This is one of Beethoven’s wonderful masterpieces.
The composer gave the third movement the title “Gesangvoll”, which roughly translates into “In a singing style”.
Like many of his works, the Beethoven 109 is truly an amazing piece. One can sense a calm quality on the surface and yet, this could hardly describe what follows. If we peel back this layer and progress further, we immediately sense a dark and brooding sensation; hinting at his own sense of personal loss and his attempt to express these intimate feelings through the use of somber and calculated keystrokes.
And now let’s return again to the above-mentioned third movement. It is twice as long as the previous two. It is played slowly and with what I sometimes imagine is a combination of Sorrow and emotional resignation.
Here is Sviatoslav Richter to play this music for you:
