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Ondine

Beethoven: Piano Sonatas, Op 2, 101 & 106 / Paavali Jumppanen

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Details

Composer
BEETHOVEN, LUDWIG VAN
Artist
Paavali Jumppanen
Format
CD
Label
Ondine
Released
Feb 25, 2014
Catalog #
ODE 1248-2D
UPC
761195124826

About



BEETHOVEN Piano Sonata Nos. 1; 2; 3; 28; 29, “Hammerklavier” • Paavali Jumppanen (pn) • ONDINE 1248 (2 CDs: 143:37)


It has become a fairly common practice to program very early and very late Beethoven on the same recital. The purpose is obvious, but always useful; to compare and contrast the evolution of Beethoven’s style. Some pianists will point to the differences more starkly by emphasizing the strong Classical roots of the three opus 2 sonatas, as compared to the mystical Romanticism of the mighty final sonatas, including the massive “Hammerklavier.” The young Finnish pianist Paavali Jumppanen opts for an approach that seeks the commonality in the music, extracting kernels of that mysticism in the first sonatas, and emphasizing the Classical beauty and structure that still resides in the sprawling worlds of late Beethoven.


Jumppanen enhances this sense with generally leisurely tempos, which allow him to render textures with alluring clarity and balance, as well as pearly tone. The gentle pace of his playing is significant, because it flies in the face of the historicists who are keen to observe the metronome markings that Beethoven meticulously applied to his works, even years after they were composed (the metronome was patented in 1815). I am not one of those reviewers who normally lists competing timings, but in the case of Jumppanen’s “Hammerklavier” first movement, for example, the numbers are striking. He clocks in at 12: 08. No pianist in my collection comes close to such a crawl. Richter, 10: 35. Ashkenazy, 10:40. Horszowski, 11:39. Taub, 9:12. And the speed king, Schnabel, who attempts to hit the metronome marking of the composer, a remarkable 8:45.


These are not performances that carefully avoid the infusion of the performer’s personality. Jumppanen puts a certain gloss on the music that historically minded listeners might find off-putting, as I normally would. I also generally prefer this music a bit on the brisk side, although it is silly to expect performers to slavishly follow the metronome markings, which, for any number of reasons (and mere speculation) may not be accurate. But there is no denying the beauty of this playing. Jumppanen is no cookie-cutter pianist, and if my caveats do not bother you, there is much to enjoy here. Ondine’s beautiful recorded sound is no little bonus.


FANFARE: Peter Burwasser

Tracklist 20 tracks

  1. Disc 1
  2. 1 I. Allegro 05:45
    Track
    1
    Title
    I. Allegro
    Duration
    05:45
    Composer
    Ludwig van Beethoven
    Performer
    Paavali Jumppanen
  3. 2 II. Adagio 05:33
    Track
    2
    Title
    II. Adagio
    Duration
    05:33
    Composer
    Ludwig van Beethoven
    Performer
    Paavali Jumppanen
  4. 3 III. Menuetto: Allegretto 03:55
    Track
    3
    Title
    III. Menuetto: Allegretto
    Duration
    03:55
    Composer
    Ludwig van Beethoven
    Performer
    Paavali Jumppanen
  5. 4 IV. Prestissimo 07:05
    Track
    4
    Title
    IV. Prestissimo
    Duration
    07:05
    Composer
    Ludwig van Beethoven
    Performer
    Paavali Jumppanen
  6. 5 I. Allegro vivace 10:28
    Track
    5
    Title
    I. Allegro vivace
    Duration
    10:28
    Composer
    Ludwig van Beethoven
    Performer
    Paavali Jumppanen
  7. 6 II. Largo appassionato 06:59
    Track
    6
    Title
    II. Largo appassionato
    Duration
    06:59
    Composer
    Ludwig van Beethoven
    Performer
    Paavali Jumppanen
  8. 7 III. Scherzo: Allegretto - Trio 04:27
    Track
    7
    Title
    III. Scherzo: Allegretto - Trio
    Duration
    04:27
    Composer
    Ludwig van Beethoven
    Performer
    Paavali Jumppanen
  9. 8 IV. Rondo: Grazioso 06:35
    Track
    8
    Title
    IV. Rondo: Grazioso
    Duration
    06:35
    Composer
    Ludwig van Beethoven
    Performer
    Paavali Jumppanen
  10. 9 I. Allegro con brio 09:34
    Track
    9
    Title
    I. Allegro con brio
    Duration
    09:34
    Composer
    Ludwig van Beethoven
    Performer
    Paavali Jumppanen
  11. 10 II. Adagio 07:38
    Track
    10
    Title
    II. Adagio
    Duration
    07:38
    Composer
    Ludwig van Beethoven
    Performer
    Paavali Jumppanen
  12. 11 III. Scherzo: Allegro - Trio 03:26
    Track
    11
    Title
    III. Scherzo: Allegro - Trio
    Duration
    03:26
    Composer
    Ludwig van Beethoven
    Performer
    Paavali Jumppanen
  13. 12 IV. Allegro assai 04:50
    Track
    12
    Title
    IV. Allegro assai
    Duration
    04:50
    Composer
    Ludwig van Beethoven
    Performer
    Paavali Jumppanen
  14. Disc 2
  15. 1 I. Etwas lebhaft und mit der innigsten Empfindung 04:08
    Track
    1
    Title
    I. Etwas lebhaft und mit der innigsten Empfindung
    Duration
    04:08
    Composer
    Ludwig van Beethoven
    Performer
    Paavali Jumppanen
  16. 2 II. Lebhaft. Marschmassig 06:19
    Track
    2
    Title
    II. Lebhaft. Marschmassig
    Duration
    06:19
    Composer
    Ludwig van Beethoven
    Performer
    Paavali Jumppanen
  17. 3 III. Langsam und sehnsuchtsvoll 02:53
    Track
    3
    Title
    III. Langsam und sehnsuchtsvoll
    Duration
    02:53
    Composer
    Ludwig van Beethoven
    Performer
    Paavali Jumppanen
  18. 4 IV. Geschwind, doch nicht zu sehr, und mit Entschlossenheit 07:30
    Track
    4
    Title
    IV. Geschwind, doch nicht zu sehr, und mit Entschlossenheit
    Duration
    07:30
    Composer
    Ludwig van Beethoven
    Performer
    Paavali Jumppanen
  19. 5 I. Allegro 12:08
    Track
    5
    Title
    I. Allegro
    Duration
    12:08
    Composer
    Ludwig van Beethoven
    Performer
    Paavali Jumppanen
  20. 6 II. Scherzo: Assai vivace - Presto - Tempo I 03:03
    Track
    6
    Title
    II. Scherzo: Assai vivace - Presto - Tempo I
    Duration
    03:03
    Composer
    Ludwig van Beethoven
    Performer
    Paavali Jumppanen
  21. 7 III. Adagio sostenuto, appassionato e con molto sentimento 18:57
    Track
    7
    Title
    III. Adagio sostenuto, appassionato e con molto sentimento
    Duration
    18:57
    Composer
    Ludwig van Beethoven
    Performer
    Paavali Jumppanen
  22. 8 IV. Largo - Allegro risoluto 12:03
    Track
    8
    Title
    IV. Largo - Allegro risoluto
    Duration
    12:03
    Composer
    Ludwig van Beethoven
    Performer
    Paavali Jumppanen