Picture this: early 1800's, before ipods, CDs, vinyl, and radio. Music is accessible only through church, innate talent, or knowing someone who has the wealth to own an instrument. Imagine, then, what it must feel like, to attend a chamber music concert.
Would it have the same specialness as concert-going does now? In our family, we don't attend church and I could count on one hand the number of live performances we've seen together. Going to a concert is a Very Big Deal. Was it also back then?
I imagine what I would have felt if I'd lived in Vienna then upon hearing this for the first time:
Vladimir Horowitz performing Beethoven's Sonata No. 23 in F minor, Appassionata, 3rd movement
All three movements are blood-pumping, but this ending just slays me. I think I would have thought Beethoven to be a genius and a terror. But any man who could have emulated that emotion by reproducing the piece would have had me at "hello."
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