Piano

Beethoven's piano output alone is enormous and arguably the greatest collection of all, and surely its most remarkable feature is the sheer variety of expression. Among the 32 Sonatas you will not find two that are similar; and in the 20 sets of Variations one marvels at the range and inspiration of his vision and imagination. Indeed, he was a rebel and he defined the course of classical music probably more than any other composer. He travelled fast and far, from the influence of Haydn and Mozart in his early works to his own idiomatic language of the middle period works and, finally, reached heights of great spiritual depth in the last 10 years or so. The works are presented in chronological order, but there are many instances where scholars cannot pin down the precise time of composition. Also, in a few cases, strict chronology is deliberately ignored so that on each album the order offers more attractive listening. (Martini Tirimo)

“Beethoven was my idol and my mentor”

Experience the full scope of Beethoven’s musical evolution with this comprehensive collection of his 35 piano sonatas, meticulously organized in chronological order to offer a panoramic view of his artistic journey, tracing Beethoven’s transformative progression as a composer.

Igor Levit - the recent recipient of the prestigious Gilmore Artist Award and the Royal Philharmonic Society’s “Instrumentalist of the Year”- has now completed the recording of all 32 sonatas of Ludwig van Beethoven. In September 2019 this mammoth studio-recording project will finally be released and leads the way for important new releases on Sony Classical for Beethoven’s 250-year anniversary.

Jean-Efflam Bavouzet’s landmark series of Beethoven’s complete sonatas is now available as a box-set and at very special price. Bavouzet has taken this programme to the most prestigious venues around the world and continues to perform it. Gramophone has nominated him several times for its Artist of the Year award, arguing that ‘Bavouzet’s chronological journey through the Beethoven sonatas has not been surpassed in the last 30 years. Yes, it’s that good.’

The waiting has finally paid off: the complete Beethoven piano sonata cycle has finally arrived. Japanese pianist Mari Kodama is only the fourth woman to have recorded all of Beethoven's sonatas (Pizzicato). Although not the first with this achievement, the very idea that an artist can play this music and still introduce a new perspective, as Kodama so often proves with her performances, is astonishing.

Harpist to Queen Victoria, the Welsh composer John Thomas (1826–1913) also wrote prolifically for his own instrument, both for solo harp and for duos of two harps or harp and piano – a combination where the different sounds of the two instruments enhance the clarity of the texture. Thomas’ original works use the elegant Romantic style of his own day, but he often drew on Welsh folksong for his inspiration and also left a generous legacy of transcriptions, especially of operatic favourites. Although some of his music was intended for the Victorian drawing room, other pieces require a virtuoso technique – and all of it has a thoroughly engaging melodic appeal.

Elisabeth Leonskaja feels life, people and music intuitively. Long standing friendships and continuous work on certain repertoire, like the Schubert Piano Sonatas, define the essence of her being.

Louise Farrenc was one of the most respected pianists and composers in the 19th-century Parisian music scene, and her four sets of Études are her most important compositions for piano. Beautiful melodies and distinctiveness of character have made the Études, Op. 26 the most popular set, but all of these pieces are full of grace and charm alongside their didactic usefulness in their references to the styles both of Farrenc’s musical ancestors and her contemporaries. The Greek pianist Maria Stratigou is one of Louise Farrenc’s greatest exponents and makes her Grand Piano debut with these exquisite rarities.