Happened on a treat last night on Channel 4 (6.30 – 8.20) – Barenboim on Beethoven: The Lost Tapes.
“The original series was commissioned in 1969 by Granada TV to mark the 200th anniversary of Beethoven’s birth. At the time, only six out of 13 episodes from the series …. were shown on television.” Quote from the Irish Times.
Near the beginning they showed Barenboim and his wife Jacqueline du Pre playing the first movement of one of Beethoven’s cello sonatas. Knowing that her career would end in a few years’ time at 28 with multiple sclerosis, I found it almost unbearable to watch as the cellist played with her trademark emotional intensity. What a terrible loss, but what a legacy she left.
Neither the sound nor picture quality were up to modern standards, but I find Barenboim an irresistible listen, both his spoken words and his playing. His analysis of Beethoven’s oeuvre was fascinating, and even for someone (me) who knows nothing about the technicalities of music, understandable and enlightening. It made me realise I haven’t played (CDs, I hasten to add) Beethoven’s late sonatas for several weeks, or even months. It also reminded me of what a titan of the keyboard Barenboim was and remains. As child prodigy, he could play from memory all 32 sonatas - which apparently takes around 11 hours to complete - at the age of about 12 years.
