Beethoven Sonata Nr.29 "Hammerklavier" - Opus 106 - Historical Tempo Reconstruction - Alberto Sanna

That evening, minutes after the last notes of that majestic fugue, the fortepiano still recovering from processing those many thousands of notes of Beethoven's famous Sonata opus 106, Alberto raised his glass of Belgian Karmeliet to me and replied: "No you're going to write that, it's your achievement".
The way he finished in one gulp half of one of Belgiums finest beers without even waiting for my response, made clear that I had no choice. He meant the text of the description box. What you're reading right now. (read further below)

0:00 Allegro (Half = 138)
19:20 Scherzo (Dotted half note = 80)
24:20 Adagio (8th = 92)
59:09 Largo (16th = 76)
1:01:03 Allegro Risoluto (fugue) (q=144)
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It was a glorious moment. That young musician sitting there in front of me, in the darkness of the very late hours in our kitchen, Anja and kids long to bed, Sibo sighing from the thought of being so tired, just minutes after finishing what very well could one day be THE recording of the century (I know some of you will be freaking out reading me write this...but it very well might be true), the recording of a piece that keeps generations since the beginning of recording technology busy to figure out what the mystery is. Why we cannot play it. Musicologists spitting out paper after paper on what the magical solution is or might be, scourging entire generations, whipping them to go further, practice harder, go faster, louder, crazier, and what have you. So many people just not interested in this masterpiece that is played often like... a messy flood of rhythmical impulses. The poor Schnabel staged time after time again with his Hammerklavier version of what very well might be the technically worst recording ever made it is even impossible I believe to count the number of mistakes on the first page alone and with not a single version ever recorded in the entire history of the recording era that simply honors Beethoven's own remarks. Respecting the score. Yes, I bet they are.
So there we sat at the kitchen table, not talking much. What was there to say? Outside reigned an almost brutal darkness, as if the night was battling long-time passed and living spirits that wanted to knock to our windows, the door, come in to... yes to do what?
How many musicians have recorded the Hammerklavier Sonata? How many of them claimed to honor Beethoven's spirit? To just play what is written? Respected the master's intention? Probably all.
And yet there in the night their voices were present, you could hear them in the silence of the pitch black emptiness, tempting to fight this young man, who was about to finish his Karmeliet. I looked at him and saw that little child in the fairy tale of the emperor without clothes. Because guess what he actually had just done:
1. Played the entire Hammerklavier exactly in the 'mysteriously fast' metronome indications Beethoven gave.
2. Played the entire Hammerklavier with not a single pedaling more than Beethoven indicated. Yes, entire fugue without pedal. Write that down.
One can disagree with the way he interprets the tempo indication. O and they will. Fiercely. But instead of fighting in the darkness, one would have to come into the bright light of a sunny day to proof the opposite from behind the keys of any piano. For which they had almost a century to do so.
But they didn't. And also no they will not come further than words.
But who cares anyway?
Alberto stood up, stretched out and said: "let's call it a day. To be honest, I'm a little tired."
And there he went, probably not fully realizing he did write history today.
I stayed at the kitchen table a little longer. This night was not ready yet to grant any sleep to my mind. After so many years of blind musical and especially incomprehensible musicological struggle, finally the Hammerklavier sonata was recorded in a way that required no excuses, no explanation, in other words in a way that did not question Beethoven on any level.
My achievement? No, not at all.
It's a 100% the merit of that 24 year Italian, soon to be exactly half my age, who decided to come from Los Angeles back to Europe, to this tiny little village, to this outsider musician with his YouTube channel and some "provocative" (I hate that word) "ideas", who's only offer is one of the most beautiful forte-pianos ever built (yes, no doubt about that) and some good sounding recording equipment. And a wonderful audience (yes). Plus: a family that understands what it takes to make a recording. And a dog that is always smiling.
And so Alberto choose to knock on my door. As he now, with this recording, is knocking on every door of musical consciousness. Musicians, musicologists alike. Truth has a beautiful power in itself. And it shines here. It shows up in this glorious version of one of the most incredible works written ever.
So thank YOU Alberto Sanna. The world will remember you for this.