"Aussitot comme je recevrai votre Excellent Instrument,
je vous enverrai d'en abord les Fruits de l'inspiration
des premiers moments… [As soon as I receive your Excellent
Instrument, I will send to you the results of the Fruits of
inspiration of the finest moments]"
— Beethoven, Letter to Thomas Broadwood, 1818.
I was link jumping the other day and accidentally ran into the web site
for Foundation Musick, a group devoted to performing the music of the
past on original instruments and wearing period costumes.
Their web site is a large one, and worthy of exploration. I would suggest
that you start with Paula Bar-Giese's videos of the songs of Queen Hortense
of Holland.
The Broadwood piano used by Bar-Giese in her videos is very similar to
the one given to Beethoven — with Beethoven's being an 1817 model and
Giese's an 1822 model. This is the piano that gave the Piano Sonata in
B-flat Op. 106 the epithet "Hammerklavier" Sonata, which was being composed
at the time Beethoven received the gift of the Broadwood. The piano had
a very voluminous sound for its day. But it is nothing compared to the
heavy sound of today's concert pianos.
Which always made me curious: How much did composers of the past write
for the instruments of their own day, and how much for an abstract sound
that existed only in their own imagination? Did Beethoven write for the
Broadwood — or more for something like a modern Bosendorfer?
And as for us, today, the question is more the opposite. As interesting
as Foundation Musick's various projects are, and as enjoyable as they
are, I think that we are deceiving ourselves if we think we can truly
deconstruct the past. We experience, we listen, with the ears of the
current world and culture — not those of centuries gone by.
The purpose is not to transport us into the past, because that cannot
really be done. It is to make the music live again in our own time.
Valentina Lisitsa at her Bosendorfer.
Oh and you might check out this one. Bar-Giese Dupres.
And I am still waiting for that incredibly big and impossible to handle by any e-mail client ever e-mail you promised me. I am extremely intrigued.
Oh, that. I decided that it might just be good to go to the library and check out the score. But it would be interesting to push the envelope a bit. So I will try to do it and we'll see what happens, yeah? 😀
only few true artists can live and play the music of the past these days. It take deep dedication and passion! we do have an amazing technology today and in many cases we can improve the sound, but the notes from the heart,they need someone that feels the music in his heart… :heart:thank you for sharing!I appreciate this entry very much 🙂
And I appreciate your comments. Yes, the heart definitely makes a difference too. :yes:If Bar-Giese were to come to spokane I would probably go see her.
I'll have to check out that link Edward. Interesting post. You'll use any excuse to look at Lisitsa won't you? :p
LMAO. Yeah, that one just seemed to fit in somehow — at the last moment. :p :yes:Hope you like the music!
:up: interesting … ah, and so many things to figure out again … thanks for the link :up:
Glad you found something in it. All just my opinion, of course. And, maybe, H. G. Gadamer's as well. 😀
😀 ah, you're in very good company with Mr Gadamer … never thought that I would read this name here :up:
First time I heard of Gadamer And Habermas, I thought it was an accounting firm.
😆
Oh BTW Martin I was in Idaho yesterday, tried mailing the Brahms track to you but my phone wouldn't allow me to send a file that size.Anyway, I'm getting to it — I swear. 😀
😆 :lol:Boy, common problem. I thought I was checking an accounting book out of the library.
Valentina Lisitsa / Hammerklavier I. Part 1 and Hammerklavier I. Part 2 on the big Bosendorfer.
http://web.me.com/hortense1/Broadwood/MOZART.htmlhttp://web.me.com/hortense1/Broadwood/HAYDN.htmlhttp://web.me.com/hortense1/Broadwood/CASTA_DIVA_BELLINI.html
Hans Meijer writes:MOZARTHAYDNCASTA DIVA BELLINIBroadwood 1822We coming soon with the Mondschein SonateGreetings Hans Meijer
@ Hans@ PaulaThanks for dropping by! Ms. Bar-Giese I didn't know that you were a member of our Opera community. :up:Thank you so much for taking the time to provide the links. I will check them out as soon as I get back on the laptop, and I think others will also. I hope that the link here on this post will be of some benefit to you in getting your music out there. Best wishes,Ed Piercy
Originally posted by musicksmonument:
thank you SO MUCH for sharing! :up:
How nice for us! It was nice of Ms. Bar-Giese to stop by. Wonder how she found you?
The Beethoven Rhono on their youTube channel is very nice too. Another Valentina post coming tomorrow, Linda. You might want to stay away! :p :p
Have just listened to the first one. Those Broadwood pianos sound great! Loved the music. I have loved piano music ever since I can remember. Any genre, as long as it is piano. Ms. Bar-Giese is an excellent pianist. I'm no expert but that sounds good to me. Going to check out other links.
Beethoven Rhino… Where do they live?
:lol:Well according to the Animal Planet Channel they live in the deepest wilds of Germany. (Sorry about the typos. I'm still sufering from that terrible fingernail accident. Though I am happy to say that it is slowly getting better. :up: )