The 'Moonlight' nickname for Beethoven's Sonata in C sharp minor, Op. 27 No. 2, was suggested by poet Ludwig Rellstab several years after Beethoven's death, evoking a boat visiting Lake Lucerne by moonlight.
Historical Context
In the early 19th century, the piano sonata genre was being overshadowed by shorter keyboard miniatures, which were popular for the domestic market.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Beethoven designated both of his Op. 27 sonatas as 'sonata quasi una fantasia' (sonata that is almost a fantasia), indicating their unusual movement sequence and intensely personal expressive world.
Compositional Technique
Beethoven's 32 Variations on an original theme in C minor, WoO80, are an elaborate take on the traditional chaconne, a ceremonial triple-time dance over a ground bass.
Performer Biography
Pavel Kolesnikov believes that arts are best understood in their multitude rather than in separation, with painting, photography, fashion, and perfumery being areas of particular interest to him.
Composer Biography
By 1801, Ludwig van Beethoven's career was shadowed by a significant deterioration in his hearing, leading him to express his despair in the Heiligenstadt Testament the following year.
Performer Biography
Pavel Kolesnikov, the pianist on this album, was born into a Siberian family of scientists and initially studied both piano and violin before focusing solely on piano.
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