Beethoven, Alfred Brendel – Die Späten Klaviersonaten Opus 90, 101, 106, 109, 110 & 111

Beethoven – Alfred Brendel: Die Späten Klaviersonaten Op. 90, 101, 106, 109, 110 & 111

A towering interpretation of the final chapter in piano literature, this collection presents Ludwig van Beethoven’s late sonatas in performances by the legendary pianist Alfred Brendel. Widely regarded as some of the most profound works ever written for solo piano, these sonatas trace Beethoven’s journey into abstraction, introspection, and transcendence.

From the lyrical intimacy of Op. 90 to the philosophical vastness of Op. 111, Brendel’s readings emphasise clarity, structural intelligence, and emotional restraint. Rather than romantic excess, these performances reveal the architecture beneath the music—its dialogue between form and feeling, tension and release.

The Hammerklavier Sonata, Op. 106, stands as the monumental centrepiece: a work of extreme technical and expressive demands, rendered here with disciplined power and architectural precision. Meanwhile, Op. 109 and Op. 110 explore increasingly fragmented, inward-looking sound worlds, culminating in the transcendental variations of Op. 111, where Beethoven dissolves sonata form into pure, meditative transformation.

Brendel’s approach is characterised by intellectual rigour and poetic understatement, offering a reading that is both deeply human and structurally illuminating. This set is not merely a performance of late Beethoven—it is a guide into his final musical thoughts.

Tracklist:

Sonata No. 27 in E Minor, Op. 90
1-1. Mit Lebhaftigkeit… – 5:48
1-2. Nicht Zu Geschwind… – 8:17

Sonata No. 28 in A, Op. 101
1-3. Etwas Lebhaft… – 4:14
1-4. Vivace Alla Marcia – 6:14
1-5. Adagio Ma Non Troppo – 2:59
1-6. Allegro – 8:14

Sonata No. 30 in E, Op. 109
1-7. Vivace… – 3:55
1-8. Prestissimo – 2:30
1-9. Andante Molto Cantabile – 13:34

Sonata No. 31 in A Flat, Op. 110
1-10. Moderato Cantabile – 6:50
1-11. Allegro Molto – 1:43
1-12. Fuga – 6:51

Sonata No. 29 in B Flat, Op. 106 “Hammerklavier”
2-1. Allegro – 11:42
2-2. Scherzo – 2:39
2-3. Adagio Sostenuto – 19:36
2-4. Largo – Allegro Risoluto – 12:13

Sonata No. 32 in C Minor, Op. 111
2-5. Maestoso – 1:52
2-6. Allegro Con Brio Ed Appassionato – 7:09
2-7. Arietta – 17:19