Hello again

In fact - because our version of the cadenza to the first movement was made by two track recording - we also made and evaluated a version with one violin. But everyone agreed that the version with two violins is more informative and interesting musically and also much more fun.

Beethovens cadenza of the first movement adds significant information for the interpretation of the whole movement: the queer trumpet-signal followed by a march-like episode show a march-like and military aspect, confirming Prof.Stowells idea that this is music belonging to the French revolution.

The Paris concerts are 9.2.2010 Concerto of Fazil Say, 10.2.2010 playing with Fazil Say and friends, 21.2.2010 playing with my piano trio.

Hello Edouard Reichenbach.

Thank you for your thoughtful review.

However I am surprised that you think that I played own inventions in the Beethoven concerto.

If you go back to the CD-booklet, Prof. Robin Stowell clearly explains that we used Beethovens own handwritten variants. In fact Prof. Stowell advised and encouraged us to do so, because nobody knows who prepared the printed edition. The printed versions often being the easiest ones to play, they might have been chosen by the publisher to improve sales.

I am especially saddened that Mr. Molkhou of the Diapason pretended in his review that I have added variations of my proper invention and therefore speaks of sacrilege and treason.

But I did not add one single note on my own invention, everything is Beethovens own hand.

Also the cadenzas are all Beethoven. Originally I wanted to play the cadenza of the first movement on two violins with the concertmaster (as I do sometimes on stage). But he thought that this recording should be "all mine". So with the help of the sound engineer I did it all myself. I cannot understand why some people are scandalised by this fact. Its anyway still Beethoven and as faithfully reproduced as possible under the given circumstances.

Of course nobody knows how Clement really played. But several contemporary descriptions note that he was unable to produce a big sound. He was also criticised for this in his later life. So we played really pp and ppp when Beethoven demands it and I generally tried to avoid the big fat "international standard sound" of the last century.

Giovanni Francesco Pressenda lived from 1777 to 1854. He and his violins belong clearly to the first half of the 19th century, as does the Beethoven concerto.

Hearing the recording today I would play even faster.

Sincerely yours

Patricia Kopatchinskaja

P.S. I will play three concerts in Paris in February 2010.