Arrau plays Beethoven Andante favori, WoO 57 (1/2)

這個版本才真的能把這首曲子的精髓表現出來

I think the Waldestein would have been better with this instead of its original second movement.

Technically this is the original second movement. The Introduzione replaced this because the sonata would have been too long; however, I think that is absurd because the Hammerklavier sonata is 45 minutes long. I agree with you though, the Waldstein would have sounded better with this. I really love the Introduzione though, because it leads into the rondo. I love it when Beethoven connects movements.

Check in the Wikipedia article for this sonata, there's a lecture by Andreas Schiff about Waldstein's sonata. It includes his explanation about why this movement was removed from it!

I prefer this tempo to others I have heard. It is more beautiful and expressive at this tempo. Patricia

ah the wonderful beethoven and so well played here by claudio arrau.

Andante - at a walking pace. Perhaps Arrau walks slowly but this is more like a largo.

Too slow

Arrau's slow interpretation is just as valid as the more conventional faster pace - we all walk at different speeds at different times. And this music can take several different approaches. This is definitely a reflective approach facilitating lovely tone. I am glad to hear it other ways (Brendel, Schiff, Richter notably) but am equally grateful for this very lovey rendition.

Taste is subjective and the product of one's experiences, but I prefer this slower version. I find it much more romantic. It also happens to be the first version I heard - and I am sure that has a lot to do with my preference. Did Claudio Arrau have respiratory problems? In his version of the Waldstein, I can hear his labored breathing, and I believe one can hear it here as well.

Too slow. The piece falls apart.

The first and third movements of the waldstein are honestly two of the greatest, most emotionally charged masterpieces in all musical history. The second movement always sounded like a handful of dissonant chords with no melody or memorability - never cared for it. It just feels like "okay give me the third movement already." When I heard that this was beethoven's intended second movement, and that he angrily protested that critics didn't like it and found it out proportion, I grew so excited to hear this piece. Surely Beethoven was right and the critics were wrong. So I just listened to this piece and.... sorry Beethoven but the critics were right. It's a nice pleasant piece but it's no where near the quality of the waldstein first and third movements. It comes off as long winded to me... an average tune going across multiple keys and textures just to give it life - it felt forced. The perfect second movement to the waldstein would have been something short but stunning, imho.

The original second movement to Beethoven’s 21st sonata

Difficult to imagine this as the second movement of the Waldstein-sonata, wonderful as it might be. I don't know if it is just out of habit, but I cannot see how this movement would be integrated in the sonata as a cyclic whole, the more improvisational and enigmatic tone of the present movement fits much better, the Andante favori seems too artificial and poetic in its own right next to the Allegro and Rondo movement that have themselves a lot of poetic and lyrical quality. Think about the vast spaces of sound opening up in the Finale. Though I plan to make an experiment quite soon by listening to a Waldstein sonata in its entirety with the original Andante to figure out if my observations are true on empirical grounds. :)

Jo-seph-ine...you can hear her name in the opening motif.