Musical frolics, 1800’s Style
One resource to dispel the gloom that may descend upon us during such perilous times is music, particularly of the bright and sprightly kind. Those unacquainted with the whole body of Beethoven’s work may not know how much fun a lot of it is. There follow here three examples of Beethoven at his most lighthearted.
I. This is one I introduced in an earlier post, but it bears repeating, particularly because you cannot watch the pianist (Valentina Lisitsa) without feeling tempted to bounce around yourself. From the piano sonata Opus 10 Number 3:
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II. In contrast to the first example above from early in Beethoven’s career, this next is a movement belonging to the great string quartet Number 14 in C-sharp Minor, composed when Beethoven was already deaf and had but a year to live. Much of this piece has tragic undercurrents, but this is five sparkling minutes punctuated with musical jokes. Watch from 25:05 to 30:13 for the fun part. Warning: if you opt to watch from the beginning you are in for a magical mystery tour.
(The Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center.)
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III. The next is grand as well as fun, and longer than the two above (twelve minutes as opposed to six and five). Beethoven’s Fifth Piano Concerto in E flat Major is a work for concert grand and full orchestra, and brings out fully the richness of both. The most joyful part is the third movement—pick it up at 28:30. The soloist, Rosalía Gómez Lasheras, appears to be having more fun than anyone in the hall—her exuberance and almost girlish delight convey an unselfconsciousness you rarely see in a performance before a full audience. Bonus: Lasheras is wearing the most gorgeous dress I have ever seen on a classical music performer.
For the third movement, watch from 28:30 to the end (40 minutes). If you have forty minutes to spare, by all means watch the whole thing—it’ll warm you from head to toe.