Is Für Elise overrated? (And does it matter?), performance/analysis (Response to Sound Field) 

Your performance at the end made me very happy - I've never heard it played like that and I feel like you breathed some new life into the piece. Thank you.

I totally agree: Beethoven did a wonderful job with this simple melody and developed it into a piece that is, I bet, in the first 10 most recognizable classical music pieces. I'd say it's not overrated, but overplayed. Maybe, because there is something pleasant and comforting about it, that makes it so popular not only to listen to, but also to play. It's a great encore piece, it's not too difficult technically for a student to play and memorize, at the same time, as with any "simple" musical material it's a challenge for a professional pianist to make it their own and original, which you, Cole, certainly did. As always, thank you for the brilliant performance and analysis!

I agree! An interesting thing is that I had never heard Für Elise before (this was the first 'classical' piece that i had heard), but one day I clicked on a Google Doodle and I liked that piece very much. I feel that your playing does justice to the piece. It should be played with proper dynamics and a bit of rubato, both of which many ppl forget to do (Simply piano ads _cough cough_)

Despite playing the adagio of the Pathetque sonata with more gravitas, I still like the Für Elise piece for its subtle elegance. So for me there is no favourite and as someone also playing some of Field's & Chopin's nocturnes this work feels more in line now since this explanatory video was viewed by me. Thanks a lot for pointing out the themes and their developments.

To start by answering the question stated in your title: "Is Für Elise overrated?", I would answer emphatically, "NO!". It's a 'Bagatelle' - general definition: "a trifle or a trinket - a little thing without too much importance or value"; and a definition in music: "a short piece of music, typically for the piano, and usually of a light, mellow character. The name bagatelle literally means "a short unpretentious instrumental composition" as a reference to the light style of a piece". Is it possible to overrate something that in no way sets out to be pretentious or heavy? To do so would surely be unjust? I think we are back with that argument that says any classical music with mass appeal cannot be of the highbrow variety that only the privileged, highly educated elite are capable of appreciating and rating as 'superior'. Now, for me, such pretentious thinking sees music being graded on a continuum from light and insignificant to emotionally deep and profound. And I say: "Nonsense!" Music is a unique language that speaks to all of us. Sure, at different levels of intensity . . . but not in any way whatsoever deserving as being trivialised and underrated or extolled and overrated. Music is music. But that's my opinion! If the 'sin' of "Für Elise" is that it gives developing or technically limited pianists access to the music of Beethoven, music that is more accessible and with immediate appeal . . . then I see that as a very good thing and something that deserves to be rated highly! "Für Elise" may suffer from that syndrome of familiarity breeding contempt; perhaps we should see that in its apparent simplicity (and I'm so glad you highlighted the structural genius of the piece, Cole!), this piece of music achieves what can be termed 'cut-through' because it can and does connect with people. Maybe that is why Beethoven chose to write more than once in a bagatelle style: he just wanted to communicate and connect a large number of people to his music? And there is nothing wrong or cheap about that! And your performance? Just sublime! Once again, you show how a pianist of your calibre and near unsurpassed brilliance can make a simple piece of music even more beautiful that it already is. And that can never be overrated. BRAVO!