You are so very welcome to this little tribute to Beethoven, and his 32 sonatas. In a little less than a year, I will play all of those from beginning to end. This year is thus dedicated to practicing, studying, reading about and recording all 32. It can sometimes feel like a lonely and slightly crazy task. So I’m writing this blog for a few different reasons:
1) To force myself to collect my thoughts, write them down AND to get feedback on them from audiences, piano students, colleagues, friends, enemies and anyone who feels there is a point to be made or a question to be asked. Remember: NO sincere question is too silly to ask.
2) To see if it’s possible to write for both Kenner und Liebhaber. I am absolutely convinced it is.
3) Of course, as a shameless self-promotion, with some hopes that people who read this will be more interested in this music and come and listen at the concerts.
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I am not a scholar. This is not a blog that should be quoted as holding some universal truths. I might be wrong, then don’t hesitate to correct me.
If you feel that the text is sometimes over your head, don’t worry, just keep reading. If you feel it’s sometimes below your knowledge, think again because it’s probably not.
If you think or feel differently about those sonatas, please tell me. The worst thing one can do when playing the complete set is shutting off opinions which differ from one’s own.
If you haven’t really listened to Beethoven Sonatas before, then you are extra welcome!
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Lastly, the musical references here will be mostly by artists that I know and work with, such as Ola Salo, Neeme Järvi, Jonas Nydesjö etc. If you don’t know them from before, you will still be able to follow everything I say. But I would say, check them out!
