What better way to break my summer hiatus from Wigmore Hall than to attend a recital by Richard Goode?
The cool autumn breeze out on Wigmore Street put me in the perfect mood for late Beethoven and Schumann, and Goode delivered a masterly reading that showed just how warm and intimate the music of the greatest musical minds could be.
When people talk about late Beethoven they often talk about the last three piano sonatas, music of such great depth and profundity. However, for me the music that is most difficult to grasp as listener and performer are the sonatas that come before them, a musical products that witness Beethoven’s gradual transition towards his fully developed “late” style. Goode performed two of those sonatas—No. 27 in E minor, op. 90 and No. 28 in A major, op. 101–alongside the op. 126 Bagatelles tonight, and under his fingers Beethoven’s mature musical thoughts glowed warmly.
Stepping away from the heroic and extroverted nature of his Middle Period, Beethoven’s late music turned inward and became infinitely more subtle. The line between form and harmony becomes much more blurred as each little harmonic shift or chromatic change led to a completely different story. I believe the challenge to convey this subtle music without making it overly dramatic nor too plain is even more difficult than performing the last sonatas, where the music reaches out to extremes.
Only a master like Goode, who so fully understands Beethoven’s idea of form and sees the meaning behind it, could convey all the subtle nuances of the music while maintaining a subliminally simple lyricism. At times the music sounds almost Schubertian, except in Schubert the music meanders through the harmonic while every subtle change in Beethoven is intentional and alters its meaning.
It was while marvelling at Goode’s playing that I came to this conclusion, but it’s only by experiencing his sound that one can truly feel the warmth and wisdom of late Beethoven.
By contrast, the bagatelles were charged with drama and humour only one who truly understands Beethoven could pull off. No. 4 has definitely become an earworm that will return to haunt me.
The warm and rich cantabile tone Goode possesses that connects Beethoven and Schubert in my mind was even more prevalent in the Schumann.
Goode’s ability to layer textures clearly and naturally without a hint of pretension meant one was able to bask in the beautiful sounds he created as the youthful Schumann bared his feelings of love for Clara through his music. What a warm, rich, yet slightly nostalgic C major chord with which he ended the Davidsbündlertanze, hushing the Hall with its autumnal beauty, reminding us that all beautiful things fade away even as we realize their beauty.
For an encore, he played Chopin’s late nocturne in E Major, op. 62 no. 2, his rich cantabile tone and warm generous sound once again reminding me that the greatest tone can only be produced through utter humility.
Richard Goode’s playing taught me that great artistry can also be warm, intimate and generous.
What great privilege it is that we get to enjoy the greatest sounds produced on the piano by the greatest pianists in one of the best halls here in London!
Article featured photo credits to Wigmore Hall.
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