W.A.MOZART :: SONATA IN D MAJOR KV 284 :: WIM WINTERS, SAXON CLAVICHORD

This truly astonishing (and ambitious!) D Major sonata KV 284 is the last one of a set of 6 young W.A.Mozart used as demonstration pieces for his trip to Munich in 1775.
All six give us a 'state-of-the-art' menu cart of what was in fashion at the days. But the sixth sonata, the so-called 'Dürnitz-Sonata' (it was an assignment by a Baron von Dürnitz), overpowers about anything that was written in those days. It has the allure of a real pianoconcerto, with a very orchestral like opening, a rondo as middle section (!) and a set of 12 amazing variations.
I've given a live "masterclass" on this sonata, which you can see here :
👉 bit.ly/2o9bWku
Listen to other videos of the March 2017 Mozart month here: 👉 bit.ly/2lxSETS
0:00 - 1. Allegro
7:47 - 2. Rondeau en Polonaise
14:54 - 3. Tema con variazione
(Thanks, Vincent, for the timings :-) ! )
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[@bach-ingmad9772]

A very unusual recording of this piece as it is generally played much faster, as you know. I loved it played with all the subtle beauty that is lost when the speed is greatly increased. The feel and the effect of the music is altered considerably and I can see that flying in the face of convention is not for everyone and can take some getting used to. However for me the "normal" recordings now seem wrong. Thank you for another original and inspiring interpretation of a great piece of music.

[@AuthenticSound]

Thank you for this great feedback in how you perceived this performance, it is great to read that you've captured what I intended !

[@bruperina]

Exactly. Just came across this channel, it was like a brain massage.

[@thomashughes4859]

HEAR! HEAR!

[@Garrett_Rowland]

Over three years later and I again find myself coming back to this performance. The tempo, the articulation, and the general sensitivity bring this sonata to life in a way that I have only ever experienced when it is under my own fingers.* Any musician knows how close and intimate music is when it is being performed by oneself, but this recording offers that same feeling to those unable to play even a note. That is a wonderful gift to the world. Even for those who can play it for themselves, there is something to be said for being able to simple close one's eyes and completely focus on the music, and not the performing. I'm sure that in the years to come I will return here and feel the same sentiment~ *The tempo is a big factor, I believe. Even in the mainstream music world, it is common knowledge that students/performers will often succumb to playing too quickly for the audience to fully appreciate, yet because they themselves know the music so well and intimately they don't notice how they are muddying the music to anyone listening.

[@jackhousman6637]

At this slower-than-usual tempo, in the first movement, I get more of a sense of unfolding drama and grandeur, as compared to faster performances which emphasize the joy, charm and brilliance. Every performer must bring his/her own sensibilities to the music, so that there can never be a definitive performance, and that's a wonderful thing. Thank you, Doktor Winters. (And speaking of charm, what a lovely young lady!)

[@AuthenticSound]

Thanks, Jack, yes, I'm a proud father... !

[@kaybrown4010]

Those moments ...a note hangs suspended in an unexpected rubato ...are exquisite, truly. I feel like this is the first time I’ve ever really *heard* Mozart. Bravo!

[@AuthenticSound]

So nice to read you felt those details that indeed so often are overlooked!

[@davidbushnell7645]

I played this in college where I was instructed to play it faster, but I am enjoying hearing the clarity of harmony at this speed--even on the clavichord.

[@AuthenticSound]

Thanks David

[@Tadeo729]

Felicitaciones. Excelente interpretación, fiel a la majestuosa obra del Gran Amadeus..Saludos cordiales de Argentina🇦🇷🇦🇷🇦🇷😊😊😊

[@anarazimov4310]

There’s one more idea to support Wim’s interpretations if we consider a broader civilisational context: the entire life is now much faster, so what a listener might consider slow now wasn’t perceived as such at the time when a given piece of music was created.

[@AuthenticSound]

Plus: it was brand new at the time

[@antonellamoles7234]

Mi piace molto. Si sentono tutti i dettagli, elegante con ampi respiri finalmente! Veramente speciale questa interpretazione! Grazie

[@anjaschouteden6749]

Bravo for Wim and Sofie !

[@AuthenticSound]

xxx

[@antoniavignera2339]

Grazie Wim .Ho ascoltato con tanto entusiasmo la preziosa esecuzione da te eseguita magistralmente con il preziosissimo clavicordo.Questa è una delle sonate Mozartiane che per la prima volta porta la dicitura “per pianoforte “che fu scritta da Mozart a Monaco di Baviera dietro invito del Barone Durnitz,grande amatore di musica. Quindi la VI sonata detta “Durnitz-sonate”.Il clavicordo rende in modo diverso le ornamentazioni ma nel contempo sia “rondeau en polonaise”conservando le qualità melodiche particolare di Mozart e le variazioni nel l’insieme la possiamo considerare una creazione di grande significato! Complimenti per la performance .

[@williamdane4194]

Joyful to the ears Wim! Thank you 🙏 😊

[@HansenTamayo-rf8dx]

It feels like I'm listening to music during the classical period 😊

[@marisadurante9777]

I prefer this slower tempo. Regards from italy

[@AuthenticSound]

Thanks Marisa

[@lshin80]

Great! You're really making me appreciate Mozart! (I've neglected him so far, my bad).

[@AuthenticSound]

That is a compliment that counts, thank you Luca !

[@oliviermoser9788]

Thank you Mr. Winter. I was never sur about my tempo and my 16th, i can go further now. :-) Not too fast but articulated. Have a good day.

[@AuthenticSound]

:-)

[@IanGoncalves]

Wow, 37 minutes! And gets really beautifull to hear! Thanks for this

[@AuthenticSound]

you're very welcome, Ian, really glad you liked it !

[@euhdink4501]

After listening to a lot of your work on this beautiful instrument, I notice that the sound of it has much of the qualities of a mandolin. And I like it!

[@AuthenticSound]

Thank you very much!

[@jojimarkennethgonowon4609]

I hear all the notes and it seems it is one of the best interpretations of the sonata... This sonata is my level exam for piano

[@janneellison7205]

Wow I think this version is the best because it sounds so authentic. (Other versions feel faster and they don’t sound that good for me ) Plus, I’m learning this piece and this videos gives me the right speed and the right pitch. Thank you so much ☺️ !!!

[@stevenxia2944]

The second movement is so beautiful.

[@baudobill547]

This sonata makes me fly ♡

[@davidrodgers45]

Lovely performance, so effortless and delightful. I just have to record it so I can listen to it anytime I want!

[@CostasCourtComposer]

Im very pleased to read all this beautiful feedback fkr your wonderful recording!

[@alfredochiale8330]

MOZART FOREVER 100% GOOD !!!

[@AuthenticSound]

agree :-)

[@Knosferatu]

Always a pleasure.

[@AuthenticSound]

thanks !

[@kyriakospapadopoulos6289]

Congratulations for all these amazing videos: exiting from the strong gravitational force of modern sound is extremely difficult, one needs to penetrate its ``stratosphere'' in a specific angle and with specific speed; you have done an ingenue work and I really believe that we are listening the original 19th c. sound from your videos! I know that you are specialising on the sound from Mozart's era and beyond, but I am really fascinated to learn about the sound of much earlier period: early baroque and even before that. Of course there is a big difference in early English from early Italian or early German baroque; Byrd vs Gabrieli vs Hammerschmidt will be a fascinating journey to follow (if you have not yet!). Harnoncourt talks about renaissance instruments in his book (the musical dialogue), and he conjectures that (at least the string instruments) produced a very sweet sound and not so loud as their descendants of the baroque era. There is a kind of a ``fog'' that hides a lot of details about pre-Modeverdi's era: the kind of instruments that were combined in performances, the harmony (chords) which is usually missing from the manuscripts, etc. There are less and less renaissance instruments surviving I guess, and this makes this project even more difficult, right? Keep up the excellence!

[@AuthenticSound]

Thank you for the nice words Kyriakos and glad to read these videos matter to you

[@paolopalicalligaris]

So nice!

[@vincentcheung7067]

@0:00 - 1. Allegro @7:47 - 2. Rondeau en Polonaise @14:54 - 3. Tema con variazione Great performance!

[@AuthenticSound]

thanks for the timings, Vincent, I've added them in the description !

[@n7275]

Loved it!

[@AuthenticSound]

Thank you Matthew !!

[@CrazyPocky355]

This is the absolute best. Thank you so much! Looking forward to hearing your rendition of his 16th sonata. ♡

[@JCMH]

Bellissimo!

[@AuthenticSound]

Thank you !

[@reece9246]

You are a true inspiration, Mr. Winters. Keep it up! I really enjoy your videos.

[@AuthenticSound]

Thank you so much for letting me know !

[@dariopinto1284]

I think the same!

[@mikis2200]

I can't stop to hear it. Regards from Italy Wim

[@AuthenticSound]

Great to read, thanks!

[@cLu3le55]

This is magnificent!

[@AuthenticSound]

Thanks Rancor !

[@elsschepers8619]

Beautiful played !!!!!!

[@AuthenticSound]

Thank you so much !

[@RobertMargouleff]

Well done Wim.. Sounds very good!

[@AuthenticSound]

Thanks Robert, now a greenscreen and we're really playing in castles :-) !

[@cstiska]

Excelente señor!

[@AuthenticSound]

Thank you so much, Cristian !

[@RosaGrau2014]

Very nice.

[@lucjanocastro]

So good your videos, Wim. They transport us through time...

[@AuthenticSound]

Glad you like them!

[@enzocypriani5055]

pure beauty!

[@AuthenticSound]

thank you Enzo, 284 is really an amazing piece !

[@robingoergner725]

A wonderful and sensitive performance! And nice to see your assistant again.

[@AuthenticSound]

Thanks Robin, now Saturday we'll be recording kv 281 with Evelien (8PM CEST).

[@stevekudlo1464]

Especially liked the slow movement!

[@zenasm.savage1999]

Wim your interpretations are timeless. These would sound great on organ too!

[@clivegoodman16]

I find your performance on the clavichord very refreshing. Until today I only heard Bach performed on the clavichord.

[@SASraceCAM]

came from tim video creators great skills I love classical music

[@AuthenticSound]

Great, thank you for letting me know. Tim is really amazing, it was an honor working with him over the last 11 weeks !

[@Juanduels]

Speed kills it, speed for the sake of speed seems to be what performers aim for now. This performance lets you hear the variations as they were meant to be heard in my opinion.

[@martinmoller5591]

Very good interpretation. The tempo is ferfect ans much better !!!

[@AuthenticSound]

Great to read !!

[@XENIAMedicinaEstetica]

Es una de las interpretaciones mas interesantes que escuche de Mozart ! Increible ! Felicidades, no dejes de subir videos, escuche tu version y me senti transportado a aquellos tiempos , seria interente que hagas una comparacion de este intrumento y el piano forte. Saludos de Argentina. Subsicripto y esperando mas de tus videos

[@AuthenticSound]

Thanks!

[@Tizohip]

Very good. :)

[@AuthenticSound]

Thanks Danimar!

[@reflechant]

What a beautiful sonata. After listening to this I looked for recordings of one of my favourite performers: Kristian Bezuidenhout and Maria Joao Pires. They both play it in fast tempo (modern understanding of tempo marks I suppose ?) and in such a case modern grand piano version (Pires) sounds better than Bezuidenhout on pianoforte. Pianoforte just doesn't sound good (as it can) at such tempo - the most beautiful part of each sound - after the attack - is just cut away. BTW, one of the Fathers of Russian music - John Field - practiced with a coin lying on the backside of his palm. I bet you can't keep it there playing fast.

[@AuthenticSound]

You made some great points in fact...! yes, the modern piano is tailor made for those fast performances, the pianoforte (I believe) is not.

[@tomkendall4532]

Wim, a splendid and insightful performance as always! Thank you. I've always been struck by the superficial similarities between KV 284 and Johann Christian Bach's Op. 5 #2 sonata, also in D major, written well before 1765. Mozart rewrote the Bach sonata as one of his earliest clavier concertos (in KV 107), so Mozart knew the earlier sonata quite well. I have to believe the Bach sonata was in Mozart's ear when he wrote KV 284. I'm curious as to whether you've noted the same similarities.

[@AuthenticSound]

Hi Tom, I haven't and I certainly will check this, would be a nice topic to talk about, thank you!

[@muribmor]

Awesome Mr. Winters! I would love to hear someday a recording of your instrument with a closed cover, even though it may sound quieter, I think it will sound more velvet and sweeter kind of sound, not that I dislike the sound you produce, I love it. I do not like to play my piano with the cover fully open, just a little bit it's more than sufficient. But that's my opinion, I will only know after hearing it! So please, play some piece with the cover down, it will be delightful.

[@AuthenticSound]

I'll be thinking on how to give you a recorded comparison between the two positions of the lid. It's hard, since the microphones are no ears, they need to be fed with sound waves, and what the ear still captures, sometimes gets lost on recording. However the Neumann's I use are very sensitive. It's different with a clavichord than with a piano though, although I know some people who like playing the clavichord with closed lid. I personally do not, since also for the ear a lot of the 'micro'-expression seems to be lost, blended into each other in one way or another. It is a good reflection though, since pianofortes often were played also with closed lid, but I honestly don't know if that was the case with clavichord, I should have to look up if we have that many information (graphical) on this. So: great question, thank you, I'll print it, but give me some time to address it . best wishes Wim

[@felixavenarius73]

The slow part sounded delightful

[@AuthenticSound]

Thanks Felix!

Is there a video of you playing that Fortepiano?

[@AuthenticSound]

not yet ! If all goes as planned: the soundboard of the new pianoforte will go in tomorrow

[@melliotbarrett]

Will the forte piano be the Stein version? It has a beautiful sound. I enjoyed your performance greatly! I have been studying Glen Gould's renditions and most are played much too fast!

[@johnkiunke5617]

Your tempo in the beginning was an initial shock, but once you get used to it, it's very enjoyable! Ever since your interview with Lorenz Gadient, when I play, I sometimes think, "what's a tempo that impossible to play but that Czerny or Liszt (or whichever 19th century editor) might indicate?" And then I play it at half that speed. It yields surprisingly good results!

[@AuthenticSound]

And once you have seen that alternative truth, it will be harder and harder to get back to the 21th rushes, promise that (but it is the more exciting) plus: these period instruments (clavichords....) start to work great for that music. Mozart undoubtedly played a lot clavichord while in Munich and Mannheim, there will be a video on that soon.

[@JAOrtizCompositor]

*Well done Maestro! Maybe a little slow for my personal taste but so good!*

[@AuthenticSound]

that is the 18th c. blood flow pace, you'll get used to that (and will never return) :-) Thanks ! w.

[@theophilos0910]

Adjusting the speed on this YT video up to 125% would produce a performance of the Duernitz Sonata in D which would be something that Mozart himself would recognise & of which he would most certainly have approved - I’m not sure what drugs the player/OP of this video to perform this delightful work so tastelessly slow - if this is his idea of a ‘correct’ Mozartean tempo (at 100% speed) he is just broadcasting his gross ignorance of 18th century Bavarian klavier musical stile - yet he insists on posing as a musicologist LoL

[@fredhoupt4078]

Beautiful. Written when Ludwig Van was 5 years old. I wonder if he heard Mozart being played in Bonn when he was a young guy?

[@AuthenticSound]

That is an interesting reflection, he must have known Mozart's music, it is the reason he went to Vienna

[@fredhoupt4078]

A second listen now and it's just wonderful. Here is a crazy thought experiment. We invite Woolfy to sit down to listen; then we have a non-deaf Beethoven sit down at a massive 7 foot Boesendorfer and have him smash out his "Hammerklavier". What would Mozart do at the end? I would think that he would not be able to speak for about 5 minutes, as the musical ideas he just heard settled in. After that point I wonder what he would have thought to say? Maybe just shake his head, laugh and then leave the room?

[@AuthenticSound]

If he realized the time span that he missed, he would embrace Beethoven. They probably would have more difficulties with the Bosendorfer, not that it isn't a beautiful piano, but it was way ahead of there ideal sound, that involved much more uppertones compared to the heavier, louder, more groundtone based B.

[@achenpigeon]

As someone unfamiliar with this piece, the tempo makes quite a lot of sense! Although, there were still times when I wished that things would be slightly faster, such as around 5:08, when an improvisatory, cadenza-like feel (sort of like the solo in the 5th Brandenburg concerto) would come in handy. BTW, I'm looking at your channel and you have 3666 subscribers, while your Beethoven video has 34666 views. Did Tim Schmoyer teach you how to work some kind of black magic to increase your views? ;)

[@AuthenticSound]

turning viewers into subscribers, that is the foundation of the design of a channel, the building of a video, the call-to-action, ... and there are a lot of things that one can and must do right, there is no magic solution, next to working hard, delivering valuable content, serve your audience well and be consistent. But on my channel, the view/subscribe ratio is extremely low, it normally is around 10% (very average), but here it is under 1%. But on the other hand: engagement is 3x higher than average.

[@achenpigeon]

For the channel, I think it's mainly just the nature of the content: the very specific content will probably not interest the average youtube classical listeners, who don't tend to stop and think about e.g. all the different tempo theories, and just click on the first video that pops up on a search... but those who are knowledgeable and interested will actively follow and engage: so you've been fairly successful in that regard. BTW, this was just a random idea, but have you thought of Kickstarter for the Partitas?

[@arnoaengeveld7298]

good sofie !

[@AuthenticSound]

:-)

[@vincentflack34]

Swiss theologian Karl Barth, writer of a multivolume Church Dogmatics, follower of Luther and Calvin, in conversation all his life with Friederich Schliermacher, who died in the first half of the Nineteenth Century, refused to answer one question: was Mozart an angel?

[@klop4228]

One of my favourite Mozart Sonatas. I did feel that you took all of the movements a little too slow, and perhaps more lyrically than I think they should have been, especially the third movement - andante isn't a slow tempo, and the theme feels to me to want to be playful, not beautiful (well, I mean, of course beautiful, but more in the manner of a young child than of a woman you've known your whole life). And the penultimate variation, while lovely in its lyricism, which in this case is definitely called for, seems to me to take so much time that you forget what the theme even was - or I would have, if I didn't know the piece so well. That being said, after the initial shock of the slowness of the first two movements, I did rather enjoy those. And, of course, this is all my opinion, with which you may disagree. As a pianist, I know nothing about the clavichord other than the fact that I rather like the sound, and I know the piece fairly well, and while I have not properly studied it as of yet (I'm still fairly early on) I have constructed my own fairly substantial opinion on its interpretation.

[@AuthenticSound]

Thanks for the feedback ! that is one of the major problems, "restoring" these tempi, it takes time to adapt to a slower version, not long (with me), but a bit. You could do an experiment, listening to the first part a few times (or the different parts) and than going to a faster version, to me, that tells often much. The andantes in Mozart's time, today are considered relatively fast, but they weren't back then (I believe), as with the adagios that might have been way more peaceful than we are used today. I did check the andante with the MM of Czerny and Moscheles, and honestly would have played the beginning a tiny bit faster if I hadn't, but perhaps would have slowed down again in the variation with the hand crossings and certainly the d minor after that. best wishes! Wim

[@klop4228]

AuthenticSound That's fair enough. As I say, I'm no expert in period performance, and as I'm only really starting off as a musician,I can really only have the viewpoint from the 21st century. Keep up the good work!

[@vladtepes3123]

20 :01 - bass note sounds like Jean- Michel Jarre :)

[@ericrakestraw664]

Yes! Why does the low A sound so sharp compared to the other keys?

[@futureshock7425]

moderato. even andante moderato at some points

[@reflechant]

What would you call the best Mozart sonata? Your favourite?

[@AuthenticSound]

the one he never wrote? it's impossible for me to think in terms of most preferred, i dive into the music and mostly forget about the rest. And if something does not appeal to me, I blame myself and keep looking for the light at the end of the tunnel

[@kevinmaestroful]

It's allegro not andante, I prefer the tempo Schiff uses for this

[@AuthenticSound]

As Saint-Säens said around 1914: our presto's were for Mozart allegro's and so you can self fill in the blanks!

[@baseket2ball12]

Fuckin please! I'm all about playing Mozart sonatas slow as hell! Prefer everything slower than usual typically

[@AuthenticSound]

great 😄!

[@IgnatiusC650]

...does Sofie drink all the milk? Enoy your trills?

[@aksmaster4671]

IMHO: interesting choice for 1st movement, saved by agogic and articulation, less so for 2nd movement, plainly wrong for the last movement. Lethargic and without nerve, the opposite of Mozart's musical spirit. You are clearly a very sensitive and thoughtful performer: my humble advice is to forget your theories about tempo when you perform and let yourself be carried away by the music. A word about "variations": there is no rule about using the same tempo throughout. Every variation can be performed in its own tempo provided it is consistent with the spirit of the musical text and each variation's character and with the expressive idea overarching the whole set. Case in question the slow tempo of the previous variations completely effaces the extraordinary effect of the 11th variation (marked by Mozart "adagio cantabile"). About your interesting studies on tempo and metronome markings: never take literally a metronome marking, it is always to be considered as a relative indication, that is suggestive not prescriptive. Very often we hear from the same performer different tempi for the same piece, that is a prerogative of the "interpreter", and if we feel deeply a tempo (that is not through mere habit from listening to someone else's interpretation), we should not be bound even by the authority of such composers as Chopin or Beethoven, rather we should consider how best to express to the audience what we feel and think is the composer's musical idea at the best of our ability. However I would like to express my great appreciation for you channel, very stimulating and entertaining!

[@AuthenticSound]

I appreciate your concern that no doubt is well meant (though commenting a musician's tempo is as dangerous as commenting a women's hair...:) ), anyway, all tempi were almost exact representations of Moscheles tempi for this sonata, so factually what you feel when listening is saying something on how you prefer to hear the music, which is perfectly fine!, but nothing on the historical context, since either my tempi are historically correct, or you must accept the fact that the first movement is not ok, but must be doubled in speed. All said in respect for what you felt while listening!

[@CaldonianBoar]

Viel zu langsam

[@dantrizz]

May I ask (if you don't mind) why you've written your comment in German, when you appear to be an American (or at least and English speaker) and this channel uses English as its main language, as well as most of the comments being in English too?