ANDRÁS SCHIFF 
BEETHOVEN - The Piano Sonatas, Volume V

Sonatas opp. 31 and 53
‘Waldstein’, Andante favori

Cat No. 4766186      (2CD set)  

Release date: 24 September 2007  

•  Fifth volume in Schiff’s complete Beethoven sonatas includes the “overwhelming”
    ‘Waldstein’ Sonata and the three comprising Op 31

• Live recording from Zurich’s Town Hall, produced by Manfred Eicher

• Critical praise for all four albums to date:
    “Stimulating and provocative…a magnificent release”   
     (BBC Music Magazine’s 5-star review for Volume 4)

• Lavish booklet includes an illuminating interview with András Schiff

Volume V of András Schiff’s much acclaimed live Beethoven cycle in chronological order offers four masterworks from the so-called “middle period” ie the first years of the 19th century, when among other groundbreaking compositions, the “Eroica” Symphony was written. Like all Schiff’s Beethoven recitals, it was played on a Bösendorfer (op. 31) and a Steinway grand (op. 53). 

Op. 31 is the last group of three piano sonatas under one opus number in Beethoven’s oeuvre, once again highlighting the composer’s genius in creating very differently shaped works at the same time. Schiff emphasizes the special character of Op 53: “The ‘Waldstein’ is certainly an overwhelming work that was not only of great significance to the composer, but also occupies a special place in the history of piano music. Its spatial dimensions are enormous, only exceeded later by those of the ‘Hammerklavier’ sonata. Furthermore, Beethoven takes a giant stride forwards in respect of new-found pianistic sonorities, at the same time creating a huge ‘tone-poem’”. In the Zurich recital recorded live for this CD Schiff added the original slow movement from the ‘Waldstein’, the Andante favori (which Beethoven later dismissed out of formal considerations), as an encore. “It was like a salute from another world” said a Swiss critic after the concert in December 2005.

Last November Schiff completed his cycle in major European cities (London, Birmingham and Bristol among them) although touring with individual Beethoven programmes continue. In the 2007/08 season he is artist-in-residence with the Berlin Philharmonic, while in the UK his focus is on Schubert, both with the Philharmonia Orchestra at the Royal Festival Hall and in Wigmore Hall recitals.

Tracks:

CD1: Three Sonatas op. 31 (1802)

Sonata No 16 G major op. 31/1  

• (1) Allegro vivace 7.09 

• (2) Adagio grazioso 10.35

• (3) Rondo. Allegretto 7.08 *

Sonata No 17 d minor op. 31/2  The Tempest”

• (4) Largo – Allegro 8.47

• (5) Adagio 8.14

• (6) Allegretto 7.37

Sonata No 18 E-flat major op. 31/3   “The Hunt”

• (7) Allegro 8.35

• (8) Scherzo. Allegretto vivace 4.56 *

• (9) Menuetto. Moderato e grazioso

• (10) Presto con fuoco 4.25     4.10

CD2: Sonata No 21 C major op. 53 (1803/4) "Waldstein"

• (1) Allegro con brio 10.48

• (2) Introduzione. Adagio molto 4.20 *

• (3) Rondo. Allegretto moderato 10.22   Andante favori F major WoO 57

• (4) Andante grazioso con moto 8.22 *

Summary:    The fifth volume of András Schiff’s “stimulating and magnificent” cycle of the complete Beethoven sonatas recorded live in Zurich Town Hall offers four masterworks from his so-called middle period: the “overwhelming” ‘Waldstein’ Sonata, Op 53, plus its original ‘Andante favori’ slow movement, and the three varied sonatas comprising the Op 31 set