Ronald Brautigam - Beethoven/ Sonate nr. 21 'Waldstein Sonata' (Live @Hortus Botanicus Amsterdam)

[@nyarlathotep4]

Didn't know Beethoven himself still did concerts on youtube like this. I love it.

[@francoaragosta4285]

A COLOSSAL reading of the Waldstein. Brautigam plays with white hot passion, a marvellous sense of immediacy, and extraordinary heartfelt intensity.. Extreme clarity and brilliance but always with a deep underlying sense of purpose and meaning. Beyond wonderful. His playing is truly transcendent.

[@TheGloryofMusic]

Brautigam looks amazingly like Beethoven. I wonder, has anyone seen both of them in the same room at the same time?

[@JacobDTulio]

Now that you mention it, no 👀

[@EdwindeJong0]

I listened to this on YT *ages* ago and now the YT algo decided I should listen to it again. Sure! Always! Such a nice rendition.

[@magicmulder]

I’ve listened to quite a lot of Waldstein interpretations, and while it takes time to analyze them with the mind, this is one of those where my emotions quickly tell me how great it is because I feel tears welling up right from the start. Thank you!

[@ronwalker4849]

ONE OF THE BEST ANTIQUE PIANOS I HAVE HEARD. MOST OF THEM ARE PRETTY SOUR AND UNTUNABLE. IT IS ALSO A BEAUTIFUL INSTRUMENT BY THE WOOD WORK

[@yusufu9]

Brautigam is simply magnificent in the music of Beethoven, whether he plays on fortepiano or a modern grand. Wonderful to see him performing.

[@hiera1917]

First movement: 0:04 Second movement: 10:36 Third movement: 14:22

[@Patafisique]

There are no words to express how amazing this performance is

[@wtkoemans]

De mooiste Beethoven sonates, dank, Ro9nald Brautigam

[@PetStuBa]

omg man ... WOOOOOOW also your second movement, pfff that's actually the very first time I got tears in my eyes the sound of this Erard .. God

[@srothbardt]

Listen to Schiff’s lecture on this. Brilliant

[@brownosebear8956]

This performance is fire. Middle-period sonatas seem to be Brautigam's strength. For those interested in the late period sonatas I highly recommend Peter Serkin's fortepiano recordings. They have both challenged and inspired me. I can only imagine what glories Beethoven might have composed if he had access to a modern grand given the orchestral depth and richness he conjured out of its more subtly voiced predecessor.

[@kyleethekelt]

What an absolute treat. Coming from Aotearoa as I do, and in these times, I doubt I'll get to hear RB play live. Thank you so much for sharing.

[@SaraZamboniMusic]

My favorite Waldstein!

[@mariomuller1906]

This is one best video on YT so far.

[@АлександрВолконитин]

исключительно красивое видео и музыка и прекрасен человек который не только знает и исполняет музыку но и вкладывает в нее чувства автора спасибо

[@RicAbapo]

I like how straightforward his approach to this Sonata is!

[@АлександрВолконитин]

даже мы с мурзиком в россии понимаем насколько замечательна классика в идеальном ее исполнении спасибо

[@PfadiHH]

I love the atmosphere, the piano, the playing. Bravo!

[@daonap]

Bravissimo, Brautigam!

[@chrislawson7983]

Wondering how long it took to play this in years? Just thought, his whole life to this point. Thank you, awesome for the soul to be stirred.

[@gazels11]

My favorite pianist!

[@handsomechuck1]

I can't help thinking that the humidity in such an environment would be hell on a piano.

[@TheloniousCube]

My first thought as well

[@magicmulder]

That's why you don't keep it there when the recording is finished. ;)

[@artlm2002]

Takes a little while to get used to the sound, but worthwhile. People who make remarks about appearances should be ashamed of themselves. People who count mistakes shouldn’t listen to live performances except of robots. The different and contrasting register timbres of the fortepiano give an edge to the music gives insight into Beethoven”s intent. The pieces on fortepiano should serve as a reference, even when played on the modern piano.

[@georgehand7027]

Fully agee. Andras Schiff has done (that I know of offhand) Diabelli and Schubert D.360 on both types, in part as an illustration of artlm2002's point. He as also done (DVD only) Chopin on a Pleyel, one too new but enjoy anyway -:)

[@LuisKolodin]

I truly agree with you: counting mistakes has NEVER been the intention of playing or listening to music. It is such a perversion.

[@quaver1239]

Have never before heard (that I can recall) this sonata played on a fortepiano instead of a pianoforte. Can’t make up my mind whether or not I enjoy the sound of the instrument, but Mr Brautigam is a marvellous musician. Great performance. I must listen to more fortepiano, but it makes me feel even older than I am, and I am ancient.

[@jasonhurd4379]

What I love about the Hammerflügel is its marvelous clarity in the bass register, and this is essential in Beethoven. So many passages in the sonatas are at the extreme low and high registers simultaneously, and on a modern grand, with its thick and muddy bass register, it all becomes a soupy mess. On the Hammerflügel, running passages in the low bass are clear and distinct, as Beethoven no doubt intended them to be. I find this clarity revelatory and exhilarating. It took me a while to get used to the sound too, but now I love it. For me, the thunderous and hazy timbre of the modern grand is a poor substitute for the lightness and clarity of the Hammerflügel.

[@Steinwaytoday]

I'm not entirely sure, but I'm like 90% confident this is an antique piano and not actually a fortepiano. Jorg Demus recorded this on a fortepiano, though, if you want to go listen to a really good recording on that instrument!

[@CaradhrasAiguo49]

@@Steinwaytoday 10:30 the strings are parallel / straight-strung, making this unmistakably a "fortepiano", although a later one manufactured by Érard

[@Steinwaytoday]

@@CaradhrasAiguo49 Ah, I see. Thank you for the info!

[@espressonoob]

@@CaradhrasAiguo49 steel frame though, so different to classical era fortepianos I'm pretty sure. very romantic instrument.

[@vetlerradio]

Wow, this is intense! Beethoven really was a madman :D

[@АлександрВолконитин]

ласточки прилетели и строят гнезда они прекрасны красотой своей свободной жизни без наших проблем а музыка о том сложном мире в котором рождаются наши дети

[@saxoungrammaticus9132]

Utterly magnificent!

[@lesiawuss]

Magnificent!!!

[@colinmurphy2214]

15:35 starts the great part

[@jasonmccormick8843]

Magnificent!!!wound love to be in that room!!!

[@JoaoPedro-gt9qq]

Powerful sound

[@sdgyi2337]

악보에 있는 음표가 종이에서 나와 구현되다 못해 떠다니는 느낌.... 어떻게 이런 경이로운 연주가

[@Owlay84]

Bravo!!! Amazing delivery Brautigam!

[@Johannes_Brahms65]

It sounds so much better on an Erard, which was the futuristic piano in Beethovens time!

[@hansdekorver7365]

14.22 Do not like the sustained pedal. Maybe the 1803 Erard was different ?

[@mathiasmas]

is this a fortepiano? or is it something in between a fortepiano and a modern piano?

[@dorianbianco9446]

It is a late fortepiano, probably from 1820/1830, maybe a Graf one, because of its great strength and its articulation. Fortepiano cannot be resume to one type of instrument, it was a constant evolution.

[@mathiasmas]

Dorian Bianco So it's probably more towards a modern concert piano then towards the early fortepianos? I heard recordings of fortepiano's (pianofortes) which sounded as if the dynamic range was much smaller then this one. On the other hand I often find that the dynamic range of the modern concert piano's is way too large for Beethoven. Resulting in parts that sound to loud for my (too sensitive) ears. This one seems ideal for Beethoven.

[@CaradhrasAiguo49]

+Dorian Bianco The description states it is an Erard, whose name can be seen when closely looking above the reflection of the keys and also very lucidly at 23:18. It has a harder sound that what I've been accustomed to for that builder.

[@CaradhrasAiguo49]

+Mathias Mas Yes, I'm thinking along nearly the same lines, and that Beethoven may also have stopped with the Erard, whose pianos Liszt loved very much. The later models possess an iron frame found in Steinway types while their parallel-strung strings still preserve registral differentiation to an extent.

[@nmeelen]

+Mathias Mas Iti s an Erard Beethovens favorite piano.

[@voraciousreader3341]

Ashkenazy: kzbin.info/www/bejne/bGSonmRnq8-ifsk Brautigam’s pace is hell-for-leather, but I’m not sure with whom he’s racing. There are some lovely moments in the first movement, but I wish the camera wasn’t focused so much on his hands, since nobody apparently had the guts to tell him he should wash his hands and clean his fingernails before filming. Next, I’ve wondered why a middle aged man would wear his hair the way Brautigam does, and then I realized that he must want to look like a more modern Beethoven! The piano sounds wonderful!

[@75Chopin]

This is also an Erard piano ?

[@nmeelen]

Grandioze vertolking

[@catkeys6911]

Probably close to what this might have sounded back in Beethoven's day, with this Erard being what I guess you'd call a period instrument, - slightly off and just a tiny bit twangy in the tuning, an a little bit light in the bass end. Interesting to hear this piece played on this piano.

[@6shalom6]

Stretto pianoforte?

[@antonywingham9077]

oh, my goodness......

[@haanashim]

This Erard is too modern for LvB, but tolerable.

[@georgehand7027]

Thanks for the answer to piano brand

[@kyleethekelt]

Erard died in 1831; Beethoven died in 1827. Therefore, unless this particular instrument was built after (say) 1826 you'd be right.

[@ruperttmls7985]

We need a Clementi & Co. Piano... :)

[@gotutor9717]

@@kyleethekelt this Erard is from the late 19th or perhaps first 5 years of 20th century. The plate design of this Erard is post 1860 for sure. Erard factory in Paris made parallel strung pianos into the 20th century even along side more modern pianos. This piano is very very different than Beethoven era Erard.

[@CaracolTulus]

22:34

[@franciscobrunner6042]

0:24

[@johannsebastianbach3411]

wonderful, but he messed up really bad at the end of the rondo, the octave glissandos.

[@MrPaevo]

Depending on the piano's action, those octaves may have to be played with both hands. I don't think he played the octave slides that poorly, especially at that tempo.

[@johannsebastianbach3411]

@@MrPaevo True dat!

[@StefanBaumgart-qx8st]

Unfortunately there is a lot of Ronald, but sparsely Ludwig here. What a missed opportunity! Overall, such an experienced, competent, and sensible artist of integrity. I guess, (1) even the most "well known" and liked LvB sonatas don't have to be inflated with that much superfluous expressional and technical dead wood - they are able to speak for themselves, (2) this must be mostly PR related to catch even the low-sensible afficionados.

[@thesir27]

He looks like the evil lady from Matilda

[@nicolasserranoloaiza4192]

thesir27 hahahahahah i was reading all the comments and you killed me with this one

[@dennisjardine4089]

Way too fast

[@suesmith2183]

Ronald, clean under your fingernails before you do a performance for TV next time!!

[@heinzblod3193]

so many mistakes

[@jerassimoscoidan6507]

Live performance of this level demands taking risks and, unfortunately, a fortepiano is a very ungrateful instriment in terms of precision... However, Beethoven would have made many more mistakes! ;)

[@quaver1239]

Do the mistakes really matter when the sonata and the performer combine to make such great music? I really enjoyed this, mistakes and all.

[@auroramadariaga4081]

@@jerassimoscoidan6507 Yes, historical records say that Beethoven was not a particular prolific pianist. His performance really used to depend on his mood and strength on that given day. Regardless, he always used to move his audience with his playing.

[@georgehand7027]

Musical illiterate that I am, suspicions confirmed, but don't much care.

[@LuisKolodin]

those mistakes are completely unnoticeable, unless your paying attention to them and not to the performance.