Beethoven sent the independent Andante favori to Josephine von Brunsvik, his likely 'Immortal Beloved', with the words 'Here is your - your- Andante'.
Instruments
The historical fortepiano used for CD1 is an English original made in London in 1808 by Thomas Tomkison, from the Chris Maene collection.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Beethoven considered his less-played Sonata Op. 78 in F sharp, dedicated to Josephine von Brunsvik's older sister Therese, to be one of his most beautiful and best works.
Composition History
The Sonata Op. 110 in A-flat major, written shortly after Josephine von Brunsvik's death and without a dedication, could be interpreted as a requiem for her.
Interpretation
Piet Kuijken, the performer, recorded the album on two different instruments: a modern Steinway D and a historical Tomkison fortepiano, to compare their sounds.
Composition History
Beethoven initially wrote the Andante favori as the slow movement for his Waldstein Sonata but replaced it, likely due to its length, with a shorter, more dramatic Introduzione.
Recording & Production
The album features two distinct recordings: CD2 was recorded in 2012 on a Steinway D, and CD1 was recorded in 2017 on a Tomkison fortepiano.
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