Beethoven: Piano Sonatas Opp. 14 31 57 78 81a 90 Moritz Winkelmann

• Ludwig van Beethoven (1770 - 1827): iano Sonata No. 9 in E Major, Op. 14/1:
• 1 Beethoven: Piano Sonata No. 9 in E Major, Op. 14/1: I. Allegro 06:33
• 2 Beethoven: Piano Sonata No. 9 in E Major, Op. 14/1: II. Allegretto 04:08
• 3 Beethoven: Piano Sonata No. 9 in E Major, Op. 14/1: III. Rondo. Allegro comodo 03:35
• Piano Sonata No. 10 in G Major, Op. 14/2:
• 4 Beethoven: Piano Sonata No. 10 in G Major, Op. 14/2: I. Allegro 07:03
• 5 Beethoven: Piano Sonata No. 10 in G Major, Op. 14/2: II. Andante 04:55
• 6 Beethoven: Piano Sonata No. 10 in G Major, Op. 14/2: III. Scherzo. Allegro assai 03:42
• Piano Sonata No. 23 in F Minor, Op. 57 "Appassionata":
• 7 Beethoven: Piano Sonata No. 23 in F Minor, Op. 57 "Appassionata": I. Allegro assai 09:50
• 8 Beethoven: Piano Sonata No. 23 in F Minor, Op. 57 "Appassionata": II. Andante con moto 06:26
• 9 Beethoven: Piano Sonata No. 23 in F Minor, Op. 57 "Appassionata": III. Allegro ma non troppo - Presto 08:15
• Piano Sonata No. 16 in G Major, Op. 31/1:
• 10 Beethoven: Piano Sonata No. 16 in G Major, Op. 31/1: I. Allegro vivace 06:37
• 11 Beethoven: Piano Sonata No. 16 in G Major, Op. 31/1: II. Adagio grazioso 10:56
• 12 Beethoven: Piano Sonata No. 16 in G Major, Op. 31/1: III. Rondo. Allegretto 06:55
• Piano Sonata No. 17 in D Minor, Op. 31/2 "Tempest":
• 13 Beethoven: Piano Sonata No. 17 in D Minor, Op. 31/2 "Tempest": I. Largo - Allegro 09:00
• 14 Beethoven: Piano Sonata No. 17 in D Minor, Op. 31/2 "Tempest": II. Adagio 07:33
• 15 Beethoven: Piano Sonata No. 17 in D Minor, Op. 31/2 "Tempest": III. Allegretto 06:54
• Piano Sonata No. 18 in E-Flat Major, Op. 31/3 "The Hunt":
• 16 Beethoven: Piano Sonata No. 18 in E-Flat Major, Op. 31/3 "The Hunt": I. Allegro 08:21
• 17 Beethoven: Piano Sonata No. 18 in E-Flat Major, Op. 31/3 "The Hunt": II. Scherzo. Allegretto vivace 04:57
• 18 Beethoven: Piano Sonata No. 18 in E-Flat Major, Op. 31/3 "The Hunt": III. Menuetto. Moderato e grazioso 04:06
• 19 Beethoven: Piano Sonata No. 18 in E-Flat Major, Op. 31/3 "The Hunt": IV. Presto con fuoco 04:52
• Piano Sonata No. 24 in F-Sharp Major, Op. 78 "À Thérèse":
• 20 Beethoven: Piano Sonata No. 24 in F-Sharp Major, Op. 78 "À Thérèse": I. Adagio cantabile - Allegro ma non troppo 07:25
• 21 Beethoven: Piano Sonata No. 24 in F-Sharp Major, Op. 78 "À Thérèse": II. Allegro vivace 03:04
• Piano Sonata No. 26 in E-Flat Major, Op. 81a "Les Adieux":
• 22 Beethoven: Piano Sonata No. 26 in E-Flat Major, Op. 81a "Les Adieux": I. Das Lebewohl. Adagio - Allegro 07:20
• 23 Beethoven: Piano Sonata No. 26 in E-Flat Major, Op. 81a "Les Adieux": II. Abwesenheit. Andante espressivo. In gehender Bewegung doch mit viel Ausdruck 04:06
• 24 Beethoven: Piano Sonata No. 26 in E-Flat Major, Op. 81a "Les Adieux": III. Das Wiedersehen. Vivacissimamente. Im lebhaftesten Zeitmasse 06:01
• Piano Sonata No. 27 in E Minor, Op. 90:
• 25 Beethoven: Piano Sonata No. 27 in E Minor, Op. 90: I. Mit Lebhaftigkeit und durchaus mit Empfindung und Ausdruck 05:33
• 26 Beethoven: Piano Sonata No. 27 in E Minor, Op. 90: II. Nicht zu geschwind, und sehr singbar Vorgetragen 07:49
• Total Runtime 02:45:56

Info for Beethoven: Piano Sonatas Opp. 14 31 57 78 81a 90

Passionate about Beethoven: Moritz Winkelmann, a pianist from Stuttgart with a deep passion for the music of Ludwig van Beethoven, has committed himself to a comprehensive project: recording the legendary composer's complete 32 piano sonatas.

Moritz Winkelmann's passion for Beethoven is also rooted in a very personal story that has something to do with his teacher Leon Fleischer. Through him, he can trace a direct line of student-teacher relationships with Beethoven. Leon Fleischer studied with Artur Schnabel, who in turn studied with pianist Teodor Leschetizky. The pianist and composer Leschetizky studied in Austria with Carl Czerny, who was taught by Ludwig van Beethoven for three years. "This was one of the reasons why I absolutely wanted to study with Leon Fleischer," admits Moritz Winkelmann. And it would pay off just a few years later: In 2015, Winkelmann won a prize at the famous Beethoven Competition in Bonn. For him, Beethoven's music is not just a collection of masterpieces, but a reflection of humanistic ideals. "I hear the 'we' in his music," says Winkelmann, who played Beethoven's pieces on the piano with his grandfather as a child. Even then, he knew that these sonatas "are not simply pieces you learn because you're quite good at playing the piano," he says in an interview, adding: "There's much more to this – this music is a cosmos all its own!" His early encounter with Beethoven's music shaped his life and his entire musical journey and inspired him to dedicate himself to the mammoth project of recording all of his piano sonatas.

The decision was a natural progression for him. "Climbing this mountain, indeed simply embarking on the journey, allows me to continue growing in the direction I want to grow," he says. It's a decision that allows him to focus on what he loves most while simultaneously challenging him to push his boundaries.

His primary goal was to approach the pieces with "clean" ears and to break away from conventional interpretations. "I try to free myself from everything that 'people' do, what is 'right,'" he says. This approach requires a deep engagement with each individual work and an intense, unique relationship with Beethoven's music.

The choice of instrument plays a very important role in the recordings. "Basically, I look for a grand piano that has the widest possible dynamic range and the warmest possible tone," he explains. So far, he has always chosen the Steinway & Sons D model, but he doesn't rule out trying other instruments. "You have to familiarize yourself, get to know the instrument, and make friends."

When asked about historical performance practices, Winkelmann replies that while he studies the style intensively, he doesn't commit himself exclusively to historical practices. "My interpretations are informed," he emphasizes. He consults various Urtext editions and occasionally even Beethoven's autographs to better understand the composer's original intentions.

The recording process also determines the artist's current daily routine. "The gradual preparation, studying, learning, and recording does have an impact on me," explains Winkelmann. "I'm in a constant flow—not particularly excited, but very concentrated and focused." This intense, long-standing relationship with the works and their composer enables him to continually develop himself and his relationship with Beethoven.

The recordings will be made in numerous individual sessions at Frankfurt's Festeburgkirche and the Reitstadel in Neumarkt in der Oberpfalz, with sound engineer Markus Heiland of Tritonus Musikproduktion ensuring consistent continuity at all times.

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. "I hope that those who didn't know Beethoven will discover a new world," he says. "And those who know and love him will see their own experience confirmed." His deep connection to Beethoven's works and his pursuit of artistic excellence make this recording a milestone in the history of interpreting 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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