Beethoven: Piano Sonatas Opp. 10 - 13 - 27 -53 - 79 - 101 Moritz Winkelmann

• Ludwig van Beethoven (1770 - 1827): Piano Sonata No. 5 in C Minor, Op. 10 No. 1:
• 1Beethoven: Piano Sonata No. 5 in C Minor, Op. 10 No. 1: I. Allegro molto e con brio05:49
• 2Beethoven: Piano Sonata No. 5 in C Minor, Op. 10 No. 1: II. Adagio molto08:38
• 3Beethoven: Piano Sonata No. 5 in C Minor, Op. 10 No. 1: III. Prestissimo04:41
• Piano Sonata No. 6 in F Major, Op. 10 No. 2:
• 4Beethoven: Piano Sonata No. 6 in F Major, Op. 10 No. 2: I. Allegro08:42
• 5Beethoven: Piano Sonata No. 6 in F Major, Op. 10 No. 2: II. Allegretto04:10
• 6Beethoven: Piano Sonata No. 6 in F Major, Op. 10 No. 2: III. Presto04:09
• Piano Sonata No. 7 in D Major, Op. 10 No. 3:
• 7Beethoven: Piano Sonata No. 7 in D Major, Op. 10 No. 3: I. Presto07:11
• 8Beethoven: Piano Sonata No. 7 in D Major, Op. 10 No. 3: II. Largo e mesto10:34
• 9Beethoven: Piano Sonata No. 7 in D Major, Op. 10 No. 3: III. Menuetto. Allegro02:46
• 10Beethoven: Piano Sonata No. 7 in D Major, Op. 10 No. 3: IV. Rondo. Allegro04:21
• Piano Sonata No. 25 in G Major, Op. 79:
• 11Beethoven: Piano Sonata No. 25 in G Major, Op. 79: I. Presto alla tedesca04:54
• 12Beethoven: Piano Sonata No. 25 in G Major, Op. 79: II. Andante02:49
• 13Beethoven: Piano Sonata No. 25 in G Major, Op. 79: III. Vivace02:17
• Piano Sonata No. 8 in C Minor, Op. 13 "Pathétique":
• 14Beethoven: Piano Sonata No. 8 in C Minor, Op. 13 "Pathétique": I. Grave - Allegro di molto e con brio09:34
• 15Beethoven: Piano Sonata No. 8 in C Minor, Op. 13 "Pathétique": II. Adagio cantabile05:22
• 16Beethoven: Piano Sonata No. 8 in C Minor, Op. 13 "Pathétique": III. Rondo. Allegro05:08
• Piano Sonata No. 21 in C Major, Op. 53 "Waldstein":
• 17Beethoven: Piano Sonata No. 21 in C Major, Op. 53 "Waldstein": I. Allegro con brio11:20
• 18Beethoven: Piano Sonata No. 21 in C Major, Op. 53 "Waldstein": II. Introduzione. Adagio molto04:20
• 19Beethoven: Piano Sonata No. 21 in C Major, Op. 53 "Waldstein": III. Rondo. Allegretto moderato - Prestissimo10:28
• Piano Sonata No. 13 in E-Flat Major, Op. 27 No. 1 "Sonata Quasi Una Fantasia":
• 20Beethoven: Piano Sonata No. 13 in E-Flat Major, Op. 27 No. 1 "Sonata Quasi Una Fantasia": I. Andante05:21
• 21Beethoven: Piano Sonata No. 13 in E-Flat Major, Op. 27 No. 1 "Sonata Quasi Una Fantasia": II. Allegro molto e vivace02:11
• 22Beethoven: Piano Sonata No. 13 in E-Flat Major, Op. 27 No. 1 "Sonata Quasi Una Fantasia": III. Adagio con espressione03:18
• 23Beethoven: Piano Sonata No. 13 in E-Flat Major, Op. 27 No. 1 "Sonata Quasi Una Fantasia": IV. Allegro vivace06:04
• Piano Sonata No. 14 in C-Sharp Minor, Op. 27 No. 2 "Moonlight":
• 24Beethoven: Piano Sonata No. 14 in C-Sharp Minor, Op. 27 No. 2 "Moonlight": I. Adagio sostenuto06:42
• 25Beethoven: Piano Sonata No. 14 in C-Sharp Minor, Op. 27 No. 2 "Moonlight": II. Allegretto - Trio02:26
• 26Beethoven: Piano Sonata No. 14 in C-Sharp Minor, Op. 27 No. 2 "Moonlight": III. Presto agitato08:03
• Piano Sonata No. 28 in A Major, Op. 101:
• 27Beethoven: Piano Sonata No. 28 in A Major, Op. 101: I. Etwas lebhaft und mit der innigsten Empfindung. Allegretto, ma non troppo04:06
• 28Beethoven: Piano Sonata No. 28 in A Major, Op. 101: II. Lebhaft. Marschmäßig. Vivace alla Marcia06:28
• 29Beethoven: Piano Sonata No. 28 in A Major, Op. 101: III. Langsam und sehnsuchtsvoll. Adagio, ma non troppo, con affetto03:09
• 30Beethoven: Piano Sonata No. 28 in A Major, Op. 101: IV. Geschwinde, doch nicht zu sehr, und mit Entschlossenheit. Allegro08:06
• Total Runtime02:53:07

Info for Beethoven: Piano Sonatas Opp. 10 - 13 - 27 -53 - 79 - 101

Pianist Moritz Winkelmann sets new standards: the recording of all 32 piano sonatas by Ludwig van Beethoven

Moritz Winkelmann, a pianist from Stuttgart with a deep passion for the music of Ludwig van Beethoven, has committed himself to an ambitious project: the recording of all 32 piano sonatas by the legendary composer. This monumental task is being realised for the renowned Berlin Classics label and promises a unique interpretation of this important repertoire.

For Winkelmann, Beethoven's music is not just a collection of masterpieces, but a reflection of humanist ideals. "In this music, Beethoven unites the ideals of the Enlightenment," he explains. "I hear the 'we' in his music." This connection to Beethoven's works goes back to his childhood, when he regularly sat at the piano with his grandfather and played Beethoven's pieces. "I don't claim to have grasped the full intellectual complexity of these sonatas, but I do know that it is a cosmos of its own. These sonatas are not just a piece that you learn because you play the piano quite well, they are much more than that!" he says very modestly. This early encounter with Beethoven's music shaped his life and his musical journey and inspired him to dedicate himself to the mammoth project of recording all the piano sonatas.

The decision to dedicate himself to this huge repertoire was a natural development for him. "Climbing this mountain, even just embarking on the journey, allows me to grow in the direction I want to grow," he says. It was a decision that allowed him to focus on what he loves most and at the same time challenged him to push his limits.

The preparation for these recordings presented Winkelmann with a challenge. He tried to approach the pieces with "clean" ears and break away from conventional interpretations. "I try to free myself from everything that 'people' do, that is 'right'," he says. This approach required a deep examination of each individual work and an intensive relationship with Beethoven's music.

The choice of instrument plays a decisive role in the interpretation. Winkelmann favours a grand piano with a broad dynamic range and a warm tone. So far, he has mostly opted for the D model from Steinway & Sons, but he does not rule out trying out other instruments. "You have to familiarise yourself and get to know the instrument," he explains. "Basically, I look for a grand piano that has the widest possible dynamic range and the warmest possible tone."

When asked about historical performance practices, Winkelmann replies that although he is intensively involved with stylistics, he does not commit himself exclusively to historical practices. "My interpretations are informed," he emphasises. He consults various Urtext editions and even Beethoven's autographs in order to better understand the composer's original intentions.

The recording process not only influences the interpretation of the pieces, but also the artist's personal development. "The successive preparation, study, learning and recording does something to me," explains Winkelmann. "I'm in a permanent flow - not particularly excited, but very concentrated and focussed." This intensive relationship with the works and their composer enables him to constantly develop and find his own approach to Beethoven's music.

The recordings are made in several stages, whereby the recording location in Frankfurt's Festeburgkirche and sound engineer Markus Heilland do not change. This continuous approach allows him to engage intensively with each work and at the same time refine his interpretation over time. "I hope that those who didn't know Beethoven will discover a new world," he says. "And those who know and love him will find themselves confirmed in it."

Moritz Winkelmann's recording of the Beethoven sonatas promises not only a unique interpretation of this important repertoire, but also a deep insight into the world of the composer and his music. His deep connection to Beethoven's works and his striving for artistic excellence make this recording a milestone in the history of the interpretation of Beethoven's piano sonatas.

Moritz Winkelmann, piano

Moritz Winkelmann
is a Prize Winner at the International Beethoven Competition Bonn and one of the most expressive and remarkable pianists of his generation. On his permanent journey unveiling „the core inside a piece, that holds it together“, he is performing around the globe and his musicianship has been described as „powerful, capable of the most profound sincerity“ and „full of soul“.

Mr. Winkelmann has established a strong reputation for his Beethoven interpretations. His recording of the Three Last Sonatas op.109 – op.111 as well as Wiegenmusik (1963) and Marche fatale (2017) by Helmut Lachenmann will be released on Hänssler Classic in 2022.

Most recently, Moritz Winkelmann appeared in Tchaikovsky’s piano concerto no. 1 with the TfN Philharmonic and in the second piano concerto by Frédéric Chopin with the Kurpfalz Chamber Orchestra.

He has performed with the Beethoven Orchester Bonn, the New York Classical Players, the Lower Saxony State Orchestra, the Cologne Chamber Orchestra and the Peabody Symphony among others. Of his appearance with the Lower Saxony State Orchestra, the Hildesheimer Allgemeine Zeitung wrote that “the musical intensity of this extraordinary artist turned Liszt‘s piano concerto no. 2 into a first class thriller.”

In 2010, Moritz Winkelmann made his Carnegie Hall debut in New York and has since been reinvited regularly. He has undertaken tours of Europe, the United States, China and Japan and appeared at the prestigious Rheingau, Schwetzingen, Schleswig-Holstein and Ravinia festivals. Mr. Winkelmann has also performed at Music@Menlo in California, Rockenhausen Festival for New Music, and Fejøs Festival in Denmark. He has shared the stage with Itzhak Perlman, Wolfram Christ, Stefan Blunier and Helmut Lachenmann.

His media appearances include broadcasts on WFMT Chicago, WBJC Baltimore, SWR and WDR in Germany as well as DR2 Copenhagen. Additionally, a documentary featuring Mr. Winkelmann was produced and broadcast by German National Television ZDFneo.

Moritz Winkelmann began his piano studies under the tutelage of his grandfather Gerhard Wilhelm. He earned his undergraduate degree with Prof. Michael Hauber at the University of Music and Performing Arts in Mannheim. With the support of DAAD, the Baden-Württemberg Foundation of Arts, and the German National Academic Foundation, Moritz Winkelmann continued his studies with the legendary Leon Fleisher at the Peabody Conservatory of Music in Baltimore. Also Ferenc Rados and Marisa Somma have provided meaningful artistic advice to Mr. Winkelmann.

Mr. Winkelmann is a faculty member at the University of Music and Performing Arts in Mannheim. He has previously served on the faculties of the University of Music and Performing Arts in Stuttgart and the Konservatorium Bern. In addition to that, he gives masterclasses internationally. Since 2019, he is Artistic Director of Klassik im Klösterle Weil der Stadt.

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