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BIS

Beethoven: The Late Piano Sonatas

$34.99

Details

Composer
Ludwig van Beethoven
Artist
Paul Wee
Format
SACD
Label
BIS
Released
Nov 21, 2025
Catalog #
BIS-2765
UPC
7318599927657

About

Pianist and barrister Paul Wee has made recordings devoted to the virtuoso repertoire of the 19th century, earning him the highest praise from the specialist press. He also tackled Beethoven with Franz Liszt's transcription of the Heroica Symphony, a recording named "Editor's Choice" by Gramophone, which wrote: « Paul Wee proves himself a master of these treacherously demanding transcriptions, sweeping aside the technical challenges to present these great works with consummate musicianship. » It was therefore only a matter of time before he turned his attention to the pinnacle of piano literature: Beethoven's late sonatas. While Sonata Op. 101 is the least known of this select group, it nonetheless opens Beethoven's third and most prophetic creative period. It is followed by Sonata Op. 106, the "Hammerklavier", an immense work in every sense of the word which, as the author of the liner notes put it, "makes such demands., that it is as if a new set of auditory equipment was required." As for the last three sonatas, worked on at the same time and conceived as a triptych, Beethoven knew that they would constitute his three final utterances in the genre of the sonata. To quote the author of the introductory text once again, "the closing pages of Op. 111 escape earth's orbit forever, leaving the listener behind."

Tracklist 16 tracks

  1. Disc 1
  2. 1 I. Etwas lebhaft und mit der innigsten Empfindung 04:05
    Track
    1
    Title
    I. Etwas lebhaft und mit der innigsten Empfindung
    Duration
    04:05
    Composer
    Ludwig van Beethoven
    Performer
    Paul Wee
  3. 2 II. Lebhaft. Marschmassig 06:00
    Track
    2
    Title
    II. Lebhaft. Marschmassig
    Duration
    06:00
    Composer
    Ludwig van Beethoven
    Performer
    Paul Wee
  4. 3 III. Langsam und sehnsuchtsvoll 02:48
    Track
    3
    Title
    III. Langsam und sehnsuchtsvoll
    Duration
    02:48
    Composer
    Ludwig van Beethoven
    Performer
    Paul Wee
  5. 4 IV. Geschwind, doch nicht zu sehr, und mit Entschlossenheit 07:44
    Track
    4
    Title
    IV. Geschwind, doch nicht zu sehr, und mit Entschlossenheit
    Duration
    07:44
    Composer
    Ludwig van Beethoven
    Performer
    Paul Wee
  6. 5 I. Allegro 09:59
    Track
    5
    Title
    I. Allegro
    Duration
    09:59
    Composer
    Ludwig van Beethoven
    Performer
    Paul Wee
  7. 6 II. Scherzo: Assai vivace - Presto - Tempo I 02:37
    Track
    6
    Title
    II. Scherzo: Assai vivace - Presto - Tempo I
    Duration
    02:37
    Composer
    Ludwig van Beethoven
    Performer
    Paul Wee
  8. 7 III. Adagio sostenuto, appassionato e con molto sentimento 17:55
    Track
    7
    Title
    III. Adagio sostenuto, appassionato e con molto sentimento
    Duration
    17:55
    Composer
    Ludwig van Beethoven
    Performer
    Paul Wee
  9. 8 IV. Largo - Allegro risoluto 11:41
    Track
    8
    Title
    IV. Largo - Allegro risoluto
    Duration
    11:41
    Composer
    Ludwig van Beethoven
    Performer
    Paul Wee
  10. Disc 2
  11. 1 I. Vivace ma non troppo 03:37
    Track
    1
    Title
    I. Vivace ma non troppo
    Duration
    03:37
    Composer
    Ludwig van Beethoven
    Performer
    Paul Wee
  12. 2 II. Prestissimo 02:02
    Track
    2
    Title
    II. Prestissimo
    Duration
    02:02
    Composer
    Ludwig van Beethoven
    Performer
    Paul Wee
  13. 3 III. Gesangvoll, mit innigster Empfindung: Andante molto cantabile ed espressivo 12:33
    Track
    3
    Title
    III. Gesangvoll, mit innigster Empfindung: Andante molto cantabile ed espressivo
    Duration
    12:33
    Composer
    Ludwig van Beethoven
    Performer
    Paul Wee
  14. 4 I. Moderato cantabile molto espressivo 06:43
    Track
    4
    Title
    I. Moderato cantabile molto espressivo
    Duration
    06:43
    Composer
    Ludwig van Beethoven
    Performer
    Paul Wee
  15. 5 II. Allegro molto 01:56
    Track
    5
    Title
    II. Allegro molto
    Duration
    01:56
    Composer
    Ludwig van Beethoven
    Performer
    Paul Wee
  16. 6 III. Adagio ma non troppo - Fuga: Allegro ma non troppo 10:23
    Track
    6
    Title
    III. Adagio ma non troppo - Fuga: Allegro ma non troppo
    Duration
    10:23
    Composer
    Ludwig van Beethoven
    Performer
    Paul Wee
  17. 7 I. Maestoso - Allegro con brio ed appassionato 08:08
    Track
    7
    Title
    I. Maestoso - Allegro con brio ed appassionato
    Duration
    08:08
    Composer
    Ludwig van Beethoven
    Performer
    Paul Wee
  18. 8 II. Arietta: Adagio molto semplice e cantabile 17:43
    Track
    8
    Title
    II. Arietta: Adagio molto semplice e cantabile
    Duration
    17:43
    Composer
    Ludwig van Beethoven
    Performer
    Paul Wee