Ludwig van Beethoven
Ludwig van Beethoven (1770–1827) was a German composer and pianist whose music stands at the centre of the Western classical tradition, bridging the Classical and Romantic eras.
His piano sonatas, chamber works and orchestral scores remain cornerstone repertoire. Recordings here range from the complete cello sonatas and variations to the late piano sonatas, alongside familiar works such as the Moonlight (MD 3247) and Pathétique (MD 3277) sonatas.
Middle-period scores expanded the scale of the symphony and the sonata; the late sonatas and related works pushed form and expression still further. Hearing loss shadowed his later career in Vienna, yet he kept composing into his final years.
Ludwig van Beethoven is featured on the following titles
Ensemble Liaison: Bruch, Brahms, Beethoven
This is Ensemble Liaison’s debut CD. Formed in 2006, the group was Monash University’s Ensemble in Residence, had performed throughout Australia including for Musica Viva, and had appeared on ABC-TV’s Sunday Arts programme.
David Stanhope Plays
David Stanhope is known throughout Australia as one of the few resident conductors of note. His talents are much broader: a prolific composer, especially of wind band music (see TP107), and a pianist of formidable technique.
Piano Sonatas Opp. 109, 110, 111
Stephen Savage, English-born and long based in Queensland, brings a deep personal attachment to Beethoven’s final three piano sonatas. These affectionate readings have drawn considerable critical praise.
Compositions by Ludwig van Beethoven also appear on
Virtuoso Transcriptions
These ‘one take’ studio recordings were made for ABC broadcast about a decade before release. That they stand as a finished album is a tribute to David Stanhope’s prodigious musicianship and technique.