Great works of art are mostly produced when emotions stab the limits of the minds. My favourite and considered by many as the greatest piano sonata 'Appassionata' also emerged in such an emotional heightened state. Hurt in love, completely shattered and converging towards deafness impelled Beethoven to produce one of the finest music of emotional expressionism. The music starts in with chords which are melancholic and portray despair but then out this despair emerges a music of an indomitable spirit. The music sort of explodes portraying the invincibility of his character There is a mark of introspection that also reverberates in the music with constant questioning which seems to reaffirm the invincibility of his spirit to never give up. But the sonata has a tragic ending. It is the sonata where his life's tragic glimpse is shown with his spirit trying to overcome it. There are variations of tragedy coupled with hope in the whole sonata. It is a piece of music with shades of different emotions posed in an aggressive manner. The only other piano sonata with such an explosive character is another of Beethoven's sonata 'Hammerklavier'. Hammerklavier is considered one of the most technically demanding sonatas to perform.
Above You Tube video (1st movement) is not one of the best recordings. The best recordings according to me are of Maurizio Pollini and Richter. Just to get a short intense glimpse of Pollini performing click here -http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yXaWutqQSa0
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