Luogo e data di registrazione		Teldec Studio, Berlin (Germania) - novembre 1981 (Nr. 9, 10, 22) Kongreßsaal, Villach (Austria) - luglio 1980 (Nr. 12)
	Original Editions		Telefunken | 6.35596 FK  - Vol.4 | 3 LPs | LC 0366 | durata: 55' 39" · 42' 47" · 65' 59" | (p) 1982 | ANA | stereo | (Nr. 9, 10, 22) Telefunken | 6.35490 FK - Vol.2 | 3 LPs | LC 0366 | durata: 53' 24" · 41' 14" · 49' 53" | (p) 1981 | ANA | stereo | (Nr. 12)
	Edizione CD		Teldec | 8.43477 ZK | 1 CD | LC 3706 | durata: 56' 00" | (c) 1987 | DDD/DMM | stereo
	Executive Producer		Wolfgang Mohr
	Recording Engineer		Siegbert Ernst (Nr. 12); Eberhard Sengpiel (Nr. 9, 10, 22)
	Cover design		Holger Matthies
	Note		-

THE 32 PIANO SONATAS (10 CDs DMM)		Piano Sonatas Nr. 9 and 10, Op. 14 Nr. 1 and 2 These two sonatas of op. 14, composed at the same time as the ”Pathétique”, were also published in 1799. They are in the small-scale three movement form, cheerful, uncomplicated and technically undemanding; Czerny described the first movement of the sonata in G as an exceptionally charming and lighthearted composition. The fact that they were contemporaneous with the ”Pathétique” proves yet again that any attempt to interpret a work as the reflection of the personal circumstances of its composer at the time when it was created is fraught with dangers. If the ”Pathétique” is to be understood as a tragic revolt against Beethoven's incipient deafness, how can this be reconciled with the calm serenity of op. 14, written at the same time? Style in music simply cannot always be related to the frame of mind of its composer, for all that bad exegetical literature still makes this claim; like form and genus in music, it has its own tradition. Conceivably the reduced rechnical problems (the two even easier sonatinas of op. 49, written in 1796, were, after all, not published until 1805) are to be understood as a compliment to the dedicatee, the Baroness Braun, who is not known to have been a particularly distinguished pianist. Her husband was, however, at that time deputy director of Vienna's two imperial court theatres, and this may throw some light on the purpose of the dedication. Soon afterwards (1801-02) Beethoven arranged op. 14, No. 1 for string quartet, writing full of pride to the publisher “I know that nobody else can follow in my footsteps as easily as I can.” Piano Sonata Nr. 22 F-dur, Op. 54 This short work, written in 1804, contrasts strangely with the two great, quasi-symphonic sonatas opp. 53 and 57, between which it is placed chronologically. In some respects it follows on the experiments of opp. 26 and 27, since neither of its two movements is in true sonata form. The first movement consists of two sharply contrasting elements: a short exposition, strongly reminiscent of the minuet style of a past age, almost a stylistic quotation, Czerny rightly referred to its old-fashioned character, and this is borne out by the anachronistic marking ”in tempo d’un Menuetto” in place of the more usual ”in tempo di Menuetto”. The longish middle section is most certainly not a trio, but more like a rumbustious orchestral scherzo with its fierce sforzato accents going against the grain. No less strange is the second movement. Although the pattern of its motion - incessant semiquaver figuration in 2/4 time - is the same as that of the last movements of opp. 26 and 27, No. 1, its form cannot be labelled, instead, as in a kaleidoscope, new configurations constantly come into existence, wandering off into the most distant keys imaginable, all arising out of a minute seminal phrase, the broken chords of the first bar. This movement is a fine example of Beethoven's masterly economy of material. Once again, contemporary critics did not know what to make of such ”experimental” music, a reviewer of the first edition, though he could not fail to recognise its original inspiration and unmistakeably mature harmonic art, went on to say that unfortunately it was again full of a strange waywardness. Even Beethoven's admirer Wilhelm von Lenz, convinced that this two-movement sonata was incomplete, wrote, as late as the 1850s: "We have yet to meet anyone who has found the torso of op. 54 at all to his liking." Piano Sonata Nr. 12 As-dur, Op. 26 This work and the two sonatas of op. 27, both subtitled ”quasi una Fantasia," were all written in the period 1800/01 and have in common departures from the traditional sonata form. This applies particularly to the first movements: in the two sonatas of op. 27 Beethoven used a free ternary form, whereas op. 26 begins with a set of variations. Superficially Mozart's great Sonata in A, K. 331, the first movement of which is also an Andante con variazioni, provides the model; but Beethoven's conception of the principle of variation, cast for the first time in a new mould in op. 26, stretches far beyond the innocent and cheerful embellishments of the past. These are "character variations” in that each piece has its own, unmistakeable features. In this opening movement of op. 26 Beethoven explored, as though for the first time, the possibilities inherent in the variation form which, shortly afterwards (in 1802), were presented in the two sets of variations op. 34 and op. 35 (the ”Eroica” Variations) "in an entirely new manner,” as he proudly wrote to his publishers. The second substantial departure from the sonata model in op. 26 is the replacement of the slow movement by a ”marcia funebre,” i.e. a funeral march, subtitled ”sulla morte d'un Eroe” ("on the death of a hero”). While in the ”Eroica” (subtitled ”to celebrate the memory of a great man”) actual references to Napoleon, the contemporary hero of world history, and the tradition of depicting battles in music were interwoven in an overall poetic impression, op. 26 cannot be described as a “heroic” sonata. So far no clues have been discovered as to Beethoven's choice of a funeral march, nor about its subtitle. Nonetheless the movement soon became famous, it was published on its own in the same year as the first edition of the sonata proper - 1802 - and has continued to appear in that form; Beethoven himself orchestrated it in 1815 as incidental music for a play; and after his death in 1827 Ignaz Ritter von Seyfried published an arrangement of the piece with added vocal quartet, entitled ”Beethoven’s funeral.” In complete contrast, this severe, solemn march is followed by a deliberately lighthearted finale rippling along in ceaseless semiquavers. This sonata, like the ”Pathétique” op. 13 and the Trios op. 1, is dedicated to Prince Carl von Lichnowsky, Beethoven's most important patron, of whom he said in 1805: "He really is - exceptionally for one in that position - one of my most faithful friends and supporters of my art.”
1 CD - 8.42761 ZK - (c) 1984 1 CD - 8.43027 ZK - (c) 1984 1 CD - 8.43206 ZK - (p) 1985 1 CD - 8.43415 ZK - (p) 1986 1 CD - 8.43477 ZK - (p) 1987	1 CD - 8.42913 ZK - (c) 1983 1 CD - 8.43111 ZK - (p) 1985 1 CD - 8.43334 ZK - (p) 1986 1 CD - 8.43476 ZK - (p) 1987 1 CD - 8.43478 ZK - (p) 1987