LUDWIG VAN BEETHOVEN (1770-1827)

Hyperion Records CDA 67797

This recording, the third in the series of Beethoven piano sonatas, comprises four works from three different periods of the composer’s life. As with the two previous recordings, there was no particular plan governing their being put together, other than the inclusion of one very famous sonata (in this case the ‘Moonlight’) with others that are less often heard. The Op. 26 Sonata contains a funeral march; the Op. 10 No. 2 is a concise masterpiece of humour in music; the two movements of Op. 90 are said to be depictions of speech and song, with the second of the two sounding a lot like Schubert.

“Angela Hewitt’s Beethoven is like no one else’s.” (International Piano Magazine)

Piano Sonata in A flat major, Op 26
1 Movement 1a: Andante con variazioni (1’12)
2 Movement 1b: Variation I (1’07)
3 Movement 1c: Variation II (0’55)
4 Movement 1d: Variation III (1’14)
5 Movement 1e: Variation IV (0’56)
6 Movement 1f: Variation V (1’45)
7 Movement 2: Scherzo. Allegro molto (2’45)
8 Movement 3: Marcia funebre sulla morte d’un eroe (6’09)
9 Movement 4: Allegro (3’06)

Piano Sonata in F major, Op 10 No 2
10 Movement 1: Allegro (8’23)
11 Movement 2: Allegretto (3’50)
12 Movement 3: Presto (4’04)

Piano Sonata in E minor, Op 90
13 Movement 1: Mit Lebhaftigkeit und durchaus mit Empfindung und Ausdruck (5’37)
14 Movement 2: Nicht zu geschwind und sehr singbar vorgetragen (7’43)

Piano Sonata in C sharp minor ‘Moonlight’, Op 27 No 2
15 Movement 1: Adagio sostenuto (5’37)
16 Movement 2: Allegretto (2’05)
17 Movement 3: Presto agitato (7’15)

Recorded in September 2009 at the Kulturzentrum Grand Hotel, Dobbiaco, Italy
“Angela Hewitt’s Beethoven is like no one else’s. The rip-roaring finale of the “Moonlight” encapsulates the textural and dynamic subtleties with which this disc abounds.” (International Piano Magazine)

“…as well as I know Hewitt’s playing, from Bach to Schumann, I am still surprised at just how expressively, and romantically, the great Canadian plays this music.” (The Herald, Scotland)

For online sales in Canada, please go to: http://angelahewitt.ca