JAMES BRAWN

• Beethoven: Piano Sonata No.21 "Waldstein"

Click HERE to see James Brawn discussing Beethoven's Piano Sonatas.

 

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“Brawn has a canny eye for details that others neglect or ignore... Brawn distinguishes himself from many another performer by playing what’s written, giving full courtesy to Beethoven and his listeners. He keeps to his tempi, maintains a clear texture, gives notes their right length, builds and releases tension with subtlety, and preserves [a] work’s stark directness of expression... [Beethoven's] last five sonatas are packed with enough unnerving material to deter most of us. But, so far with Brawn, the signs are more than promising.”

Clive O’Connell, O'Connell The Music [August 2016]

“James Brawn’s Beethoven sonata series may be the most exciting cycle currently being recorded. A pianist in his mid-forties, Brawn had, until this series began, been primarily known as a teacher in Australia and a mainstay of the recital circuit in the UK and Commonwealth. As it turns out, he is also a supremely intelligent Beethoven performer... Brawn favours using the full dynamic range and expressive capabilities of the modern Steinway... [his playing is] clear, dignified, authoritative... robust and hearty... when you live with Brawn’s Beethoven for a month or two, as I have in preparing this review, you only grow more impressed... James Brawn’s Beethoven sonata cycle has a chance to be one of the best of its decade.”

Brian Reinhart, MusicWeb International [October 2015]

“we can certainly claim that James Brawn's growing series of the complete Beethoven Sonatas reveals him to be a naturally impressive artist in this repertoire.In the Moonlight his playing is beautifully controlled, with
firmness and restraint that carries and controls power... a beautiful and deeply controlled account of distinction.”

Robert Matthew-Walker [Musical Opinion, August 2015]

“[Brawn] combines an easy spontaneity and symphonic gravitas in a way rarely encountered on disc since the balmy days of Daniel Barenboim's famous 1960s cycle for EMI. An outstanding Beethovenian: crystal-clear fingerwork, interpretive urgency, harmonically sensitive micro-pedaling, a natural instinct for symphonic structure, arresting yet never over-emphatic sforzandos, super-fast dynamic reflexes, the ability to find wonderment at the way Beethoven re-contextualizes the conventional to create something entirely new and original, and a freshness of spontaneity free of cluttering reverential rhetoric.”

Julian Haylock, International Record Review [March 2015]

“With notes clothed in consistently fine tone and the dramatic essence of the slow introduction to Beethoven’s Pathetique Sonata conveyed to a nicety, James Brawn goes on to essay the allegro section in an unfailingly nimble and fluent way. Momentum is splendidly maintained. This is an impressive account, not least in making familiar notes sound fresh, indeed newly minted. How pleasing, for once, to listen to the adagio cantabile coming across refreshingly free of the excessive sentimentality that has scuppered so many lesser accounts of the movement... An unhurried, consistently calm reading of the famous opening movement of the Moonlight sonata is a model of good taste. And the second movement, taken a shade slower than usual, with a rather restrained trio, is a fine foil to the finale. Virtuosic and tempestuous, the playing is informed by an altogether fitting sense of urgency and intensity... [In the Waldstein sonata] Beethoven’s trademark sforzandi are impressively handled. In Brawn’s hands, the adagio molto is finely focused and beautifully presented... Brawn’s recording of the Waldstein is a good second to Benno Moiseiwitsch’s peerless, long-ago recording which, in my view, has never been surpassed.

Neville Cohn, Ozartsreview, Australia [March 2015]

“I won't spend time on the question of whether we need yet another set of these thirty-two masterworks, because high artistry is always welcome even in heavily traversed repertory. And what we have here is high artistry indeed. Brawn plays Beethoven in a most imaginative way, often making you hear the music in a different manner. Even when he is fairly straightforward his interpretations still have personality and invention, mainly because he knows how to phrase the music with the utmost sensitivity and intelligence. His tempo selections are never extreme and nearly always come across as a perfect fit for his individual approach, and his wide ranging dynamics are deftly applied with consistency. But there's also that thing you can't always put your finger on here: Brawn's unerring sense for capturing the mood in the music, whether it be sadness, mischief, humor, tragedy, anxiety, or a mixture of these. He always seems on target... This is one of the finest versions of the Moonlight I've encountered, at least in recent years... The Waldstein is another success, as Brawn imparts a subtle sense of nervous drive and constant tension to the music in the first movement... His second movement has some grit and character and doesn't come across as dull in any way as it does in many other performances... The sonics provided by MSR Classics are very clear and powerful and the Steinway piano used has a very excellent sound...
Over the years I have reviewed numerous individual Beethoven sonata discs here as well as the complete survey by Daniel Barenboim on video in 2013. In addition to Barenboim, many pianists come to mind in this repertory, like Brendel, Ashkenazy, Goode, Schnabel... James Brawn thus far must be considered among the cream of the crop in this challenging repertory. Beethoven sonata mavens will certainly want to consider adding these discs to their collection – and keep a watchful eye on those that follow. Strongly recommended.”

Robert Cummings, ClassicalNet [March 2015]

"James Brawn’s virtuosity, sensitivity and understanding reveal all the subtle beauty in this intense, ravishing music."

John Pitt, New Classics, UK [March 2015]

TOP 10 RECORDINGS - Notable Classical Recordings of 2014

Jonathan Blumhofer, ArtsFuse, Boston [December 2014]

“James Brawn's growing series of the complete Beethoven Sonatas reveals him to be a naturally impressive artist in this repertoire. In the 'Moonlight' his playing is beautifully controlled, with firmness and restraint that carries and controls power. In his impressive account of this Sonata, the first two movements contain the forces that break out so violently in the finale, which Brawn admirably refuses to let overwhelm his interpretative perception. The result is a beautiful and deeply controlled account of distinction.”

Robert Matthew-Walker, Musical Opinion [2014]

[ * * * * ½ ] “These are very satisfying performances with brain and brawn, bringing to mind many qualities of the great Beethoven interpreters: Kempff, Arrau and Brendel. Further installments in this cycle are keenly awaited.”

Chang Tou Liang, Piano Mania [September 2014]

“The ‘Pathétique’ receives a splendid performance... Clear, thoughtful playing throughout and avoiding sentimentality in the famous slow movement... The recording captures the piano splendidly... Recordings of the ‘Moonlight’ must be in the thousands but one never tires of this supreme masterpiece, especially with such insightful playing. The highest complement to be paid is that when listening to Brawn, other performances do not come into the equation. His tempo seems entirely appropriate and the listener can enjoy the music without concerns about the mechanics of the performance... his treatment of [the Op.49] works is exemplary... Faultless playing in my beloved Rondo, just a shame it’s not longer. The ‘Waldstein’ brings this very generously filled and priced CD to a triumphant conclusion. The very positive comments above apply here to a genuinely exciting rendition of this great work. If it was in a public performance it would merit a standing ovation... This excellent disc of Beethoven sonatas is one I will return to regularly with great pleasure notwithstanding many other sets of these works. I greatly look forward to further volumes.”

David R. Dunsmore, MusicWeb International [September 2014]

“[Brawn plays] with considerable musicianship and bravura, and is very well recorded... The lovely slow movement of the ‘Pathetique’ is given with affecting simplicity and the outer movements with poised energy. The equally celebrated opening to the ' Moonlight' (rogue title!) is also sensitive and the tempestuous finale goes with a will without glossing over finer points. The pair of short and sweet Opus 49 sonatas make for charming listening (popular with amateur pianists too!) before Brawn grapples with the regal ‘Waldstein’, the pianist stressing the music's lyricism without denying its high spirits. The finale is suitably majestic. Brawn is admirable and dedicated.”

Colin Anderson, Classical Ear App [May 2014]

“British pianist James Brawn ...is a consummate artist... [this disc] makes a good introduction to Brawn's nuanced style of playing, and it should entertain anyone interested in Beethoven, no matter how many other recordings of these well-worn classics one already has... Brawn opens the [‘Pathétique’] sonata as Beethoven directs, gravely, but with a sweet, nuanced care. He then moves into the Allegro section with all the "brio" or vivacity required, so he's got both the lyrical and bravura qualities down pat. His intensity is evident in every note, taking care to modulate his tone as the score demands. Still, Brawn is doing more than just following the notes and score here; he is imposing a personality on the music. He is creating, in fact, an interpretation, one that in this case he has carefully planned around the composer's wishes, so while it is clearly Brawn's reading, it remains Beethoven's music... The result is a brilliant rendering of an old warhorse... The ‘Moonlight’ begins with that lovely tune we all know so well, and Brawn's handling of it is magical. It's just as dreamy as anyone's, without resorting to an ultraslow, sentimental pace. It simply paints the picture Beethoven seems to have had in mind: a kind of mysterious, desolate loneliness, tinged with a faint silvery glow. Beautiful, done with genuine feeling for the mood and the music... in the few instances I've heard [Nos.19 & 20] performed before, the pianist always seemed to take them rather superficially. But not Brawn, who makes each item a fascinating little listening experience... [Brawn] sees the ‘Waldstein’ as ‘a kind of rebirth’ for the performer and the listener, a work ‘filled with physical energy and love of life.’ Certainly, the pianist puts this philosophy to the test from the very outset of the work as he offers a successive outpouring of notes that transform in purpose from nervous agitation to sheer pleasure. Then, in the central Introduction and concluding Rondo Brawn further impresses us with his complete command of tonal changes, flexible tempos, shifts of contrast, shadings of expression, and, of course, sheer virtuosity... I'm sure anyone who has heard his creative, highly personal, yet truthful Beethoven realizations so far can only hope for more... The technicians miked the piano at a moderately close distance, all the better to pick up the instrument's detail, definition, and dynamics. Yet the acoustic environment allows enough warm, ambient bloom for the piano to sound natural and realistic. It's quite ideal, actually.”

John J. Puccio, Classical Candor [May 2014]

“In a world populated by talented pianists, James Brawn is a standout. He’s not just a virtuoso, but also a probing, thoughtful musician with strong, creative programming instincts... If, like me, you question why anyone needs to make another recording of anything by Beethoven, you do so with good reason: a recent search at Arkivmusik.com turned up more than 1600 albums devoted just to the works for solo piano... once in a blue moon, a new pianist actually has something fresh to say about the music. When that happens, you sit up and take notice. Enter James Brawn. The UK-based pianist has embarked on a complete traversal of the thirty-two sonatas with two mightily impressive discs... At times in each of these pieces, Brawn’s playing more than lives up to his name: strong and robust. And that’s certainly what moments in these sonatas call for... But what I found far more impressive and compelling about Brawn’s interpretations is their inward focus… Brawn’s is a deeply personal tour of this well-trod musical path, turning up all sorts of hidden insights along the way... The ‘Pathétique’ and ‘Moonlight’ balance stormy drama with warm lyricism. So, too, does the ‘Waldstein,’ which here gets a flowing, highly introspective interpretation, especially during its big finale... [the Op. 49 sonatas] sparkle with warmth and humor... [this album marks] an auspicious beginning to Brawn’s Beethoven survey and fully justify what, in the hands of a lesser musician, would be a hubristic and wasteful exercise. But Brawn has something to say about this repertoire and it’s worth hearing.”

Jonathan Blumhofer, ArtsFuse [May 2014]

MUSICWEB INTERNATIONAL BEETHOVEN SURVEY

“The first volume of Brawn's Beethoven Odyssey left me speechless, at least until time forced me to put pen to paper. I eventually wrote that his 'journey through these towering [sonatas] is one of the most convincing I've heard in a long time'. That same assessment applies twofold to the second volume of his ambitious project, which dispels any possibility that the brilliance of his first essay was a mere fluke… His interpretation of Beethoven's 'Pathétique' sonata strikes a perfect balance between improvisation and control…. Brawn's weighing back and forth between the two finds its most successful expression in the opening movement's final statement of slow-introduction material. Time is stretched ever so slightly to create suspense, but not distorted to the extent that we feel lost. Such perfect placement of notes comes only with experience and a profound — almost spiritual — connection to the music itself. Equally impressive to Brawn's negotiation of temporal elasticity is the expressive purity of his playing. He finds no use for grand romantic gestures, opting instead for transparent textures that give space to every single note of Beethoven's intricate musical canvases… the result is neither mechanical nor emotionally stale; it is, rather, deeply intellectual and moving… This characteristic simplicity is responsible for one of the most affecting performances of the 'Moonlight' sonata on record. Brawn's Adagio sostenuto does not ring out with contrived infusions of superficial 'feeling'. It is patently unpretentious — an unwavering meditation in sound that is at once fixed and dynamic. As infinite colors emerge from the piano, Brawn's carefully crafted layers provide a rich but subtle feast for our ears…His approach to the opening movement [of the ‘Waldstein’] is somehow both reserved and bursting at the seams. By holding back, Brawn achieves a tone of considerable warmth, which draws attention to his exquisite voicing. Yet one cannot help but sense the restlessness behind his playing… this riding-on-the-edge feel conjures some of the Beethovenian fire that lies at the very heart of this music… As with the first volume of Brawn's Odyssey, no review can do justice to the many fine passages that await the eager listener. Nor would it be appropriate to attempt a comprehensive account of Brawn's playing in words. As I wrote the first time around, 'There is an element of purity in his playing — some ineffable quality — that transforms even the simplest of phrases into something pristine, something perfect'. Perfect indeed. If Brawn continues on this path, his Beethoven cycle could very well turn into something special — something for which he will be remembered by generations to come.”

Andrew Schartmann, Music & Vision [April 2014]

“Noble, expressive Beethoven with exceptional clarity [ * * * * ] - an amazing capacity for nuance on all levels, including dynamics, colour, and tempi… finely integrated interpretation with uncommon inflection, including extreme tempi in both directions, which, in the case of other pianists, would lead to musical train wrecks… I consider the ‘moonlit’ slow movement of the Sonata No.14…among the highpoints of [Brawn’s recordings]”

Remy Franck, Pizzicato Luxembourg, [April 2014]

“Some phenomenal playing, full of contrast, colours and nuances... In Op.27 No.2 'Moonlight', Brawn achieves a quietly glowing Adagio Sostenuto, full of magic, never allowed to flag and with a fine gently outpouring of feeling...There is lovely pacing and subtle rubato, so carefully and beautifully done...This is a terrific 'Moonlight Sonata'. Even in the two 'Leichte' Sonatas...Brawn delivers such subtle little nuances...a performance full of charm, so fleet and beautifully phrased...an absolute delight. The opening of the Allegro con brio of Op.53 No.21, 'Waldstein' has a pulsating, magnetic tension that anticipates the rhythmic drama to come. For all his terrific virtuoso dislay, Brawn brings so much more in colour, texture and little nuances, not to mention his superb rubato...What a fine 'Waldstein' to end this disc. James Brawn shows so much fine musicianship making these outstanding performances in every way. They are beautifully recorded at Potton Hall, Suffolk, England. I look forward with great anticipation to future releases in this Beethoven Odyssey.”

Classical Reviewer [March 2014]

“A musician’s name is rarely a key to his or her artistry but it can give the wrong impression. James Brawn, for example, plays with an intelligence and sensitivity that essentially refute the emphasis on physical strength his surname implies. The British born pianist’s newest recording…reveals him to be a deeply thoughtful interpreter, more interested in musical ideas than in bragging rights… Brawn possesses all of the technical equipment Beethoven’s sonatas require. He can negotiate everything on the page with seeming ease and he is a stickler for textural clarity and balance. In three monuments of the Beethoven catalogue (‘Pathétique’, ‘Moonlight’ and ‘Waldstein’) and the two ‘Leichte Sonaten’ of Op 49, Brawn gives shapely attention to phrases while also keeping an ear towards the big, structural picture…  Unlike pianists who lean into the explosive aspects of Beethoven’s sonatas, Brawn paints with a subtler palette of colours. He rarely goes to dynamic extremes, instead stressing inner motion and harmonic implications. The ‘Waldstein’ is the finest performance here with a sense of almost tranquil joy pervading the narratives. No thunderous octaves will do for Brawn in the Rondo, which, in his hands, claims unusual nobility and mystery… The other sonatas receive similarly meticulous consideration and it’s a delight to hear the rarely performed Op 49 sonatas.  Brawn reminds us that Beethoven can seize attention even when he is not storming the skies or penetrating the human soul.”

Donald Rosenberg, Gramophone [March 2014]

"Brawn's sense of dynamics is especially noteworthy here, as is the colorful sonic ambience of the recording itself.”

CD HotList for Libraries [March 2014]

“Beethoven’s magnificent piano sonatas require a musician of extraordinary versatility. Award-winning British pianist, James Brawn, follows in the footsteps of such masters as Artur Schnabel and Daniel Baremboim… James Brawn’s virtuosity, sensitivity and understanding reveal all the subtle beauty in this intense, ravishing music.”

John Pitt, New Classics UK [Feb 2014]

“[Brawn’s] playing is of a technical mastery and interpretive insight such that I would happily listen to him performing any of the sonatas… Of breathtaking beauty, for example, is Brawn’s subtle shaping and shading of the harmonically enigmatic melody that sets off and runs through the last movement of the ‘Waldstein’ Sonata. What an intimate and intensely poignant confidence Beethoven shares with us, and how expressively Brawn whispers it to our ears at the beginning… Brawn’s wide-ranging technique, dynamic control, and unerring musical instincts allow him to deliver Beethoven’s most highly charged, Sturm und Drang movements—the finales to the ‘Moonlight’ and ‘Appassionata Sonatas, and the first movements of the ‘Pathétique’ and ‘Appassionata’ Soantas—with maximum force and dramatic thrust; while, at the same time, delivering the songful Adagio cantabile of the ‘Pathétique,’ the hypnotic nocturne of the ‘Moonlight’s’ Adagio sostenuto, and the spectral mystery of the ‘Waldstein’s’ Introduzione with uncanny sensitivity to the unique subtleties and tonal gradations of each of these movements… The two so-called ‘easy’ sonatas, Nos. 19 and 20, [are played] with fluent tone and technique that makes them sound candid but not entirely without sophistication... There are certain great works in the literature that one can simply not have too many versions of, and Beethoven’s piano sonatas are among them. So I wouldn’t worry about overcrowding your collection with yet another cycle, especially when it’s one that’s as good as this. Brawn proves himself a Beethoven master, and his mastery is fully revealed by MSR’s excellent recordings.”

Jerry Dubins, Fanfare [March/April 2014]

[ * * * * ] “I took on Brawn’s first volume here calling it ‘some of the best recent Beethoven playing I have heard’ and thinking that a whole series could be a ‘stunner’… the standards are still very high on this release… the sound remains beautifully warm [and] a more comforting piano sound on a non-surround sound recording you will not hear… [In the ‘Moonlight’] the last movement is taken with all the blazing brilliance the work requires… The short and wonderfully condensed two Op. 49 sonatas are given very serious and fine readings that too many other performers play as if in their sleep… [In the ‘Waldstein’ Brawn produces] a reading of superb nuance and wonderfully adept communicative manner…  Brawn intuitively senses the underlying spirit of this music and locks into it completely, his digital touch able to give the music and its rhythms just the right degree of emphasis… So two down, and how many to go? One can only hope…keep them coming MSR!”

Steven Ritter, Audiophile Audition [December 2013]

“In a keenly anticipated follow-up to Volume 1 of his ‘Beethoven Odyssey,’ pianist James Brawn continues his multi-year exploration of the qualities of heart and spirit that inform the piano sonatas…  There is intelligence behind the design of the program. The three ‘grandes sonates’ are related in key: C minor, C-sharp minor and C major, respectively. Keeping the image before him and viewing it from every angle is one of James Brawn’s major strengths in the way he approaches Beethoven. He shows infinite patience as he explores and puts together the carefully ordered mosaic of each of the three major works, taking his time and allowing plenty of breathing room between the tempestuous movements and the relaxed, focused music that follows them… The painstaking care with which Brawn navigates his way through the opening sections of the three major sonatas, particularly the grave section in the ‘Pathétique’ and the quietly pulsating pianissimo at the opening of the ‘Waldstein,’ pay dividends later when the more stirring music occurs…”

Phil Muse, Audio Society of Atlanta [October 2013]

”We had to wait for Wednesday 7th August 2013 to eclipse all that had gone before by turning the spotlight on a newcomer, James Brawn, to London's concert platform which he is destined soon to conquer if his three Beethoven sonatas in chronological succession were anything to go by. It is years that I, chairman of this Beethoven Society, have heard his like; already engaged in recording the complete 32 for MSR Classics, his capacity for entering into the Beethoven experience is second to none as when he captures the lightening-quick changes of dynamics from forte to piano subito, of which Beethoven is so fond and performers so chary. Here at last is the true heir to John Lill and Stephen Kovacevich, our two successive jury chairmen of our Beethoven Intercollegiate Piano Competition this year and last.”

Beethoven Piano Society of Europe - Newsletter No.51 [November 2013]
BPSE Summer Festival in Regent Hall, London
Review by BPSE  Chairman, Professor Malcolm Troup
 

  List to the UK's CLASSIC MUSIC DIRECT Podcast

In Volume 1 of A Beethoven Odyssey, several important points were emphasised: These works not only represent “the highest expression of Western culture”, but also chronicle the composer’s stormy personal life over a nearly thirty year period. Beethoven’s thirty-two piano sonatas constitute a core component of every concert pianist’s repertoire. They are like familiar friends who lastingly accompany pianists on their artistic path.

In the same way that “Beethoven’s spirit profoundly animates ... the performance of these works,” Brawn’s imaginative interpretations inform this series of recordings. His detailed contemplation of each movement, each sonata, adds something new to the dialogue. At the same time, he exhibits respect for the tradition that traces its origins to the composer himself. This is not surprising because Brawn “studied with pupils of Beethoven interpreters like Solomon Cutner, Claudio Arrau, and Rudolf Serkin, all of whom had a strong connection to and affinity with the composer’s music.”

Furthermore, Beethoven’s piano sonatas are as relevant today as they were two hundred years ago. James Brawn thinks of himself as a “time traveller” who strives to make the historical connection apparent to his listeners. In Vol. 2, his personal comments about the “stories” behind the music appear in italics so that they are easily distinguishable from the musicological text that accompanies them. Subjective comments such as these provide a valuable, behind the scenes look at how artistic choices are made.


An Australian debut in Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 25 marks the start of pianist James Brawn’s solo career at age 12. Brawn credits subsequent achievements to the great pianists with whom he has studied, taking pride in teachers who trace their pedagogical lineage back to Beethoven, Chopin, Liszt and Clara Schumann. Yet he has forged his own musical path as well as a soloist, chamber musician and pedagogue.

Born in England in 1971, his career in music began in New Zealand, where he began piano lessons at age seven. He played Bartók on New Zealand television and won his first awards in Auckland. The family moved to Australia the following year, where he studied with Margaret Schofield, Ronald Farren-Price and Rita Reichman, and won major prizes at the Melbourne Eisteddfods competitions, and the Hephzibah Menuhin Memorial Scholarship. In 1987, Brawn reached the concerto final of the ABC Young Performers Awards, which led to concerts with the Adelaide and Melbourne Symphony Orchestras. He continued study with Rita Reichman in Philadelphia on a grant from the Australia Arts Council, and in 1988 received a full scholarship to the Royal Academy of Music, where he won many recital awards, including the Beethoven Prize and 20th Century Prize.

At age 19, Brawn won the Keyboard Final of the Royal Over-Seas League Music Competition, which resulted in solo recitals at Queen Elizabeth Hall and chamber music partnerships at music societies and festivals in the UK. From 1993-2001, Brawn taught piano and chamber music at King’s College and St. John’s College schools in Cambridge, during which time he also performed in recital with his wife, soprano Susan, and sister, oboist Victoria. These collaborations led to performances at the Cambridge Elgar Festival and the Purcell Room in London. From 1996-1998, Brawn and sister Victoria also received sponsorship from the Countess of Munster Recital Scheme. In 2001, he returned to Australia to take up a piano teaching position at highly regarded Scotch College, where he co-founded the biennial Scotch College Piano Festival. Whilst teaching there, he appeared in recital at the Melba Festival, Melba Conservatorium, Monash University and at music society events throughout Victoria.

Brawn has recorded for RTHK Radio4 in Hong Kong, ABC Classic FM, and 3MBS radio in Melbourne. He returned to the United Kingdom in 2010 and is currently based in the Cotswolds. He performs regular solo recitals in venues in Birmingham, Cheltenham, Chichester and London, including St. James’s Piccadilly, Blackheath Halls, Foundling Museum, The Forge, Royal Over-Seas League and St. Olave Church. Significant engagements include the Bösendorfer concert series at St. Mary Magdalene and the ‘Pianists of the World’ series at St.Martin-in-the-Fields. Brawn has performed in master classes with András Schiff, Tamás Vásáry and Stephen Kovacevich, and studied chamber music with members of the Amadeus and Chilingirian Quartets. Recital performances have taken him to Hong Kong, Brunei, Paris, Sicily and New Orleans. [www.jamesbrawn.com]
  LUDWIG VAN BEETHOVEN
PIANO SONATA NO.8 IN C MINOR, OP.13 "PATHÉTIQUE" (1798-99)
I. Grave - Allegro molto e con brio
II. Adagio cantabile
III. Rondo (Allegro)

PIANO SONATA NO.14 IN C-SHARP MINOR, OP.27 NO.2 "MOONLIGHT" (1801)
I. Adagio sostenuto
II. Allegretto & Trio
III. Presto agitato

PIANO SONATA NO.19 IN G MINOR, OP.49 NO.1 "LEICHTE" (1795-98)
I. Andante
II. Rondo (Allegro)

PIANO SONATA NO.20 IN G MAJOR, OP.49 NO.2 "LEICHTE" (1795-96)
I. Allegro ma non troppo
II. Tempo di Menuetto

PIANO SONATA NO.21 IN C MAJOR, OP.53 "WALDSTEIN" (1803-04)
I. Allegro con brio
II. Introduzione (Adagio molto)
III. Rondo (Allegretto moderato) – Prestissimo
 



MSR Classics