A study of Beethoven's performing intentions that is meant as a
guide to today's performing pianists, by noted musicologist Newman,
author of the epic three-volume The History of the Sonata Idea and
other works. Performers often put their own stamp on classical
performances to the detriment of the composer's stated wishes.
Here, Newman takes the entire Beethoven oeuvre for piano and, by
going directly to any primary source available, attempts to direct
today's pianist toward Beethoven's intentions. The ways in which a
pianist can affect a composition are many, including choice of
piano, tempo, ornamentation, articulation, and style of pedaling.
While Newman attempts to discern Beethoven's purposes from the
horse's mouth, the infrequency of the composer's written comments
leads the author to resort to deductive reasoning and
circumstantial evidence (e.g., Beethoven's instructions for an
analogous composition might be deduced as his intention for a work
at hand). The author also relies on associates of Beethoven (Ries,
Czerny, Moscheles, and Schindler) who left useful comments on the
composer's wishes. Newman demonstrates as well the differences
between modern pianos and those of Beethoven's time; on a modern
piano, certain left-hand chords are too heavy when played full out,
forcing the modern performer to lighten them, "thereby reducing
them to much more of an accompaniment than Beethoven conceived them
to be." Newman is no hidebound traditionalist. He warns the
performer to avoid the rigidity of uncomprising rules, and urges a
consideration of Beethoven as a practical innovator. A fine
addition, then, to a sparse literature that, in modern times,
includes only the essays of Kenneth Drake, Grundmann, and Mies.
(Kirkus Reviews)
"'Must' reading for any pianist concerned with Beethoven's music, which is to say almost every pianist alive." —William Rothstein, Musical Times In this provocative new study, William Newman presents to the reader "whatever intentions on Beethoven's part can be documented or can be supported by reasoning and analysis in the primary sources for his music." His aim, in brief, is to get as close as possible to the performance practices Beethoven himself had in mind for his piano music, both solo and ensemble works.
Since one can document Beethoven's intentions with hard evidence only infrequently, the author has had to depend on deductive reasoning to a great extent, lending a mystery-story quality to this fascinating investigation. Dr. Newman systematically examines such vital issues as tempo, articulation, ornamentation, dynamic direction, and rhythmic grouping. Keyboard techniques are viewed both as clues to Beethoven's own endowments and as the consequences thereof.
Lavishly illustrated with over 250 music examples and plates, this work not only fills a conspicuous gap in the literature, but deals authoritatively with many questions that have confronted every inquiring performer and teacher of Beethoven's piano music.
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