After establishing a new genre with his Sonatas for Piano and Cello, Op. 5, Beethoven returned to it a decade later, working on his Sonata in A major, Op. 69 in parallel with his Fifth and Sixth symphonies. With its unexpected shifts of harmony and mood, this is a work filled with virtuoso flourishes and experimental surprise, elements shared in the defiance of convention and lyrical brilliance of the two Sonatas, Op. 102. Beethoven considered Handel to be ‘the greatest composer that ever lived’, demonstrating pianistic dexterity in the Variations, WoO 45 on the popular melody ‘See the conqu’ring hero comes’. The first volume in this series is available on Naxos 8.574529.
Beethoven, Ludwig van
Cello Sonata No. 3 in A Major, Op. 69
1 I. Allegro ma non tanto 12:25
2 II. Scherzo: Allegro molto 04:57
3 III. Adagio cantabile - Allegro vivace 08:12
12 Variations on See the conqu'ring hero comes from Handel's Judas Maccabaeus in G Major, WoO 45
4 Thema: Allegretto 00:41
5 Variation 1 00:35
6 Variation 2 00:36
7 Varaition 3 00:40
8 Variation 4 00:45
9 Variation 5 00:49
10 Variation 6 00:44
11 Variation 7 00:36
12 Variation 8 00:41
13 Variation 9 00:40
14 Variation 10: Allegro 00:40
15 Variation 11: Adagio 02:43
16 Variation 12: Allegro 01:03
Cello Sonata No. 4 in C Major, Op. 102, No. 1
17 I. Andante - Allegro vivace 07:49
18 II. Adagio - Tempo d'andante - Allegro vivace 07:12
Cello Sonata No. 5 in D Major, Op. 102, No. 2
19 I. Allegro con brio 06:29
20 II. Adagio con molto sentimento d'affetto - 08:19
21 III. Allegro - Allegro fugato 04:37
