Most underplayed/underrated Beethoven Sonata

Which of the sonatas deserves to be played more and rated more highly?

I guess all of them are played quite often, but maybe some of the earlier ones?

Of the late sonatas, I really love op. 101, which I guess isn’t played that often?

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The very first sonata is a gem, awesome finale.

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Probably sum of the early ones get played the least, from op 10-22, the op 49 ones too.

Yes, I really didn’t care for these just a year ago but Op.49#1 is one I’d love to hear more. It’s an awesome little piece, Levit’s performance was a real eye opener.

I love Op.54 and Op.78 as well. They’re “cool” somehow - 54 is done relatively frequently, but you rarely hear 78.

A sonata which is near forgotten is the grand Op.7. It’s an excellent work which has a lot to offer, I’m not sure why it’s so carefully avoided. I think I’ll let that be my pick for the thread.

The Op.77 Fantasia. Ludwig should have called it a sonata, in two movements. It’s a great piece and would be played more often.

Debargue did that one in the Tchaikovsky comp. Interestingly, it was one piece he worked on with Heisser (teacher of Chamayou and Neuburger) at the CNSM. There was obviously some sort of falling out between the pair since you never hear either of them mention the other, with Debargue always talking about Shereshevskaya and Heisser about his other two famous pupils.

I would say op. 101. One of my favourites and you don’t hear it too often.

I actually don’t know that one at all. I remember Serkin played it.

Damn well too I might add. This sounds great.

da firzt SON iz randomly da BROTHA reachin

peak ZART FURY

he dun reach peak BROTHA FURY until

da AZZPAZZION :sunglasses:

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Op 26 can’t be played enough!

I suspect op 7 doesn’t get much play because the last movement is quite awkward? Speaking from memory.

oh yeah I forgot about op 26! I did that for my second year recital at school, inspired by Richter’s legendary performance.

Randomly da Op 2 no 3 commands rezpek.

Basically a mini waldo fo mofoz wiz slightly smaller girth

Tru diz dat rare brotha zon wiz 4 mvmtz of equal wikidnezz. even da zl*w mvmt iz zum inzpired moizt. Da brotha latah zimplified diz mvmt to cummah up wiz da moonrape mvmt1 pozz :sunglasses:

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I really like Op. 28 and Op. 90. Neither are particularly neglected, but I don’t see them programmed too often.

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I heard Sokolov play Op.90 last year, but I think that was the only time I’ve heard it apart from during a student recital back in school. I don’t recall ever hearing the pastorale sonata live. Although it’s one I like a lot as well (particularly the second movement). In general, these short sonatas like op 54, 78, 90 etc don’t get programmed much. Although Levit bucked the trend by doing 10/1, 49/1, 49/2 and 54 (along with the appassionata) when our friend da X saw him earlier this year. An all-Beethoven programme which worked really well.

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I never reflected about it but it was a pretty odd LvB Sonata program actually. Perhaps a wise choice for a debut though, in several of the Sonatas he really gave among the finest performances I’ve heard of the works. I think it would have been harder to make the same kind of impression in a more generic program with 109-111 or similar.

But true, I keep hoping this was just a pilot for a complete LvB Sonata series from him in 2020. Perhaps even with a symphony thrown in, it certainly doesn’t seem impossible given the rep he’s just recorded on his Life CD.