András Schiff - Sonata No.21 in C, Op.53 "Waldstein" - Beethoven Lecture-Recitals 

These lectures are an education in music. I have listened multiple times. And with profit and pleasure.

Superbravissimo Schiff 👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏

This is a great lecture. He explains things I wondered about for years.

One of the great contributions to understanding this most profound work -- one of the most beautiful gifts among the many Beethoven gave the world. Schiff is such a master in his discussion, his playing, and his insights into Beethoven. A profound thanks to Mr. Schiff.

LECTURE NOTES: --------------1st movt: sonata--------------- 1. @5:16 unorthodox beginning: starting on the tonic: C major, but with a rhythmic motif of repeated knocking quavers 2. @6:02 question motif 3. @6:11 varied answer 4. @6:29 a variation of the knocking motif: tremolando, a new pianistic effect, but common with string instruments 5. @7:26 new with this sonata is how the second/heavenly theme is in E major: mediant, which is modeled on Op.31, No.1 in G major. A harmonic relationship often employed by Schubert. 6. @8:32 the choral-like 2nd theme has the same rhythmic pattern(a dactyl & a spondee) as the 7th symphony, 2nd movt. 7. Beethoven has very specific instructions for this sonata. In his time, the sustaining pedal on a piano is often divided into 2 by having a cut in the middle. So that you could pedal for the base, or the upper part. 8. @12:22 second theme: the choral goes to the left hand, with a counterpoint in triplets. The triplets become more and more important and is now the main theme, against which is this horn syncopation 9. @13:47 last theme: dactylic rhythm 10. @15:46 Beethoven's original F flat in the bass really IS a touch of genius 11. @17:10 we are home in C major but there's no home feeling. 12. @17:39 from a previous theme comes a very intricate polyphonic contrapuntal section 13. @19:07 pianissimo from a distance comes a murmur..like in Haydn's creation when the light comes out 14. @20:47 coda: starts on the Neapolitan key. For the first time "the answer" comes dramatically. All sforzandos on the second beat. 15. @22:12 like a big cadenza in a piano concerto 16. @22:46 doesn't give you the last note😉, then in minor, 3rd time in major again, then Beethoven releases it in a fury --------------2nd movt: intermezzo------------ 17. This replaced an earlier, longer middle movement, later published as the Andante favori, WoO 57, in D major same as this movement. But it's ambiguous that you don't notice that you are in F major until about the 10th bar, despite it stars in F. Should always follow the progression of the bass. 18. @27:46 up until now we had speaking. Now comes the singer, echoed by other voices --------------3rd movt: rondo------------ 19. @32:05 the last note of the 2nd movement is a G with a sforzando marking. The theme of the last movement starts with the first bass note. They belong together. 20. @32:44 enormous long passages where C major & C minor are washed together 21. @34:59 first episode like a symphonic Russian country dance🌞 22. @36:36 second episode in minor: 3rd, 5th symphony Beethoven 23. the French refer to this Sonata as “L'aurore”, dawn 24. @38:55 transitional passage of looking for the exit, with syncopations 25. @39:20 the bass calls back the beginning of this movement 26. @40:18 isn't the treble the end of the first movement?? 27. @42:10 HP=main rhythm 28. @43:03 coda: prestissimo 29. @44:16 don't cheat the glissando!!

I love to hear Master Schiff lecture. It's very Interesting to hear all of the moving pieces disected and explained.

wonderful,thankyou.

Great lesson!

Please don't remove it!!! It is precious and when i was studying this sonata someone remove it!

Wunderbare Darstellung der besonderen Inhalte dieser Sonate! Wie steht es aber mit der Verbindung des Rondothemas mit dem angeblichen Volkslied. “Seht ihr da die Sau im Garten?”, die dem Satz einen schmunzelnden Charakter gäbe? Ist das authentisch?

@16:40 Schiff finally said something about one of his colleagues :D The above is just a joke, dont take it seriously. What a wonderful resource these lectures has been! Thank you!

At 44:09 in your video, you illustrate and discuss the glissando octaves. Your online Iessons do have an impact. Here's Ying Li at the Curtis Institute doing so beautifully: Student Recital: BEETHOVEN - Sonata No. 21 in C major, Op. 53, "Waldstein" RU-vid (ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-kPtRX6w37-8.html). She studied with Jonathan Bliss and Seymour Lipkin.

Anyone know what the 'russian' piece he plays at 35:43 is?

Thank you so much @helloitismetomato , this playlist of the biggest discovery of my youtube listening ever..!

Thanks, tomato!

Do not chop beefsteaks for us! (Franz Liszt).

Sounds like a Bösendorfer

Schiff analyzes this sonata to death, but I am quite sure Beethoven is not a mathematician. The reason he was able to write such wonderful and beautiful sonata is he is a genius.