A BEETHOVEN ODYSSEY VOL.7 by JAMES BRAWN / Review

A BEETHOVEN ODYSSEY VOL.7

BEETHOVEN Piano Sonatas Op.109, 110 & 111

JAMES BRAWN, Piano

MSR Classics MS 1471 / TT: 71’01”

 

British pianist James Brawn has reached the seventh and penultimate disc of his Beethoven Odyssey, a recorded survey of Beethoven’s 32 piano sonatas, which began almost ten years ago. Although the cycle was disrupted by the Covid-19 pandemic, this album was recorded in July 2022 when international travel resumed, allowing Brawn to leave his base in Shanghai, China to accomplish his mission in Potton Hall, Suffolk.

 

Beethoven’s late piano sonatas are his Magnum Opus for the instrument, a revered study and nostalgic gaze at age-old traditional forms while hurling the lance into the future. These are a fond farewell to Classicism and bracing hello to Romanticism, while pondering on the mysteries of the eternal. The final trilogy (Nos.30-32) has it all. Both Op.109 and 111 close with theme and variations sets while Op.110 glories in the fugal form. These beloved devices are also delved in Beethoven’s other late sonatas (Op.101 & 106 for piano, Op.102 for cello), Diabelli Variations (Op.120), Ninth Symphony (Op.125) and of course, the Grosse Fuge (Op.133).   

 

The old and wizened Beethoven

As with earlier volumes of Brawn’s odyssey, the recorded sound is uniformly excellent. The performances are highly idiomatic, with none of the quirks and idiosyncracies which some pianists parade as originality. The opening of Sonata No.30 in E major (Op.109) comes right out of the “modern” Romantic era, its apparent dissonances, sentimentality and conflict are well elucidated by Brawn, who goes on to fearlessly let rip in the short and violent Prestissimo that follows. The finale’s hymn-like theme is poetically shaped, and the ensuing variations build up nobly to a thrilling climax before the work’s serene close.

 

The beginning of Sonata No.31 in A flat major (Op.110) continues on the same path of lyricism, later coloured by folk-like garrulousness (inspired by some German country song about a cat having kittens) of a similarly short second movement. Stark contrasts are well brought out by Brawn, and even if the schema of both sonatas seem somewhat similar, the reality sounds very different. The finale links two sections, the first dark and brooding, its gloom dispelled by the illuminating light of Bachian counterpoint, concluding the sonata on a high.

 

The ultimate Sonata No.32 in C minor (Op.111) receives a gripping account. The first movement’s anger and vehemence is projected in-your-face and Brawn does not let up for a single second. The finale’s Arietta echoes the noble theme from Op.109 but this final set of variations takes one on an even more fantastical journey. The “boogie-woogie” variation does not suffer from parody and the long trills (and thrills) never spills over to repetitiveness before its sublime close. In short, this final trilogy from Brawn ranks well with the best in the catalogue, and one includes the likes of Arrau, Brendel, Pollini and more recently Igor Levit.

  

There is only the A major (Op.101) and Hammerklavier (Op.106) sonatas left to be released, and judging by the high production values of this album, and the cycle as a whole, one can only await James Brawn’s completion of his Beethoven odyssey with open arms. 

You can purchase this album (physical and digital formats) here:

A Beethoven Odyssey, Vol. 7 - MSR Classics: MS1471 - CD or download | Presto Music

CD Reviews (The Straits Times, February 2018)

A BEETHOVEN ODYSSEY VOL.5

JAMES BRAWN, Piano

MSR Classics 1469 / *****

LATE BEETHOVEN

ISHAY SHAER, Piano

Orchid Classics 100076 / *****

The 32 piano sonatas of Beethoven in the recorded medium have been defined by the likes of historical pianists like Artur Schnabel and Wilhelm Kempff, and more recently, Alfred Brendel. A younger generation represented by Jean-Efflam Bavouzet, Paul Lewis and Igor Levit have carried on quite famously as well. 

But do listen to these latest recordings by British pianist James Brawn (now in his fifth instalment of sonata cycle) and the Israeli Ishay Shaer, who uphold the tradition with pride and vigour.

Brawn explores four sonatas from Beethoven's early period. The trio of Op.10 Sonatas are as varied as one can get. The dramatics of the C minor sonata (No.1) are contrasted with the humour of the F major sonata (No.2), but both are eclipsed by the imposing D major sonata (No.3), the longest of the three and one of his great early essays in the genre. 

Brawn instils an urgency and vitality that is hard to ignore, and follows up with the genial G major sonata (Op.14 No.2).

From Beethoven's later years are the Sonatas in A major (Op.101) and E major (Op.109), as he single-handedly bridged the Classical and Romantic eras. Shaer fully captures the autumnal spirit, which is tempered by defiance and a fond look-back at past traditions. The finales of Op.101 and 109 are a fugue and a theme and variations set respectively. 

Between these giants are 17 Bagatelles (Op.119 and 126), miniatures which resemble shavings from a master's workbench. Trifles some of these may be (Op.119 No.10 lasts just 14 seconds) but would one trifle with gold dust?   

BEETHOVEN Piano Sonata Cycle (NAFA 2008) / Reviews

While waiting for my first review of the new decade, here's a rehash of older reviews not previously published in Pianomania. 

Let's begin with the Beethoven Piano Sonata cycle, Singapore's first, held in 2008.

BEETHOVEN
PIANO SONATA CYCLE
Presented by
Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts
& DynamicWorkz 
Lee Foundation Theatre, NAFA 
(July-Sep 2008)

The first ever cycle of Beethoven’s 32 piano sonatas in Singapore took place in 2008. From July to September, the cycle was spread over a series of ten concerts and shared by twelve local and internationally-based pianists. Due to overseas travel and work commitments, I was only able to attend three recitals in the series. These reviews were published in The Straits Times in August and September 2008.

Recital 3
5 August 2008

The third recital showcased five early sonatas, dating before Beethoven’s so-called “Middle Period”. The sonata which features with any sort of regularity in concert programmes was the “Hunt” Sonata in E flat major (Op.31 No.3), which received an honest, hale and hearty reading from local piano pedagogue Lim Tshui Fang (left).

She was not always note-perfect but brought out the surprising, even ambiguous harmonies in the opening movement, and relived the spirit of the chase in the rambunctious Scherzo. In the pastorale-like Minuet, its declamatory gestures in the music came through well, as did the tarantella rhythms of the vertiginous finale that spun itself to a brilliant end.

Her teacher Patsy Toh (left) of London’s Royal Academy of Music, the “Grand Dame” in this series, was accorded four sonatas, more than any other pianist. The contrasting pair of Op.49, in G minor and G major, are sometimes thought as facile works for beginners, but there was nothing childish in the stylish readings that contrasted pensiveness and gaiety.

The second half presented two sonatas not often heard in concert. The C minor (Op.10 No.1) number highlighted the young Beethoven’s fist-shaking rhetoric, hymn-like musings and a prestissimo finale, which had added elements of misterioso and patetico in Toh’s illuminating performance.

She concluded the recital with the four movements of the A major Sonata (Op.2 No.2), the longest work of the evening. There could have been more vivacity in the first movement, marked Allegro vivace, but the unusually titled Largo appassionato was expansive in its broad and noble strides. Quicksilver reflexes and a feather-light touch distinguished the final two movements, and for a Beethoven recital to end on a quiet and understated note was a touch of the sublime. This Beethoven piano sonata cycle has truly come into its own.

Recital 8

31 August 2008

The business end of Singapore’s first ever Beethoven piano sonata cycle featured the more popular numbers, including those with “nicknames”. Prizewinning Malaysian pianist Foo Mei Yi (left), still in her 20s and youngest member in the series, accounted for three major sonatas, one from each of Beethoven’s three stylistic periods.

The late E major Sonata (Op.109) was curiously juxtaposed with the early A flat major “Funeral March” Sonata (Op.26). It worked particularly well because the successive movements separating both sonatas were sets of variations. The sublime visionary Beethoven followed by the rustic and earthy Beethoven made for a seamless listen, helped by the fact that Foo’s technical mastery was close to flawless.

She judged each work with the maturity of one double her age, and eschewed the temptation to rush headlong into virtuoso mode and let rip. The only exception was in the middle-period E flat major “Les Adieux” Sonata (Op.81a), where her visceral approach to the sorrow of absence and unfettered elation of reunion was totally justified. Her joie de vivre was infectious, and this was not lost to the enthusiastic audience.

Recital 10

5 September 2008

German pianist Valentin Schiedermair (left) certainly has the birthright to play Beethoven. His great-grandfather Ludwig Schiedermair (1876-1957) was, after all, the founder of the Beethoven Archive in Bonn. To the three sonatas he performed, there was an over-arching sense of ownership and occasion – he made each his very own.

Big gestures and orchestra-like textures were brought out in the early E flat major Sonata (Op.7), a symphony for piano that traversed from grandeur to pastoral repose. Has the C major “Waldstein” Sonata (Op.53) ever received a faster and more frenzied reading? Schiedermair’s view was one of constant and unceasing struggle, against the odds of tragedy and impending deafness.

This same vehemence and anger occupied the outer movements of the F minor “Appassionata” Sonata (Op.57), which reaped a whirlwind and concluded the cycle on a high. Politeness, political correctness and prettiness were shown the door and given the boot. In the heat of the moment, it was not note-perfect, but Schiedermair clearly knows what he desires. Beethoven without agony and ecstasy is no longer relevant Beethoven.

N.B. The other pianists who featured in this cycle were Rena Phua, Boris Kraljevic, Ernest Lim, Ng Chong Lim, Albert Tiu, Bobby Chen, Ong Lip Tat and Loo Bang Hean.

Geoffrey Saba Piano Recital: Beethoven's Last Three Sonatas

GEOFFREY SABA

Piano Recital

University Cultural Centre

29 August 2008

This review first appeared in The Straits Times on 1 September 2008

"When it rains, its pours" so they say. Not a reference to Singapore weather but how musical events seem to cluster together. Right smack in Singapore's first Beethoven piano sonata cycle at the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts was yet a further Beethoven recital presented by another education institution (the National University of Singapore’s Centre for the Arts), featuring the last three Sonatas of the great German. The interloper was the Australian-born pianist London-based Geoffrey Saba.

Performed without interval, there was a natural flow to the trilogy that was both logical and spontaneous. Beginning with the Sonata No.30 in E major (Op. 109), poetry issued forth from Saba's hands. His was not an over-analysed, over-calculated reading, often encountered in competitions or student recitals, but one that suggested a lifelong experience and struggle with the inner messages of Beethoven. Knowing when to surge forward and then hold back was part of the game, and the contrasts in the three movements were well brought out. Nostalgia was emoted in the theme and variations finale, notably with the reappearance of the E major theme, which provided some magical moments.

Between each sonata, a selection of Beethoven's letters dating 1821-23 were read, and acted out by Mark Sim, an NUS chemical engineering student. Although not a theatre major, he successfully brought out the composer's angst, which centred not so much on musical matters but the mundane - publisher's whims, proofreading woes and money worries.

While the Sonata No.31 in A flat major (Op. 110) juxtaposed lyricism with legendary temperament, the static calm of the third movement proved the most gripping. The concluding fugue and its inversion displayed clarity but was dogged by lapses towards the end. Nobody's perfect, not even Schnabel. Especially Schnabel. The ultimate Sonata No.32 in C minor (Op.111), with its abrupt and tonally ambiguous opening, received arguably the best performance. Saba was fully in tune with Beethoven's fist-shaking and sabre-rattling rhetoric, and the valedictory final movement - another set of variations - exhibited his full gamut of dynamics. That this epic cycle of 32 sonatas ends quietly, on a harmonious C major chord, speaks volumes. All is well in the world.

Footnote: Geoffrey Saba gave the Singapore premiere of Bartok's Piano Concerto No.1 with the Singapore Symphony Orchestra conducted by Choo Hoey in the late 1980s, and his last recital here in 1989 featured Liszt Sonata in B minor.