Beethoven's sonatas moved away from mere entertainment, demanding listeners follow the music's rigorous composition and unpredictable, improvisational imagination.
Compositional Technique
Beethoven amplified the sonata genre, transforming it from a modest three-movement form into a work capable of rivaling a four-movement symphony, a concerto, or chamber music.
Recording & Production
The historic Gebauhr piano allows for natural phrasings and textural layering difficult on modern instruments, but its 'Viennese' action makes repeated notes and virtuoso runs challenging.
Instruments
The Gebauhr piano, manufactured around 1850, was made by an industrial workshop founded by Carl Julius Gebauhr in 1834 in Königsberg, Prussia (now Kaliningrad, Russia).
Performer Biography
Simon Zaoui, the pianist on this recording, is an international prizewinner in piano and chamber music, performing across Japan, Brazil, North Africa, the Middle East, Israel, and Europe.
Historical Context
Beethoven's compositions significantly contributed to the improvement of piano manufacturing, despite the instruments of his time being less perfected.
Instruments
The Gebauhr piano used for this recording features a 'Viennese' action, with hammers covered in felt and a thin layer of leather, producing a smooth timbre in the bass and middle range, and a crystalline treble.
