BEETHOVEN, L. van: Piano Sonata No. 29, "Hammerklavier" (Behind the Notes - Boris Giltburg Introduces Piano Sonata No. 29)
Piano Sonata No. 29 in B-Flat Major, Op. 106, "Hammerklavier"
Composer: Beethoven, Ludwig van
Giltburg, Boris
Catalogue Number: NVF1296
UPC: 730099629614
If Op. 101 is a sonata that inspires love at first hearing, the next sonata in the cycle, Op. 106 - the Hammerklavier - rather tends to inspire awe and admiration at first. It towers above the rest like a musical Mount Everest, alluring and dangerous, dwarfing all others through its complexity and colossal scope. In performing it, one experiences Beethoven's titanic compositional struggle in every note, his vision in this particular work constantly driving him to test the extremes of size and intensity, to push the limits of piano technique beyond anything he attempted before. Later, as one comes to grips with the material, some of the admiration is replaced with love - but the awe always remains.
Boris Giltburg is lauded worldwide as a deeply sensitive, insightful and compelling interpreter, with critics praising his impassioned approach to performance. This project to record all of Beethoven's 32 piano sonatas is a personal exploration for Giltburg, driven by curiosity and his profound respect for the composer.
