Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827)
A Beethoven Odyssey Volume 9
Piano Sonata No 28 in A major, Op 101 (1816)
Piano Sonata No 29 in B-flat major, Op 106 ‘Hammerklavier’ (1818)
James Brawn (piano)
rec. 2023, Potton Hall, Saxmundham, UK
MSR Classics MS1473 [69]
This is the final disc in James Brawn’s highly successful cycle of the Beethoven piano sonatas. I have written reviews for each of the previous eight discs, though the first five were for a different publication. I covered Volumes 6, Volume 7 and Volume 8 here at MWI, finding each of high quality, with some performances outstanding. Volume 6, which contained Sonatas Nos 4, 11 and 12, was in fact given an ROTM. Volumes 7 (Sonatas Nos 30, 31 and 32) and Volume 8 (Sonatas Nos 13, 16, 18, and 22) were arguably just as convincing as well. Here in Volume 9, Brawn turns in fine work once again, even in his account of that thorny and deeply profound monument, the Hammerklavier sonata.
The disc begins with the comparatively modest A major Sonata, No 28. While this might be viewed as the easier sonata of the two, it has its share of difficulties once the pianist gets past the opening movement. Marked Allegretto ma non troppo *, Brawn effectively captures the poetic character of the brief first movement, its serenity and tranquillity. As usual, his dynamics and accenting are well judged and subtly applied. By contrast, the hardy second movement (Vivace alla marcia) starts off with a robust joyfulness in its quirky march character, Brawn giving the music a muscularity in his playing of the bold dissonances and nervous trills. He effectively conveys the calmer demeanour of the middle section.
The brief third movement (Adagio, ma non troppo, con affetto) exudes the requisite tranquillity and solemnity, Brawn’s broad tempo adding to the sense of quietude in the music. The finale (Allegro ma non troppo risoluto) brims with energy, and Brawn delineates the contrapuntal voices with his usual deft sense for clarity and proper balances. Again his tempo is somewhat on the expansive side, but the whole movement is most effective and uplifting, rounding out this fine sonata with a majestic capstone.
I’ve praised Brawn in previous reviews for “his nearly unerring sense to capture the essence of the varied and often shifting moods in Beethoven’s sonatas”. That quality is clearly in evidence throughout the Hammerklavier sonata. The first movement is marked Allegro and here Brawn is ebullient and stately in the opening, with plenty of thrust and power. He is able to shift smoothly to the more delicate and introspective character of the second subject with his subtle use of dynamics, thereby making the contrasts most effective. He brings plenty of tension to the complex development section, which is full of tricky modulations and mood swings that Brawn never fails to fully enact with the utmost sensitivity and skill.
The ensuing brief Scherzo, marked Assai vivace, is extremely effective here as Brawn imparts lots of energy to the music while capturing its sort of nervous stop and start pacing. The Adagio sostenuto third movement comes off quite well, too, though I think Brawn’s expansive tempo (19:04) might strike some listeners as a bit overlong. Although I have found that more animated tempos can be quite convincing in the right hands, as in Rudolf Buchbinder’s complete set on Unitel Classica video, where this movement times out to 15:01, Brawn’s interpretive approach can be just as compelling. Moreover, for those who think his timing tilts toward the extreme should consider that Daniel Barenboim in his second traversal of the complete sonatas on Euroarts video, from 1983/84, clocked in at a leisurely 21:46, and Michael Korstick on Oehms at an incredible 28:42! I’ll stick with Brawn here.
Though his tempo in the finale is also broad, Brawn nevertheless presents a very sensitive and lucid account of the music. The notes throughout the very difficult fugue are delineated with clarity and never lose their sense of weight and gravitas or divulge any hint of brittleness. His trills are crisp and pointed and his accenting is never immoderate but ever subtle and tasteful. The music seethes with tension and drama. While it is true that you can find more dynamic interpretations of this movement and of the sonata for that matter, this performance, on its own distinctive, if less flashy merits, is a noteworthy success.
Now, as I write this, both sonatas are available complete on YouTube in separate uploads for each movement. Thus, you can judge these performances for yourself and decide on purchase. I must caution readers, however, that I don’t know how long these will remain available or if they will even be available in all countries when you read this.
The sound reproduction on this CD is clear and well-balanced in both works, effectively capturing the brilliant sound of Brawn’s Hamburg Steinway D, and the album notes by Jeremy Hayes are insightful and very informative. In previous reviews of this ongoing series I’ve mentioned other notable cycles of these sonatas by Vladimir Ashkenazy, Daniel Barenboim, Alfred Brendel, Rudolf Buchbinder, Richard Goode, François-Frédéric Guy, Michael Korstick, Artur Schnabel and others. I have opined that Brawn’s performances are “at least competitive with the better Beethoven sonata recordings and perhaps can stand with the very finest.” After hearing this final disc in the series, I must stand by that conclusion.
Robert Cummings
* All four movements of the Sonata No 28 carry standard Italian markings for tempo but also descriptions, sometimes lengthy ones, in German. To avoid unnecessary and excessive length, I have chosen to use just the former, more familiar tempo designations.
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