Klavierabend: Mitsuko Uchida
Beethoven
Heavenly swan songs
»It is the spirit that holds noble and better men together in our world, and that cannot be destroyed by time; it is this spirit that speaks to you now.« This was Beethoven’s dedication of his Sonate No. 30 op. 109 in E major to the daughter of his friend Franz Brentano. And it is precisely this elevated spirit that Beethoven conjured up with melodies that seem to stem from a different musical world.
This cantabile beauty and purity is found to the same extent in two more of Beethoven’s last piano sonatas, which are among the most singular works ever written for the black-and-white keys. For master pianist Mitsuko Uchida, too, this web of logical thought and moving expressiveness, of counterpoint and dematerialised sound represents a summit and a constant challenge.
She already opened her complete recording of the 32 Beethoven sonatas back in 2006 with these three works, and they remain a reference version to this day.
Performers
Mitsuko Uchida piano
Programme
Ludwig van Beethoven
Sonate für Klavier E-Dur op. 109
Sonate für Klavier As-Dur op. 110
– Interval –
Ludwig van Beethoven
Sonate für Klavier c-Moll op. 111
Estimated end time
21:45
Subscription
Elbphilharmonie Subscription 2