Customer Reviews

"Beethoven: Piano Sonatas Opp. 109, 110 & 111"

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I wish Mitsuko Uchida hadn't waited so long to start recording Beethoven's piano sonatas, having already demonstrated her keen interest in and superlative playing of Mozart's and Schubert's major works for the piano. This is quite simply her best recording of Beethoven's piano scores I have yet heard, coupled with some elegant, often profound, musicological notes on these scores which she has written in the liner notes to this CD. I am especially impressed with her thoughtful, yet expressive, performances of both the Opus 109 and 111 piano sonatas; these rank alongside recordings I have heard from both Alfred Brendel and Maurizio Pollini as among the finest I've come across. The recordings also successfully capture the warm ambience of the Snape Maltings, England concert hall, enhancing the vibrant qualities of her performances.

In the liner notes Uchida observes how Beethoven employed motifs from Opus 109 as though they were germinating seeds of passages which he would elaborate further in the Opus 110 and 111 sonatas. She also does this in her playing of these works, offering quite nuanced, at times, understated performances, most notably in the second movement of Opus 111, which she notes in the liner notes as sounding almost like jazz or boogie-woogie. Hopefully this splendid CD is the first of a long-awaited Beethoven piano sonata cycle; without question, it is an excellent beginning for both Philips and Mitsuko Uchida.

This is not only piano playing but also musical thinking of a very high order. In her fascinating notes that accompany this disc, Uchida is at pains to emphasise the connections and interrelationships between Beethoven's last three piano sonatas. Certainly the impact to be had from playing all three sonatas at a sitting is cumulative, growingly intense and finally overwhelming.

Make no mistake. These are great performances of these ground-breaking pieces. They achieve a perfect balance of intellectual rigour (in the voicing of fugal and contrapuntal passages, for example, or in the elucidation of Beethoven's fascination with and elaboration of variation form in his late period) with passion and emotion.

To take just the first movement of Op.109, at the start Uchida manages to capture the feeling that this is music caught, as it were, in media res, that it was going on before the sonata begins and that it just emerges from the silence. The opening theme is delivered with ideal simplicity, but Beethoven's stark elisions of sonata form mean we are carried alarmingly quickly into startling harmonic territory: Uchida disguises nothing in the arpeggios that drag us from key to key, before the sunlight emerges with clarity in the second subject. Within just a couple of minutes, we have been through a daring development section, a modified recapitulation and an extended coda that restores us to the simplicity of the opening. Uchida makes this frighteningly concentrated thought absolutely cogent and clear.

The variation movement that ends Op.109 lasts twice as long as the other two movements together and covers a vast emotional range. Uchida has the measure equally of the seemingly na?ve melodic simplicity of the theme and the changing tempos, moods, dynamics and rhythmic complexities that Beethoven subjects it to.

In Op.110, it is again the stark contrasts inherent in the material that Uchida brings out. The lyricism of the opening movement against the disturbing rhythmic lurches of the second: the sad (dolente) lament of the Arioso introduction to the fierce grandeur of the fugue which follows it and to which the whole sonata seems to have been aiming. Note also the intense darkness with which Uchida invests the chords that lead from the reprise of this Arioso into the return of the fugue.

Op.111, in these performances, is the towering pinnacle not only of this disc but of the whole cycle of Beethoven piano sonatas. There is immense power in Uchida's performance of the opening movement. She never shies away from the expressionist leaps and harsh dissonances implicit in much of the dark C Minor writing. But it is the final set of variations that crowns it all. Another deceptively simple theme, played here with intense quietude, leads into an even greater range of variations than those in Op.109. Uchida guides us unerringly through the increasing rhythmic complexity of the early variations, back through the theme decorated with what she rightly calls 'celestial arabesques' into areas of severe darkness and brilliant light with all those wild and wonderful extended trills that so fascinated late Beethoven and finally to a sublimely ethereal calm at the end. This is a superlative performance of this many facetted movement.

The piano sound on this CD is a delight as well. Recorded at the Snape Maltings, this is decidedly not one of those in-yer-face, brilliantly lit, clattery piano sounds. There is the feeling of a real hall ambience here, with the space for the sound to breathe and grow before it reaches the microphones and our ears. This doesn't imply any compromises in dynamic range or tonal colour; simply an ideal, best seat-in-the-house naturalness.

Need I say more? A real winner.

It has been clear to me for some time now that I listen to other aspects of musical renditions than most classical fans. Sure, the obvious aspects are important (hitting all the notes as it were) but this is merely the baseline. The extreme difficulty I experienced in finding an acceptable rendition of Bach's 48, for example, contrasted with the glowing reviews of many renditions which I own and have rejected as being unacceptably inaccurate.

Similarly, I had great difficulty finding a rendition of Beethoven's sonatas which made musical and rhythmical sense. Reading through the other reviews of this recording, several reviewers mentioned recordings I have - and cannot listen to. Although I only have two complete recordings of the sonatas, I have several other recordings of sonatas by a number of highly respected artists. I will not mention names here, as I feel that the mere fact that an artists has - in my opinion - failed to render a given piece acceptably, does not necessarily diminish the stature of the artist.

Rather, I would dwell on the rendition by Uchida. I have found with many recordings by Uchida (I have a fair collection) that her interpretation often seems to capture what I wanted to hear in the composition. This is certainly true of her recordings of Mozart and Schubert, amongst others. Here, as well, listening to the recording by Uchida (and, it should be mentioned, the recording is exceedingly fine in the technical domain as well) she not only captures the spirit of the compositions, but manages to find a timing - a rhythm - which, for me, is the first which resolves the many problems exhibited by these pieces. The timing of the Beethoven pieces are (in my probably irrelevant opinion) really critical. For the recording to make sense - to me, at least - an incredibly narrow path must be trodden when accelerating and decelerating between the fast and slow phrases, else the necessary tenuous link with the rules of progression and completion as laid down by Bach is lost, and they become senseless sequences of notes. Of course, my opinion on this issue certainly counts for nothing, but I find comfort in the fact that Uchida seems to agree with my take on the problem.

At last, in this masterly rendition, I have found a recording I can listen to. I had given up on these last three sonatas, now I can listen to them again with pleasure.

I believe this is simply the finest recording of these three works ever recorded, and one of the finest piano recordings in my collection. Unparalleled.

I admire Mitsuko Uchida's scholarship, and her clearly planned trajectory in choice of repertory. My impression, which is solely based on my observation of her career, is that she wisely chose to begin with Mozart, as that simply was what she knew she could play with all her heart, bringing to the music intelligence, the perfect techinique (and as a pianist, believe me, that technique is maybe not even "teachable" but a karmic gift...)

There is good reason why we have had to wait awhile for Uchida to give us these recordings of Beethoven 109,110, 111. Articlate is the one word I find that best sums her playing of these works. Others reviews have expressed the beauty of the engineering of these recordings. I'm sure Uchida-san stayed through the process that gives these recordings much of their beauty. All her hard work to express all she felt it, the meaning of these Sonatas she would not allowed to be lost in the long work of the acoustics, the engineering; praise her for staying on the job to give us that.

I listen to her as she is: a singular artist, with a very hard-won understanding of this music, that she would not attempt to record until she felt she could give all the music was due. Her interpretations are undeniably beautiful, articulating every detail, but never lost in the details at the expense of the depth of the message of the whole, true to the score, to her in-depth musicological research. But most of all, personal, daring to play late Beethoven is just that, DARING. But she did not do these works until she was fully prepared.

Articulate, I say, in the many senses: the technique, the touch, the tone, the attention to this absolute music never falls out of her hands, and into the personal, above the written score. Yet, I must also say, when I listen to my all-time favorite Beethoven pianist, Annie Fischer, there is in Fischer's playing something, sometimes, more convincing, maybe not as beautiful, but that is Fischer's great gift. I have written long enough. Thank you, dear Uchida-san for these beautiful recordings that are in themselves, greatly enlightening performances of these treacherously difficult works. You have given us such a gift, at great expense to you in all the hard work that has gone into them. Yet, in listening, you magically make them sound as though they flow as easily and naturally as a mountain spring, as torrential as a tornado, as deep and profound as the tides that are affected by the moon. You have given us the great universe that is Beethoven. Brava! Brava, Uchida-san.

I must add, a specific editorial note; that is, in the last variation in 109, Uchida displays something fantastic. After all the permutations of the theme Beethoven has delivered upon the performer to make into a part of the whole of the work, there is this final variation, penultimate. As Uchida plays it, I feel she has grasped everything form the previous variations, and from those that are so deeply grounded in the Earth, she finds the fragments, the material, to create a veritable constellation of stars; the final variation, in her hands, is as though she is flinging, the melody, like so many stars, into the skies, where each note shines brilliantly, yet in perfect movement, stars or planets, who cares, they all are flung through the power of her magnificent technique and hard-won mastery, into, for us, even the blind, can witness through this playing, the experience of witnessing, on a cloudless night, the stars at play, through her playing. Again, grazia, brava, Uchida-san. and many thanks for all the hard work that you undertook to give us nothing less than your very best.

I would like to take time to explain my personal history of experiencing Uchida over her career.

Of course, we were first given her great recordings of Mozart. While many of Mozart's piano Sonatas are among his least works, Uchida makes every one of them worthy of listening and study. While I find certain other interpretors of Mozart more convincing in certain of these works, overall, her Mozart set is indisprensible and a superb guide for young pianists.

The concertos are in a word, ravishing.

The remainder of this review is purely personal, and may be of no interest to most readers, but I feel compelled to share the following.

When Uchida moved to Schubert, that occured at a time in my life that brought me into a relationship with this great pianist that was something, again, the word, "karmic" must be used. I was dying, very likely, lying for weeks, into months, with almost constant, 104 degree fevers, and the only thing I could tolerate was listening on my portable CD player to her Schubert B-flat, mostly, and other Schubert. I can't explain why, but as a lover of so much music, none could I follow, none made sense, none could reach me, I couldn't concentrate, I couldn't bear the sound, except for these works. Something profoundly personal was happening. I was beginning what has become a wonderful relationship with this glorious musician, and even more profoundly, the rich and mysterious, marvelous personality that is my dear Mitsuko Uchida.

Let it be noted, I have had never the privilege of knowing Uchida in person, but as a musician, her heart is much with me, I feel I can claim a personal relationship, because she gives that through music, and, as a musician, the language of the heart for me is music, and so, I feel, I know her in that sense. Her playing does not stop with the sound of her touch, but moves on, into my heart, soul, and has literally inspired me to continue living. Let it sound fanatical to those who don't know this kind of relationship with music and musicians.

I am a pianist. I did my undergraduate studies with Edward Kilenyi, and continued to work with various teachers over the years. I have played a range of repertory from most of the WTC, many Beethoven Sonatas (Kilenyi was one of the greatest Beethoven pianists of our age... that is not well-known, because he stopped performing and devoted his time to teaching and the quieter life as husband to a marvelous lady and father to his children.) But I had the privilege of sitting with Kilenyi, the protege of Ernst von Dohnanyi and having some of the most ascerbic, witty, and profoundly brilliant teaching on Bach, Beethoven, Chopin, Brahms, Debussy, that I could possibly imagine. His insights were astonishing, his playing was incomparable, personal and universal at once.

Then, I moved on and lived in NYC and LA for 25 years, and heard all the greatest musicians. As I prefer to call her, "Uchida-san" with the honorific, came into my musical world. I heard her in recital, I heard her play 4 of the 5 Beethoven concertos with my beloved Esa-Pekka Salonen. Every performance was revelatory, incandescent, marvelous. Perhaps the most stunning moment was when she played the 4 short pieces of (pardon, I have some memory loss due to illness, it was Webern, I think, maybe Berg, after which she programmed the rarely played b minor Rondo of Mozart). The audience was spell bound by the 4 short pieces, and did not applaud at the end, and she seemlessly went into the Mozart. Her playing of that strange and marvelous work was as modern as the music preceeding it. Her inpretation was just astounding.

Preceeding this was the Chopin b-flat minor Sonata. It was my first hearing of Uchida-san playing Chopin. I couldnt' quite imagine it. Until she bounded onto the stage like a sprite, and landed on that octave that opens the Sonata with all the power of a mad Romantic. Kilenyi had played it in recital; I'd heard many others, but Uchida made it her own. The last movement, strange and timeless, was the perfect preparation for the aforementioned music of Berg/Webern?/Mozart. She is a genius for programming, an art in itself.

The second half of the recital was the huge, easily boring Schubert G major. Not one moment was anyting less than riveting. And she dared take all repeats, as one should, but it is a daring effort. Captivating, consistently throughout the recital. Daring, magnificent, lyrical, tragic, everything Schubert had written, she played out in full understanding. And the audience went mad.

I was among the mad, and remain so for this dear, devoted musician who I sincerely believe saved my life.

Mitsuiko Uchida continues to amaze with her unique ingenuity, creativity and musical imagination. Her depth of understanding in Beethoven's E major sonata, Op. 109 stands true, proven by her incredible accuracy revealing that Beethoven has never expressed himself more directly and intimately. She magnificently blends the lyrical aspects and ingenuity of the sonata's first movement allowing it to take on an improvisatory character. In the Prestissimo, Uchida doesn't rush ahead, but takes time to pace and define its character. In the third movement Uchida performs the variations beautifully, using the natural flow of voice-leading to its full advantage. Her personal approach to the Op. 110 is interesting and offers formidable musical ideas. Uchida leads us into the Op. 111's Arietta without compromising the tempo indications nor allowing the playing to ever become rigid. Uchida's virtuosity and innate use of expression remarkably come together in the opening movement. Throughout these three later sonatas, Uchida conveys the various pianistic textures and attention to detail, such as contrasting moods and dynamic scope. Uchida's eloquence and shaping of line become poetically arresting in the slow movements, and makes use of layering textures and understated cohesion. Uchida's concentration and clarity throughout these performances is possessing and magical.

("May I suggest reading "Beethoven's Letters" especially if you are planning on studying and performing his sonatas! Knowledge and insight are "keys" to understanding the 'Man And His Music'.")

Author: Raymond Vacchino M.Mus. A.Mus. L.R.S.M. Licentiate (honorary)

These last Beethoven's Piano Sonatas demand from the soloist a total commitment in order to convey the listener the entire eloquence and vanishing lyricism that hover every one of these transcendental Opus.

Let's start by the No. 30. I finf this is the weakest approach of the set. The second movement is played extremely fast. And this is an important issue to remark due this is essentially a dreamy work, of evident introspective character. In this sense there have been several winners Rudolf Serkin and his monumenta reading of the early fortues, Artur Schnabel and his impressive performance of the middle thrities and the superb version of Wilhelm Kempff of the early fifties in his mono cycle.

The 31th finds in Uchida in a fabulous rapport. She expresses this transfiguration stage in the last movement and that is the key of this work. Other fabulous version are to my mind Barenboim in the eighties.

And finally we have the best achievement of Mrs. Uchida in this so hard and elusive feature of this so hard to play piano Sonata. Uchida blended passion and introspection at the same time, crystalline phrasing and extraordinary fingering.

So, taking into account the remarkable fact of the youth of this first rate soloist, and the level of maturity exhiited by her in this first attempt and the absolute desert island pronouncement of the most solists of her generation, I think she has made an overwhelming and memorable attempt, and I don't have any doubt she is called to become one of the most important interpreters of Beethoven in the recent future, because she captured the ethos and spirit of these works.

As always with Uchida, her music is full of intelligent thoughts and details, yet it is very clean and serine. I like her Op.109 and Op.111, especially Op.111 is very successful. Toward the end of the 2nd movement in Op.111, she shows the unlimited depth of Beethoven's world with breathtaking trills. This is surely one of the finest performances of Op.111.

As for Op.109, the ultimate version for me is Stephen Kovacevich's.

For Op.110, she needs a stronger and bigger frame as a whole. My choice goes to Stephen Kovacevich's intelligent yet fiery performance or Richard Goode's balanced yet powerful version.

I love Uchida's Op.111, or Kovacevich's.

I think these 3 pianists finally broke the tedious and dull performances by the greats in the past and they set the new standard and possibilities for Beethoven's greatest piano works.

A great achievement.

While this is my first exposure to Uchida's Beethoven, I've been a big fan of her Mozart recordings for a long time. I've heard many, many recordings of the 111, and have been looking for a passionate as well as precise reading in modern sound. Unfortunately, this disc falls short--I can't quite tell if the muddled tone is more due to the recording or musician, but there are a number of points in the 111 where Uchida is stretched technically beyond what she can deliver--timings suffer, which gets in the way of me being able to enjoy the work.

You can definitely do better--in stereo, Pollini and Kovacevich shine in these works (giving Pollini the slight edge in technical ability, and Kovacevich in passion), or if sound quality isn't as important get Solomon's set on EMI.

Mitsuko Uchida is surely one of the more radiantly gifted pianists of our time. She never ceases to amaze with her performances with orchestras around the world, playing both the Romantic and the Classical and now contemporary concerti with utter ease, involvement and communication through the composer with the orchestra and the audience. But to hear her in solo recital is a gift.

And speaking of gifts, this CD of the Beethoven Piano Sonatas 109, 110 and 111 (the last sonatas) is one of the more treasured gifts she has produced. Even for those familiar with her brilliant technique and her ability to drive to the soul of a work, her performances in these daunting sonatas are astonishing fine. She can produce the largest of rich sounds and the most quiet moments, the agility of the rapid runs with the contemplative moments of the slow movements with equal grace. This CD is most assuredly one of the finest of the year. It leaves you breathless. Grady Harp, December 06

I adore Uchida's piano playing and this is a perfect example. Absoloutley riverting listening. Her interpretations are highly sensitive particularly her Mozart works for which she is known. Also try her violin sonatas with Mark Steinberg. Along with Zimerman, Sokolov she is one of the great living Pianists. The recording quality doesn't get much better either.

Timeless treasure....