Cor de Groot plays Beethoven Sonata No.23 "Appassionata" (II) Video

Sonata in F minor, opus 57, known as the Appassionata, is considered as one of the three great piano sonatas of Beethoven's middle period; composed between 1804 and 1805, the period of the first version of Fidelio, and probably finished in 1806, op. 57 marks a peak and, in a sense, a conclusion; after completing it, Beethoven wrote no more piano sonatas until 1809. The title "Appassionata" is not Beethoven's own, but appeared for the first time in 1848, in a version of the sonata for four hands, published in Hamburg by Cranz.

PART I : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rh36JSPOARU
- Allegro assai

PART II :
- Andante con moto
- Allegro ma non troppo

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Cor de Groot (1914 - 1993)

Dutch pianist and composer. He studied piano with Egbert Veen and Ulferts Schults, and composition and conducting under Sem Dresden. In 1932 he graduated with highest honours, playing a piano concerto written by him. After becoming a soloist with the Concertgebouw Orchestra, he won the first prize in 1936 at the Vienna competition. That was when Liszts pupil Emil von Sauer, being in the jury, said Now that I have heard Cor de Groot, I can die in peace

Within a decade after the war, de Groot established an international career, playing in the worlds most famous concert halls in four continents. In 1959, he was forced to stop playing due to signs of paralysis in his right hand due to a nervous disorder, but he went on playing compositions and transcription for the left hand. He arranged more than 80 pieces for the left hand.

He became musical director of the Dutch Broadcasting Corporation and promoted Dutch contemporary music. In the course of time, although he regained power over his right hand, he did not resume his concert career.

He dedicated himself to research and recording unknown and neglected repertoire, as well as his own compositions. He died in Amsterdam in 1993.

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