The stars were aligned: It was Ludwig van Beethoven’s 250th birthday, and “our” Amit Peled helped us celebrate! I think that we at Pro Musica Detroit have a right to call him “our” ‘cellist: after all, this was his third PMD concert. And yet, he wasn’t there! He was in Baltimore, his hometown, performing with his piano-collaborator Noreen Cassidy Polera at the world-renowned Peabody Institute.
The Covid-19 Pandemic is affecting everything! But they were here, thanks to the hook-up with WRCJ’s host Cecilia Sharpe, who had excellent conversations with him. Before he played a note, we learned that Mr. Peled might have become a professional basketball player! He loves the sport, he was very tall, and he was good! But, luckily, he ended up choosing his other great love and talent: playing the classic violoncello.
“C Sharpe” also elicited from him some personal feelings: among them, that Detroit is such a “welcoming and comfortable” city! He reminisced that during one “outreach” visit to a city school, there were almost no working musical instruments and that music should be as available in schools as sports or any academic subject. He also echoed something I have said for decades to people who claim that they “just love classical music because it is so relaxing to listen to! No!!! It’s no more relaxing than life itself is relaxing. I was so glad to hear him voice this retort in his own way.
I could go on. But we are talking about a performance of two Beethoven Cello Sonatas now.
Sonata # 3 was composed in 1808 and # 4 in 1816. A historical note: Napoleon had gone from being Beethoven’s hero in 1804 to arch-villain as the Frenchman transformed from a revolutionary leader of the people to despotic tyrant and emperor. In 1813, Napoleon had been defeated and sent to Elba, but in 1815, he escaped, formed an army, and was defeated again and exiled to St. Helena.
Beethoven in 1808 had become seriously hearing-impaired. By 1816, he was totally deaf. In 1808, he still wanted to please people by composing beautiful music. By 1816, he had proven his worth and continued to compose great music, but began to push the boundaries. His late “chamber music” is full of dissonance and daring innovations, startling us even today.
The 3rd Sonata is stunningly beautiful. The cello starts it, solo, soon joined by the piano. They take turns with the main theme. The tempo is marked allegro, ma non troppo (fast, but don’t overdo it). The sweetness of the theme never leaves. There are vigorous passages; it’s Beethoven, after all! Several passages reminded me of his “Triple” Concerto. The movement ends rather suddenly: one is not quite ready for it. The jovial Beethoven appears in the 2nd movement (Scherzo). Syncopation, not often used as early as 1808, makes an appearance. In his “Spring” Sonata, he also uses it. Amit and Noreen had a lot of fun with it.
It must be a hoot to practice it. A few pizzicato plucks signal the end of the movement. It sort of ends up in the air. Once again, the listener is not prepared for the end. The third movement begins lyrically (andante cantabile). It is, indeed, songlike. One wants to revel in the glorious sensuality of it all. But Beethoven has other plans for it: he uses it basically as an interlude leading to a vivace that is dazzling. And yet the soloists chose to not make this too showy a finale, which (perhaps with a live audience) they might have done. Confession: I don’t think I’ve ever heard this music before. I’m totally smitten with it.
The Fourth Sonata starts remarkably like the previous one. The ‘cello starts it solo, plays the theme, and the pianist repeats that theme and, as in #3, they take turns with the theme. Now a question: Are there four movements, or are there two, each with two contrasting tempi? If it’s four, the first is very short, less than three minutes in duration. It jumps into an allegro vivace section, full of jagged passages and occasionally jarring chords. Beethoven was plunging into the future. The second part (or third section) is andante, but it soon becomes an allegro con brio. There are times when this sonata sounds as if it were composed in the 20th Century. Shostakovich comes to mind. Then, once again, as was the case all concert long, before you are prepared, the Sonata ends. It’s too sudden!
We all hope for this terrible pandemic to end so that, among other things, we can enjoy this beautiful music-making in the flesh again. Thank you, everyone, for bringing Beethoven to us on his 250th birthday!
Recent Comments