Piano Sonata No.4 In E Flat, Op.7: 1. Allegro molto e con brio
Ludwig van Beethoven (16 December 1770 – 26 March 1827) was a German pianis… Read Full Bio ↴Ludwig van Beethoven (16 December 1770 – 26 March 1827) was a German pianist and composer of the transitional period between the late Classical and early Romantic eras. He is often regarded as one of the most brilliant, prolific and influential composers of all time.
Beethoven is widely regarded as a master of musical construction, sometimes sketching the architecture of a movement before he had decided upon the subject matter. He was one of the first composers to systematically and consistently use interlocking thematic devices, or 'germ-motives', to achieve unity between movements in long compositions. (Some insight into the meaning of the germ-motive device is given at the end of this bio.) Equally remarkable was his use of source-motives', which recurred in many different compositions and lent some unity to his life’s work. He made innovations in almost every form of music he touched. For example, he diversified even the well-crystallised form of the rondo, making it more elastic and spacious, which brought it closer to sonata form. He was mostly inspired by the natural course of nature, and liked to write songs describing nature.
Beethoven composed in a great variety of genres, including symphonies, concerti, piano sonatas, other instrumental sonatas (including for violin), string quartets and other chamber music, masses, lieder, and one opera.
Beethoven's compositional career is usually divided into Early, Middle, and Late periods:
In the Early (Classical) period, he is seen as emulating his great predecessors Haydn and Mozart, while concurrently exploring new directions and gradually expanding the scope and ambition of his work. Some important pieces from the Early period are the first and second symphonies, the first six string quartets, the first three piano concertos, and the first twenty piano sonatas, including the famous "Pathétique" and "Moonlight" sonatas.
The Middle (Heroic) period began shortly after Beethoven's personal crisis centering around his encroaching deafness. The period is noted for large-scale works expressing heroism and struggle; these include many of the most famous works of classical music. Middle period works include six symphonies (numbers 3 to 8), the fourth and fifth piano concertos, the triple concerto and violin concerto, five string quartets (numbers 7 to 11), the next seven piano sonatas (including the "Waldstein" and the "Appassionata"), and Beethoven's only opera, Fidelio.
Beethoven's Late (Romantic) period began around 1816. The Late-period works are characterised by intellectual depth, intense and highly personal expression, and formal innovation (for example, the Op. 131 string quartet has seven linked movements, and the Ninth Symphony adds choral forces to the orchestra in the last movement). Works of this period also include the Missa Solemnis, the last five string quartets, and the last five piano sonatas.
Deconstructing the sonata form, both in the overall schema (movements, tempos) and in the micro-form, Beethoven began to use germinal ideas propelling the whole melodic, harmonic, and rhythmic progression. In the first quartet of the group (E flat major, Op.127 – February 1825), the Adagio has five variations (in this case, a source-theme becomes the backbone of the tempo). That same year, in July, Quartet in A minor, Op.132, features a first movement with the traditional two themes, but without contrast; they display and disseminate sub-sections and ‘germs’ in a circular frame, interlocking with each other. Beethoven's germ-motive is like a Bach choral, summoning the other voices around itself.
The last quartet, Op. 135 in F major, was composed in a downplayed form, going back to a more traditional four-tempo structure. But internally one finds the same frozen micro-structure: the first movement is harmonically ambiguous, whereas the scherzo sounds like Bartók, and in the finale, the canon ‘Es muss sein’ plays a joyful role. A terrible grave comes in afterward, to dissolve into a soft pizzicato: adieu music, adieu life . It was never heard by the now deaf Beethoven, and he died shortly afterward.
Beethoven is widely regarded as a master of musical construction, sometimes sketching the architecture of a movement before he had decided upon the subject matter. He was one of the first composers to systematically and consistently use interlocking thematic devices, or 'germ-motives', to achieve unity between movements in long compositions. (Some insight into the meaning of the germ-motive device is given at the end of this bio.) Equally remarkable was his use of source-motives', which recurred in many different compositions and lent some unity to his life’s work. He made innovations in almost every form of music he touched. For example, he diversified even the well-crystallised form of the rondo, making it more elastic and spacious, which brought it closer to sonata form. He was mostly inspired by the natural course of nature, and liked to write songs describing nature.
Beethoven composed in a great variety of genres, including symphonies, concerti, piano sonatas, other instrumental sonatas (including for violin), string quartets and other chamber music, masses, lieder, and one opera.
Beethoven's compositional career is usually divided into Early, Middle, and Late periods:
In the Early (Classical) period, he is seen as emulating his great predecessors Haydn and Mozart, while concurrently exploring new directions and gradually expanding the scope and ambition of his work. Some important pieces from the Early period are the first and second symphonies, the first six string quartets, the first three piano concertos, and the first twenty piano sonatas, including the famous "Pathétique" and "Moonlight" sonatas.
The Middle (Heroic) period began shortly after Beethoven's personal crisis centering around his encroaching deafness. The period is noted for large-scale works expressing heroism and struggle; these include many of the most famous works of classical music. Middle period works include six symphonies (numbers 3 to 8), the fourth and fifth piano concertos, the triple concerto and violin concerto, five string quartets (numbers 7 to 11), the next seven piano sonatas (including the "Waldstein" and the "Appassionata"), and Beethoven's only opera, Fidelio.
Beethoven's Late (Romantic) period began around 1816. The Late-period works are characterised by intellectual depth, intense and highly personal expression, and formal innovation (for example, the Op. 131 string quartet has seven linked movements, and the Ninth Symphony adds choral forces to the orchestra in the last movement). Works of this period also include the Missa Solemnis, the last five string quartets, and the last five piano sonatas.
Deconstructing the sonata form, both in the overall schema (movements, tempos) and in the micro-form, Beethoven began to use germinal ideas propelling the whole melodic, harmonic, and rhythmic progression. In the first quartet of the group (E flat major, Op.127 – February 1825), the Adagio has five variations (in this case, a source-theme becomes the backbone of the tempo). That same year, in July, Quartet in A minor, Op.132, features a first movement with the traditional two themes, but without contrast; they display and disseminate sub-sections and ‘germs’ in a circular frame, interlocking with each other. Beethoven's germ-motive is like a Bach choral, summoning the other voices around itself.
The last quartet, Op. 135 in F major, was composed in a downplayed form, going back to a more traditional four-tempo structure. But internally one finds the same frozen micro-structure: the first movement is harmonically ambiguous, whereas the scherzo sounds like Bartók, and in the finale, the canon ‘Es muss sein’ plays a joyful role. A terrible grave comes in afterward, to dissolve into a soft pizzicato: adieu music, adieu life . It was never heard by the now deaf Beethoven, and he died shortly afterward.
Piano Sonata No.4 In E Flat Op.7: 1. Allegro molto e con brio
Ludwig van Beethoven Lyrics
We have lyrics for these tracks by Ludwig van Beethoven:
"An die Hoffnung" Op. 94 LUDWIG VcN BEETHOVEN (1770-1827) cn die Hoffnung op.94 (aus…
1 Joyful, joyful, we adore You, God of glory, Lord of love; He…
9th Symphony Freude, schöner Götterfunken, Tochter aus Elysium, wir bet…
Ah perfido Ah! perfido, spergiuro, Barbaro traditor, tu parti? E son qu…
Ah perfido! Op.65 Ah! perfido, spergiuro, Barbaro traditor, tu parti? E son qu…
Ah! perfido Op. 65: "Ah! perfido" Ah! perfido, spergiuro, Barbaro traditor, tu parti? E son qu…
Ah! perfido Op. 65: "Per pietà non dirmi addio" Ah! perfido, spergiuro, Barbaro traditor, tu parti? E son qu…
Ah! perfido! Op. 65 Ah! perfido, spergiuro, Barbaro traditor, tu parti? E son qu…
An die Hoffnung op. 32 LUDWIG V. BEETHOVEN (1770-1882) cn die Hoffnung op. 32 Tex…
An die Hoffnung Op. 32 LUDWIG V. BEETHOVEN (1770-1882) cn die Hoffnung op. 32 Tex…
An die Hoffnung Op. 94 LUDWIG VcN BEETHOVEN (1770-1827) cn die Hoffnung op.94 (aus…
Joyful Joyful Joyful, joyful, we adore You, God of glory, Lord of love; He…
Moonlight Sonata Camper Van Beethoven Camper Van Beethoven We Love You All…
Presto Freude, schöner Götterfunken, Tochter aus Elysium, wir bet…
String Quartet in A major Kimi no te de kirisaite Omoi hi no kioku wo Kanashimi no…
String Quartet in A major Op. 18 No. 5: III. Andante cantabile Kimi no te de kirisaite Omoi hi no kioku wo Kanashimi no…
Symphony No. 2 in D Major I saw you standing on the corner You looked so big…
The lyrics are frequently found in the comments by searching or by filtering for lyric videos
More Genres
No Artists Found
More Artists
Load All
No Albums Found
More Albums
Load All
No Tracks Found
Genre not found
Artist not found
Album not found
Search results not found
Song not found
Ashish Xiangyi Kumar
Korstick:
00:00 – Mvt 1
07:49 – Mvt 2
18:10 – Mvt 3
23:00 – Mvt 4
Lewis:
29:45 – Mvt 1
38:15 – Mvt 2
46:25 – Mvt 3
51:55 – Mvt 4
Korstick revels in the opportunities for creating orchestral soundscapes that this sonata offers: the chords at 1:12 are driven so hard they become masses of pure noise, 1:41 has a hair-raising quality to it, like a tight violin tremolo over a crushing & syncopated single brass note, and the accents are sharp & stinging. Mvt 2’s tempo gives it a glacial-lake stillness, Mvt 3's outer sections are pleasantly naïve, occasionally rising into orchestral richness (20:38), while the trio throbs with menace. The catharsis of the final pages of the last movement is so intense it’s almost physical. Lewis milks the sonata for its grace and lyricism, and happily using generous rubato in the first movement to tease apart its diverse themes. Mvt 2 has a childlike expressive ease, and Mvt 3 is almost lullaby-like. The final movement is all warmth and sunshine (except for the second episode, of course), the coda’s shift into E major is played at a hair-raising pianissimo, and the dynamic of the final passage dies down movingly, with perfect control.
Ashish Xiangyi Kumar
Korstick:
00:00 – Mvt 1
07:49 – Mvt 2
18:10 – Mvt 3
23:00 – Mvt 4
Lewis:
29:45 – Mvt 1
38:15 – Mvt 2
46:25 – Mvt 3
51:55 – Mvt 4
Korstick revels in the opportunities for creating orchestral soundscapes that this sonata offers: the chords at 1:12 are driven so hard they become masses of pure noise, 1:41 has a hair-raising quality to it, like a tight violin tremolo over a crushing & syncopated single brass note, and the accents are sharp & stinging. Mvt 2’s tempo gives it a glacial-lake stillness, Mvt 3's outer sections are pleasantly naïve, occasionally rising into orchestral richness (20:38), while the trio throbs with menace. The catharsis of the final pages of the last movement is so intense it’s almost physical. Lewis milks the sonata for its grace and lyricism, and happily using generous rubato in the first movement to tease apart its diverse themes. Mvt 2 has a childlike expressive ease, and Mvt 3 is almost lullaby-like. The final movement is all warmth and sunshine (except for the second episode, of course), the coda’s shift into E major is played at a hair-raising pianissimo, and the dynamic of the final passage dies down movingly, with perfect control.
홍주스
1
Timothy Thorne
Ashish Xiangyi Kumar this sonata is sort of a "little Hammerclavier", moreso than opus 22. That opening movement, like that of opus 106 is an explosion of energy; its tarantella rhythm and drive are compelling. And the gorgeous slow movement foreshadows the epic slow movement in op. 106, with its rhetorical, Romantic sweep.
This sonata is one of the master's most difficult, but it's still been almost criminally neglected.
Jerome Weingart
This channel is unique and special. As a professional musician I applaud the expert and sensitive curating. The synchronized scores have given me a new appreciation of these works. The sound quality is excellent. Thanks
Michael Bremer
Fully agree, many thanks for the excellent description!
Michael Brewick
Agreed! 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻
Ethan Q
I agree
Howard Chasnoff
I keep coming back to this. I'm always amazed at how Beethoven can be so imaginative with so much variety -such smooth transitions between the different themes all within the context of four measure phrases. I guess the four measure phrases gives the listener a sense of structural planning, symmetry and architecture.
Bryan Ryan
This is one of my favorite sonatas from him. That first movement has so many things going on in harmony it is so wonderfully written (and wittifully if you play it or studied the score ) and hits you like a wave every single time you listen to it.
Cal Munson
The first movement is a lot of fun, very exciting, and very tendonitis.