Olga Pashchenko, the performer, uses the fortepiano's soft and moderator pedals not just to reduce volume, but to create new sound colors and blend them subtly.
Recording & Production
This album was recorded at the Beethoven-Haus in Bonn, Germany, using a Conrad Graf fortepiano from 1824.
Compositional Technique
The 'Waldstein' Sonata is considered the work in which Beethoven opened the door to orchestrally conceived piano music.
Composition History
The 'Les Adieux' Sonata is a very personal work, written to express Beethoven's feelings during the departure, absence, and return of his patron, Archduke Rudolph, from Vienna during Napoleon's occupation.
Composition History
Beethoven's 'Waldstein' Sonata is named after Count Ferdinand Ernst Waldstein, an early patron who supported Beethoven's move to Vienna.
Instruments
The fortepiano used for this recording, built by Conrad Graf in 1824, has five pedals, including a bassoon pedal and a janissary stop, which are not found on modern pianos.
Composer Biography
Beethoven owned a fortepiano by Sébastien Érard, a Parisian maker, which had a more brilliant tone than Viennese instruments and was built in the English style.
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