# On the Subject of Tempo: Beethoven Piano Sonata #5, Op10 No1, Adagio Molto



## DaveM (Jun 29, 2015)

Ordinarily, I prefer a slower tempo for the Beethoven Piano Sonata Adagio/Andante movements. It is amazing to me the degree of variations of tempo among the many interpretations of these works by the great Beethoven piano artists.

An extreme example is the very slow tempo of the Sonata #5 Adagio Molto as played by Emils Gilels. At a timing of 11:52, some might (understandably) find it an unwarranted extreme, but Gilels is considered to be one of the great Beethoven interpreters so he must have had a good reason to play the adagio so slowly. I discovered his recording many years ago and it has been one of my favorites ever since.

I can understand why some might find it too slow, but others, especially on repeated listening, might find new meaning in Gilels' elegiac interpretation. All that said, there is one part of the movement that I think Gilels gave particularly special new meaning to. More on that later below.






As a comparison, here is the Pollini version:






Beethoven ends the Adagio with an innovative and absolutely entrancing resolution with a prolonged variation of the main theme. Played too fast and this section sounds perfunctory; the feeling is lost. IMO, this is where Gilels interpretation shines. There are few Beethoven works that are concluded with more profound beauty than this:






Pollini playing the same section:






Another thread on the subject of Beethoven piano sonata tempo:
http://www.talkclassical.com/41843-subject-tempo-beethoven-piano.html?highlight=


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