Basic Beethoven Blitz

It is going to be exciting times here in the Metroplex for Classical Music Enthusiasts this weekend.  Friday and Saturday nights and Sunday afternoon Miguel Harth-Bedoya and the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra will be in concert in Bass Hall in downtown Fort Worth.  Here is the concert synopsis from the FWSO website:

"2013 Cliburn Gold Medalist Vadym Kholodenko makes his second appearance of the season to perform Prokofiev's boisterous final piano concerto. The FWSO opens the concert with Richard Strauss' virtuosic tone poem, Don Juan, and closes with Beethoven's awe-inspiring Fifth symphony, whose opening motif is now engrained in pop culture."

But that is not all that is happening.  In a series of 3 concerts spaced throughout the day on Saturday at the Dallas City Performance Hall, there will be a Sonata-thon.  Stewart Goodyear will perform all 32 of Beethoven's Piano Sonatas between the 10 AM, 3 & 8 PM performances.  "Known for imagination, a graceful, elegant style and exquisite technique, Stewart Goodyear is an accomplished young artist whose career spans many genres—concerto soloist, chamber musician, recitalist and composer. Mr. Goodyear has performed with many of the major orchestras of the world...This very special engagement will find Mr. Goodyear performing a one-day cycle of the complete piano sonatas of Ludwig van Beethoven. The day will be broken up into three separate performances, Part 1: 10 a.m. – 1:40 p.m. - Sonatas No. 1 through 11, as well as 19 and 20, including Pathetique and the Grand Sonata, Part 2: 3:00 pm – 6:30 p.m. - Sonatas No. 12 through 23 (except 19 & 20) including the Moonlight, Pastoral, Tempest, Waldstein and Appassionata and Part 3: 8:00 p.m. – 10:50 p.m. - Sonatas No. 24 through 32, including Les Adieux and Hammerklavier."

While I cannot simulcast the concerts, I can do the next best thing and bring the music that we will be hearing to you.  So in the days leading up to this bounty of beautiful Beethoven being brought to us here in town, I will be doing a Basic Beethoven Blitz where I bombard you with boatloads of the best of Beethoven.  In 1983 and 84, Daniel Barenboim recorded the entire Sonata cycle in the order they were composed.  He later in 2005 performed this Sonata-thon in a series of concerts in Berlin.  The performances from the 80's are gathered in 3 videos which I will share with you over the next three days here at Nichevo while over on my tumblr I will be sharinig some of my favorites of Beethoven's other compositions as the week goes by.  

The play list for today goes like this:

Piano Sonata No.1 in F minor, Op.2/1
Piano Sonata No.2 in A major, Op.2/2
Piano Sonata No.3 in C major, Op.2/3
Piano Sonata No.4 in E♭ major, Op.7 ("Grand Sonata")
Piano Sonata No.5 in C minor, Op.10/1 ("Little Pathétique")
Piano Sonata No.6 in F major, Op.10/2
Piano Sonata No.7 in D major, Op.10/3
Piano Sonata No.8 in C minor, Op.13 ("Pathétique")
                          ** my favorite among his Piano sonatas
Piano Sonata No.9 in E major, Op.14/1
Piano Sonata No.10 in G major, Op.14/2
Piano Sonata No.11 in B♭ major, Op.22

While over on my tumblr, you may hear Quartet No. 1 in F Major,  Op. 18, No. 1 performed by the Afiara String Quartet (Live).  Then there has got to be some visual  inspiration to go along with all this beautiful music.  And I have that covered in spades with this Wet Wednesday collection down below and the Hottie of the Day! over on my tumblr.  Thanks for the visit, stay tuned for more Beethoven and more Men as the week goes on.  Until next time as always, Enjoy!