Beethoven: The Late Sonatas, Opp. 101 & 106

by Maurizio Pollini

Overview

With this 2022 release, the 80-year-old Maurizio Pollini returns to Beethoven's sonatas after completing his grand cycle of them in 2014. He picks the most difficult one of all, the Piano Sonata No. 29 in B flat major, Op. 106 ("Hammerklavier"), along with the Piano Sonata No. 28 in A major, Op. 101, and he does not do anything to make things easier on his aging fingers; he takes both sonatas faster than on his earlier recordings, and there are places in the "Hammerklavier" first movement and finale that are less than perfectly clear. Two things, however, should be noted. First, some of the lack of clarity is due to an oddly over-resonant acoustic Deutsche Grammophon engineers create in the Herkulessaal in Munich. Second, and more important, is that these are classic Pollini performances with a level of intensity hardly diminished from that in his earlier work. The "Hammerklavier," in particular, combines a headlong quality with deep local detail in a way that may remind the listener of Artur Schnabel (who, of course, missed all kinds of notes). Pollini's readings, while remaining dispassionate in his trademark way (for emotional Beethoven, go elsewhere), show insights that come only after a lifetime of playing this music. Sample the first movement of the Op. 101 sonata, where the degree of rhythmic freedom is high but is precisely controlled so that the larger thread is not lost. It is an extraordinary performance of this movement that may give the listener the feeling of hearing the work anew. This is an essential release for Pollini fans, and it is really quite a remarkable entry in the Beethoven catalog from one of the great masters of the keyboard. ~ James Manheim

Product Details

Release Date:	01/27/2023
Label:	Deutsche Grammophon
UPC:	0028948630141
Rank:	96060

Tracks

1. Piano Sonata in A major, Op. 101~1. Etwas lebhaft und mit der innigsten Empfindung. Allegretto ma non troppo
2. Piano Sonata in A major, Op. 101~2. Lebhaft, marschmäßig. Vivace alla marcia
3. Piano Sonata in A major, Op. 101~3. Langsam und sehnsuchtsvoll. Adagio ma non troppo, con affetto - attacca:
4. Piano Sonata in A major, Op. 101~4. Geschwind, doch nicht zu sehr und mit Entschlossenheit. Allegro
5. Piano Sonata in B flat major "Hammerklavier", Op. 106~1. Allegro
6. Piano Sonata in B flat major "Hammerklavier", Op. 106~2. Scherzo. Assai vivace
7. Piano Sonata in B flat major "Hammerklavier", Op. 106~3. Adagio sostenuto. Appassionato e con molto sentimento
8. Piano Sonata in B flat major "Hammerklavier", Op. 106~4. Largo - Allegro risoluto. Fuga a tre voci, con alcune licenze

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Maurizio Pollini   Primary Artist,Piano

Technical Credits

Revna Karacabeyli   Project Coordinator
Oliver Kreyssig   Creative Producer
Christopher Alder   Editing,Producer,Recording Producer
Ute Fesquet   Executive Producer
Matthias Koch   Product Manager
Eva Reisinger   Booklet Editor
Paola Simonetti   Liner Note Translation
Jochen Rudelt   Booklet Editor
Angelo Fabbrini   Piano Technician
Verena Sierig   Liner Note Translation
Philip Krause   Mixing,Engineer,Recording
Anja Hoppe   Design
Rebecca Franks   Liner Notes
York Christoph Riccius   Cover Photo
Lukas Kowalski   Engineer,Recording
Ludwig van Beethoven   Composer