A freshness emanates from the opening of the ‘Pastoral’ Sonata; its pulsing bass is akin to a beating heart, bearing the promise of a continuous, unstoppable flow.
Whether or not the nickname ‘Pastoral’ was approved by Beethoven himself, it is wonderfully fitting - the music strongly evokes nature, especially in the first and last movements. There is an unhurried gentleness throughout, climaxes are broad and harmonious, and the many ‘simple’ chords (triads and their inversions) lend the music an aura of stability and calmness which we rarely associate with Beethoven.
But more than a simplistic depiction, to me the first movement is an exploration of the mystery of life, from its first beginnings, evoking a sense of wonder and requiring utmost love and care, to the rich abundance of life’s full bloom, captured by Beethoven in multifaceted, sensitive, breathing strokes. And through it all, the pulsing bass weaves in and out, speaking of Life’s never-ending continuity.
The second movement’s (10:17) narrative, much more severe in mood, is personal and inward-looking, its measured accompaniment perhaps closer to the sound of an implacable clock. A brighter middle section (12:53) brings some playfulness with a dotted triplet motif, but the merrymaking only lasts its allotted 16 bars, unable to stave off a return to the bleaker world of the main theme. In the coda (16:45), Beethoven allows the music to become truly tragic, a reflection of inner pain and perhaps a deeply felt commentary on the fragility of a single life.
With the advent of the scherzo (18:10), the shadow has passed. A quadruple descending call is answered by an energetic rhythmical motif, as Beethoven resolutely effaces any residual darkness with the most vigorous, driven movement of the sonata.
The finale (20:39), with its bagpipe-like drone in the bass, brings back the tone of the first movement - calm and mostly gentle, transparent in texture, radiant in its sound. Its climaxes flex a bit more muscle than those of the opening movement; hinting, perhaps, at the coda, where Beethoven finally lifts all restraints and brings in the exuberant, exultant, Bacchic side of nature to end the sonata in a D major blaze.
Of the four sonatas in the recent group, the ‘Pastoral’ is the most traditional in its structure and in the composition of its movements. But the evocative power of the music, its heightened sensitivity show Beethoven’s unstoppable growth as an artist. For me, it is a masterpiece, occupying a special place in the cycle.
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Beethoven 32 - Over the year 2020, I will be learning and filming all 32 Beethoven sonatas. Subscribe to this channel to follow the project, and visit beethoven32.com for blog posts and listening guides to each sonata.
Boris Giltburg, piano
Filmed by Stewart French
© 2020 Fly On The Wall, London (fotw.london)
Filmed at Fazioli Concert Hall, Sacile, Italy
‪@FazioliPianos‬