This is the second movement (Adagio Cantabile) of Ludwig van Beethoven's Pathétique Sonata (Sonata No. 8). It's another piece my mother used to play that has always stuck with me. I decided to learn it because it's a (relatively) simple way to add entertainment to the repertoire. Many people recognize and love the piece. Even if you've never heard it, it's recognizable because it's been "quoted" a lot in popular music.
As I mentioned in my previous post, I've made some changes to my recording setup. Better lighting makes the video a little clearer. Better mic pres and converters make the audio much better, and I'm recording in stereo. But the biggest improvement is probably due to using a different video hosting service. YouTube is great for quantity and variety, but the video and audio quality are terrible. Google Video was supposed to be better, allowing higher resolution and stereo audio. But after uploading the video I found it was no better than YouTube. I finally settled on Vimeo. I love this site. They actually play the video at the quality of the uploaded file! Brilliant!
So here goes... let's hope the embedding works properly.
Beethoven Pathétique Sonata (2nd Movement) from Ken Barker on Vimeo.
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This arrived in Ottawa, so to speak, in first class order. The sound was great and the video really good.
ReplyDeleteApart from the technical accomplishment, Mom and I watched/listened to the performance together and we were ALMOST moved to tears. It was beautiful and, of course, somewhat nostalgic.
Thank you, Kenneth.
Love,
Dad
You have just made a first-class appearance in Westbank, too, Kenneth.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad that you have added this one to your repertoire. It is familiar and moving. Being able to see you while I listen to the music adds to my enjoyment of the piece and to my appreciation of your performance.
Thanks and happy new year to you and Johanne!
Lots of love, Louise
Dear Kenneth,
ReplyDeleteI have just finished listening to Maiden on Vimeo. It is wonderful. So is the Beethoven. I am so glad you are recording with your new equipment. These pieces bring back such good memories.
Love,
Mom