Guzman 1

Jenesis Guzman

Professor Lane

MSH 114

8 April 2021

Concert Report: Moonlight

For my report I decided to listen to Buchbinder - Beethoven Sonata op.27 no.2

"Moonlight" in C# minor. At the beginning of the piece the music is very mellow and very

emotional and to me gives off or radiates a sentimental feeling almost as though it is coming

straight from the heart. Personally this piece from start to finish calls my name especially the

way Buchbinder plays it. Especially the change at 6:03, although the change is very noticeable

the way the pieces flow together give a sense of conjointment even though the tempo and

aggressiveness in the way the notes are being played change you can feel the same rush of

emotions through the whole performance and honestly its breath taking and mind blowing hoe

music can just consume you. Not only the music but the performer and the way he lets himself

feel what he is playing and also the way he presents himself.

When Buchbinder walks onto the stage he takes in the applause he is getting from the

audience in the room. He also bows to the audience as a way to say thank you to the people. Now

the moment Buchbinder starts to play you can see with the way he moves his body that he gets

into the music from the very beginning. Hes facial expressions also express what he is feeling

while playing the piece. Throughout the performance he is swaying his body conveying the idea

that he is not just playing to play. He is letting the music control his emotions. In fact, most of

the first six minutes you could see that Buchbinder is feeling every note he is playing he looks as

though he is going to cry and is in such pain. The soloist and the instrument are acting as one to
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portray the message. The music drives me to feel pain and anguish from minute one to minute

6(6:03). After the start of minute six the music starts to speed up in pace and the music itself

sounds a little more happy and you can assume the musician is happy as well because in parts of

the video he is caught smiling. Like at the beginning the instrument and the musician are one. At

minute eight with eleven seconds the music becomes more presto. At which point Buchbinder is

playing more aggressively which can be interpreted as though the mood or the emotions is being

switched. Honestly the fact that Buchbinder and the piano can become one the way he does is a

key part to the way the audience is supposed to feel.

Like I’ve mentioned before the concert breaks into three different sections all having a

different tempo giving off different emotions at different parts of the concerto. From the start to

minute 6, (6:03) is described as slow and sustained also known as adagio sostenuto. The music is

very slow and does not progress at a faster speed the whole six minutes it's the same and the

music guides you to feel sad and a little bit worried. At minute 6 the tempo of the concerto

changes and it becomes Allegretto which could be described as a medium to fast beat. The music

is a little bit more lively and makes you feel a little less worried and more upbeat. The music

made me feel a little happier or more content at this point in time. Now the last change happens

at 8:11, the music is noticeably faster and louder. The terms used to describe this section would

be presto agitato. Although the music is fast paced the music makes you feel as though you

should be upset or annoyed at something. The music is being played very aggressively which

also sets its own tone or mood. The part most enjoyed from this concerto would be the first six

minutes, adagio sostenuto. I most enjoyed this part because the music makes me feel safe or at

ease with whatever is around me. The way the music just flows makes me want to be in a dream

at all times, almost a surreal thought.

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The whole concerto comes together when Buchbinder plays. He lets his emotions and

body be controlled by the music which adds to the emotion being conveyed and the energy that

the music gives out. All the different tempos add their own little element to the purpose of the

concerto, but at the end the entire comes together to become an emotional 15 minute roller

coaster. Each section with its own surprise. The piece is absolutely stunning.