]

In her defense, Beethoven was known to quickly wear out and break fortepianos, often complaining that there was yet to be a piano that could handle the demands of his music in volume and durability.

[@oeoe-3435]

@@Lionheart352 It’s not the problem about durability and volume of the instrument: it’s a problem with the style of the interpretation. I believe that she has not read Carl Czerny’s Op.500, hasn’t she?

[@Persun_McPersonson]

@@oeoe-3435 Isn't the color of the fortepiano affected by the volume? And have you considered that you simply don't like the use of the instrument by her instead of it being an inherently incorrect way to play?

[@PauloRibeiro1978]

Jesus Christ no. Recording quality also didn't help.

[@brunoescoto9630]

There is something that I will never understand. Why people that play harpsichord and fortepiano use scores instead of memorizing them like pianists? Like is that a protocol, for cosmetic reasons or they just can’t memorize a piece?

[@SatoshiYoshida-ec2dm]

I believe modern piano concerts are more like show business. They have to impress a large audience by memorizing scores.

[@brunoescoto9630]

@@SatoshiYoshida-ec2dm I can tell you are not a musician XD what kind of answer is that???

[@GiacomoPhilipp92]

It is usual to memorize the piece because you are more free to interpretate.

[@harryrees627]

Bruno Escoto I hate that pianists nowadays *have* to memorise, this stupid stigma needs to die out. I always play with the sheets, it is comforting when playing and makes it easier if you get lost or forget a passage. Most pianists who do use sheets don’t look at them that often and will have a page turner, if they get lost, the music is there. Where I live there is a pianist who plays Schubert’s songs and uses sheet music, he rarely looks at it but he does occasionally glance.

[@brunoescoto9630]

Harry Rees I was asking this because I am a pianist and it’s not that hard to memorize music. When you learn the music you own it, you can play freely and feel the music in a total different way. When you read it, the interpretation is totally different. I know this by experience. It’s like if an actor instead of learning his dialogue he has always the script in his hand. It will never feel authentic. I think harpsichordists do it by tradition rather than a personal preference.

[@firstlast4413]

This talented young lady has technique way beyond what I will ever achieve before I shuffle off this mortal coil, but she probably should have studied drama instead of music. Her uber-emotional performance mannerisms remind me of an actress trying to upstage the playwright. (And upstaging Beethoven is quite a task, needless to say....) Yes, great music makes us want to move when we hear it or play it, but there are limits to what is acceptable, and Miss Somlai fails to respect them. I say that advisedly, because I struggle with those limits myself: I have a bad habit of closing my eyes and swaying my upper body in time to the music while playing the harpsichord. It's an easy trap to fall into when you love the music you're playing, but it's a trap nonetheless. My least-favourite master-class teacher (who shall remain nameless here) shrieks 'WHY ARE YOU PLAYING THE DOWNBEAT WITH YOUR HEAD!!??' whenever I do that. (My most-favourite master-class teacher just grins and says, 'You're not Glenn Gould, so sit up straight and keep your hands close to the keys. You KNOW Bach is gonna hijack you into F# Major at some point so be ready for it....')

[@preludebaarn]

Not only do you list your teacher anonymously, you also turn out to be a critic without a name yourself. Apart from this, I don’t share your criticism at all. You blame Petra Somlai for displaying too much drama. My question, what is music without drama and emotion? Moreover, your reference to Glenn Gould is completely nonsense, nowhere I see Petra Somlai trying to imitate him. But why whine about her attitude while playing this wonderful music. What counts for me is that I particularly appreciate her musical interpretation of this powerful music by the great composer Beethoven. Moreover, I dare to admit that while listening to Petra Somlai's Beethoven, I am often a fanatic dry playing fortepianist, including all drama, emotions and movements that you apparently hate. I’m happy that I enjoy this Pathétique sonata so much. The number of likes shows that I’m not the only one. Thank you Petra for your appealing Beethoven!

[@johncoleman7122]

Perhaps our anoymous critic is from the MTV generation, and listens with his eyes.

[@firstlast4413]

'[Y]our anonynous critic' PREDATES 'the MTV generation' by two generations, Mr Coleman. And please note that he did not criticise Miss Somlai any more severely than he criticised himself for the same faults. My comments were meant to help her 'see herself as others see her' (or at least SOME others...), NOT to insult her. She has, as I said at the top of my comment, a great deal of talent. The danger for her is that her mannerisms may distract people from reaslising that.

[@samuelthomas8192]

Why do you have to overcomplicate music. This rendition of the piece is by far my favorite. People like you have to come in here and nitpick everything you don't like about it. It's sad, really. I found nothing wrong with it, other than some awkward pedal after the b section of the 2nd movement that I didn't like. People like you think you're opinion is fact. You think you're some amazing 'critic' when you just another annoying keyboard warrior.

[@Persun_McPersonson]

What exacly is wrong with this "trap"? It seems like you just have outdated views on expression, wanting people to hide their emotions because it isn't "proper." Well fuck your weird mental hangup, stop judging others and yourself for wanting to react to music in the way your body naturally wants to.