Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827)

Piano Sonatas, Vol. 1
Op. 2 Nos 1, 2, and 3 / Op. 7 / Op. 10 Nos 1, 2, and 3 / Op. 13 / Op. 14 Nos 1 and 2

Jean-Efflam Bavouzet (piano)

To run parallel with his complete Haydn series, Jean-Efflam Bavouzet is now starting a complete, chronological cycle of Beethoven’s piano sonatas. This first set covers the sonatas composed in the 1790s. Two further volumes, of middle and late sonatas, will follow in 2013 and 2014 respectively. Each volume in the series will be available as
3 CDs for the price of 2.

In a recent cover feature in International Piano, Michael Church spoke with the pianist about the new project and reported: ‘For Bavouzet, the particular pleasure of coming to Beethoven after Haydn lies in the fact that although their basic harmonic language is roughly the same, in Beethoven’s scores the dynamics are clearly indicated, especially where they seem completely independent of the music’s so-called natural harmonic tensions.’ Bavouzet added: ‘The accents are in exactly the wrong place, and that’s what creates his music’s excitement. I am so happy to have these two streams of my work running side by side for the next few years.’

This recording covers the sonatas from Opus 2 to Opus 14, and includes a novelty: two different versions of Op. 10 No. 1. In the words of Bavouzet: ‘Professor William Drabkin has reconstructed for me the development section of the third movement. It’s based on Beethoven’s sketches, which had just one line, one voice, but all the bars are full, so we have the exact length, and the line is not always the top line. This makes us realise how he arrived at the concept of his three-movement sonatas, for this was not originally supposed to be in three movements, but four… I will also record the longer development, and the extra movement, so that people can see how he reduced and concentrated the work from four movements to three. I must stress that this is surmise, but it is very well thought through.’