# Beethoven: Pastoral Piano Sonata



## Waehnen (Oct 31, 2021)

Listening to the Piano Sonata no. 15 in D Major by Beethoven, played by Brendel.

My heart sings with this piano sonata! And the musicality of and illusions created by Brendel. 

One of the greatest piano sonatas of all time. One of the greatest pianists of all time.

(Played it myself btw. in the previous century. Not as well as Brendel, though.)


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## hammeredklavier (Feb 18, 2018)

"It has been debated whether the title "pastoral" refers to the sense of countryside and nature (the 6th symphony pastoral sense), or to its sense of calm, simplicity and lightness. Beethoven's publishers had a tendency to name his sonatas without consulting Beethoven himself."


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## Livly_Station (Jan 8, 2014)

This is one of my favorite piano sonatas -- I mean, _reeeeally_ close to the top.


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## Triplets (Sep 4, 2014)

My favorites are Kempe, Brendel, and Arrau


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## marlow (11 mo ago)

Kempff played this better than anyone


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## Kreisler jr (Apr 21, 2021)

Edwin Fischer (live on Music and Arts)


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## Animal the Drummer (Nov 14, 2015)

Barenboim put out an intriguing version in his early set of the complete sonatas for EMI. The last movement in particular is very slow indeed, but - a bit like Richter's Schubert D960 - there's something mesmerising about the performance all the same.


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## Waehnen (Oct 31, 2021)

I am happy that all you fans of huge complex symphonies are also able to appreciate and enjoy intimate Beethoven of this kind.


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## OCEANE (10 mo ago)

I like the whole set of Beethoven piano sonatas and cant really rank them. While some of them are my favorite, No. 15 Pastoral is definitely one of them.


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## Kreisler jr (Apr 21, 2021)

It's easily my favorite among opp.22,26,27,28, maybe even the favorite from op.2 -28 (op.10/3 and op.2/3 being other contenders among the early works). While all Beethoven sonatas are unique, this one is certainly not in danger of being perceived as the lesser version of a (not really) similar sonata (as is sometimes done with op.10/1 as "little Pathetique" or op.2/3 and Waldstein).


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## Waehnen (Oct 31, 2021)

Kreisler jr said:


> It's easily my favorite among opp.22,26,27,28, maybe even the favorite from op.2 -28 (op.10/3 and op.2/3 being other contenders among the early works). While all Beethoven sonatas are unique, this one is certainly not in danger of being perceived as the lesser version of a (not really) similar sonata (as is sometimes done with op.10/1 as "little Pathetique" or op.2/3 and Waldstein).


Yeah, nothing about it says "lesser" or "diminutive" or "shadow of something else". The atmosphere is unique and for the lack of a better expression, there is feeling of comforting nature scenes, textures and scents, even weather.


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## Mandryka (Feb 22, 2013)

Kreisler jr said:


> Edwin Fischer (live on Music and Arts)


Have you heard Ernst Levy's? I think it's really impressive.

https://www.marstonrecords.com/products/levy3


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## Kreisler jr (Apr 21, 2021)

No, probably not, certainly do not remember and I don't have any physical discs with Levy and I doubt I ever had it as a download or from some LP dub.
I am probably easy to satisfy but I think it is a comparably forgiving piece. Even Gould does a reasonable job with it


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## mollig (Nov 20, 2021)

It's a lovely piece. I have recordings by Schiff and Igor Levit, both do a fine job, I can even imagine Brendel being good in this piece unlike, say, the Appassionata.
Wouldn't be in my top 5 Beethoven sonatas, but would probably scrape into the top 10.


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## Open Book (Aug 14, 2018)

Ivan Moravec is the best in my opinion. With an equally fine Les Adieux sonata.


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