Beethoven's late sonatas allowed him new freedom to associate song, counterpoint, and variation, combining elements previously explored separately to gain deeper meaning.
Instruments
Penelope Crawford performs on a Conrad Graf fortepiano from 1835, a type of instrument similar to one owned by Beethoven at the time of his death.
Critical Reception
Early critics were often bewildered by Beethoven's late sonatas; one English writer was so repulsed by Op. 111 that he suggested the publisher needn't have copyrighted it.
Album & Artwork
The album title, 'Magnificent Landscapes,' comes from an 1824 review in the Leipzig Allgemeine musikalische Zeitung, which compared Beethoven's music to a journey through diverse scenery.
Performer Biography
Penelope Crawford is an internationally acclaimed master performer on historical keyboard instruments and was the fortepianist for the Ars Musica Baroque Orchestra, the first period instrument orchestra in the United States.
Composition History
Beethoven's work on these sonatas was halted by serious illnesses in 1820 and 1821, including rheumatic fever and jaundice, delaying their completion.
Composition History
Beethoven initially offered these three sonatas to publisher Moritz Schlesinger for 40 ducats each, or 120 for the set, eventually settling on 150 ducats for the three sonatas and 25 folk songs.
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