In fact, I was sequencing Beethoven's Piano Sonata No. 8 "Pathétique," but there was a part that I couldn't get quite right. That is the execution of "fps" that follows the opening chord.
Piano Sonata No. 8 was composed between 1797 and 1798, and the piano used is said to have been made by Anton Walter of Vienna.
The damper function of today is said to have been a lever under the keyboard that was pushed up with the knee, instead of pedaling with the foot. However, the sound was not very long-lasting, and it diminished as soon as the lever was returned, so it is expected that it could be played without much problem in the way of the beginning of this score.
Now, when it comes to modern pianos, their dynamic range, resonance sustain, pedal functions, and other aspects are far superior and more stable compared to those of Beethoven’s time. And it is on such a piano that we must play this "fp." Since the piano is a decaying instrument, once a key is struck, the sound naturally diminishes according to its decay curve. Therefore, the challenge lies in how to interpret Beethoven’s instructions on a modern piano. The intended image might be a powerful "f" chord struck firmly, which then rapidly decays to "p" before leading into the next passage.
By intently watching a scene from Barenboim’s masterclass lesson, which my musical advisor happened to introduce to me, I came to realize something. It seems that he plays it in the following manner. (Incidentally, the student receiving instruction in this masterclass was unable to execute this technique and was corrected multiple times.)
"Barenboim" seems to have played the following.
First, play the powerful chord "f"
→ Immediately lift his hands off the keys after striking them (while keeping the pedal pressed).
→ Immediately after that, lightly press the same key again (maybe not too much, aiming for resonance).
→ Release the pedal before the next note "p".
I thought it would not be too difficult to realize this in DAW software, since it is just a matter of simulating this Barenboim's action. In other words, normally the volume is controlled by velocity without moving the volume (CC 7), but in this case, after hitting "f", the volume is dropped very sharply. Then, with the next "p", I set the volumetric value back to normal, and I thought I could do it by hitting a reasonable velocity. In the meantime, I leave the pedal depressed and release it before the "p". What do you think? This subtle difference seems important.
Typing "fp
No "fp" process