Für Elise; no, Für Therese more likely!

Those who you have seen the comedy film Wayne's World where in a guitar shop, Stairway To Heaven is banned, may have a similar love hate relationship with Fur Elise. Perhaps the most popular, some may say overplayed piece of the piano repertoire. But perhaps, if you knew the story behind the piece, you would think differently, and perceive it more favorably.  "Für Elise“ WoO 59; is its identification in the Beethoven ouevre assigned in 1955, WoO in german translates to "without opus number" so it's a way of cataloging Beethoven's piano works that weren't officially published during his lifetime.

In 2010, PBS (Public Broadcasting Station) in the United States aired

Therese Malfati (Beethoven dedicated Fur Elise)

Keyboard conversations with Jeffrey Siegel which gave  a charming background to the infamous 'Fur Elise' piece.

Jeffrey Siegel, a Steinway artist and concert pianist presents this enlightening documentary. Fur Elise, I'm sure, every piano student knows it as well as their parents remarks Siegel. Is it a teaching piece for his students? No it isn't, as the piece was originally written in April 1810, as a private 'love poem,' not meant for publication. According to Siegel, 1827; 40 years later, in 1867,  the manuscript of "Fur Elise" was found amongst the private papers of Therese Malfati (1792-1851) (whom Beehoven was romantically involved with).

In fact, some scholars believe Beethoven even proposed marriage to her (who married an aristocratic landowner). When the piece was eventually published, the editor misreads Beethoven's writing and dedication and instead of the  name Therese, titles the piece Fur Elise (For Elise).

 



Further reading
ForElise Website (an entire website dedicated to Für Elise no less!)

Happy 70th Birthday Maurizio Pollini, Chopin Pianist Extraordinaire

Last year the piano sage blog featured an article: Chopin Piano Competition Winners - Maurizio Pollini Interview. 2012 is the year two legendary pianists Barenboim and Pollini (born 5th January 1942) celebrate their 70th birthday.

Maurizio Pollini Cartoon [srce:toonpool]

In 1960, the Chair of the International Chopin Competition, legendary Artur Rubinstein said of Pollini,  "that boy plays better than any of us Jurors". Pollini was the youngest at the time, age 18 to win the competition.
It was no mean feat too, Pollini beat piano greats Vladimir Ashkenazy and Mituko Uchida to secondary prizes, which is why The Guardian UK newspaper stated 'Pollini has few pianistic peers in the world today.'  


Let's relive the competition by viewing some rare footage of  Pollini at the International Chopin Piano Competition Performing Chopin Prelude d minor op.28 no 24

What's Pollini achieved since winning the Chopin Piano Competition in 1960? Wikipedia highlights some of his accolades and triumphs since:

His first recordings for Deutsche Grammophon in 1971 included Stravinsky's Three Movements from Petrushka and Prokofiev's Seventh Sonata and is still considered a landmark of twentieth century piano discography. Since then he has been one of Deutsche Grammophon's leading pianists. His recording of Chopin's Etudes, Opp. 10 & 25, also under Deutsche Grammophon, won Pollini international acclaim. 

So it's great Pollini wasn't typecast into only performing works by Chopin, let's now hear
Pollini perform Beethoven's Fifth Piano Concerto (2nd Movement) with Conductor Abbado in Rome, 1967.
 

Pollini is also an exponent of modern composer Schönberg, especially his Opus 11 and Opus 19 works, in an interview with the Daily Telegraph he says:

 "they are among the works of genius composed in the first half of the 20th century. I like them enormously. I have always liked them. They have remained permanently in my repertoire, and I would like people to appreciate them." 

Pollini Performs Schönberg Op.19, 6 piano pieces

Piano's Funniest Moments 4: Beethoven Fur Elise Beatbox

I've been following the Daily Beethoven blog and discovered his link to the Beethoven Fur Elise Beatbox by Japanese beatboxer Hiraku Kaihatsu, and I must say it's amazing. I grew up in San Francisco in the mid 1980s when the Fat Boys, LL Cool J,  Slick Rick, Egyptian Lover rappers were at their prime, so I do appreciate the artform.

The Fur Elise is perhaps one of the most popular piano pieces, some may say overplayed (mobile phone ringtones, etc), but I think this video will make you appreciate it more even if you've become sick of it!

Pianist Paul Lewis interviewed on the Beethoven Piano Concertos Cycle and his love for the 4th Concerto

Alfred Brendel protege UK pianist Paul Lewis talks on the Guardian newspaper Youtube website about the Beethoven Piano Concertos, with samples of playing from the 4th and 5th concertos. Paul performed the cycle for the BBC Proms in 2010.


Paul Lewis loves the 4th Piano concerto because it's the most unusual; most ellusive, and challenging to play also (collaboratively - as you have to see eye-to-eye); something slightly unobtainable about it that draws him to it.

Paul Lewis talks with Czech conductor Jiří Bělohlávek about the Beethoven Piano Concertos cycle and further about the challenges of the 4th concerto - fragility of performing with an orchestra, minute changes of pulse, balance, and tempo. Paul also talks about the cadenzas within the concertos and what they reveal about the composer. The 5th concerto, surprisingly has no cadenza for instance! (perhaps because the piano has such a prominent role - i.e. the opening)

Andras Schiff Beethoven Sonata Lectures (podcasts)

There are some great resources on the Internet if you can find them that is. In September 2008, Andras Schiff gave lectures on each of the Beethoven Sonatas at Wigmore Hall. You can download these podcasts as MP3s, or listen to them streamed through your web browser.

 The lectures an essential resource for the grade 8 or pianist preparing for a performance diploma because they bring great insight into the character and context of each sonata, and also give ideas for interpretation and musical expression for each sonata.

These lectures are great to prove a point in interpretation, and a good starting point in your studies of Beethoven. And as a last resort, an ally if you're up against an examining board as was in my case last year. In my performance diploma exam, I contested a point made by an examiner on the Pathetique Sonata, which stated that the repeat in the first movement should go to the Allegro section (as is convention) and not to the grave (beginning section). So according to Schiff, this interpretation of repeating back to the grave gives the first movement a larger sense of scale and proportion which Schiff was inspired by the performance style of the great Rudolph Serkin (also Freddy Kempf advocates this interpretation too).



 This point is raised in Andras Schiff's lecture, which I referred to with full reference to the Guardian newspaper website.  My appeal was upheld affording me the professional dignity and confidence to write this blog today, sparing me any further condemnation of arduous repeats.