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Ludwig van Beethoven

(1770-1827)

Piano Sonata No.17 & 23

(2 compositions, 52 min.)

Emir Gamsız, piano

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Read about the composer: Click here

Read about the pianist: Click here

ABOUT THE ALBUM:

Some of Ludwig van Beethoven's piano sonatas are so widely known by their nicknames that, the well-known fact about many of these nicknames were not given by the composer himself, has been ignored. In this Beethoven album, Emir Gamsız presents two sonatas, one of which has a nickname given by Beethoven (Tempest) and the other by the publisher (Appassionata), but he emphasizes another common point where these two well-known sonatas meet. Gamsız says:

"Since it was the composer who gave Beethoven's sonata No.17 the nickname Tempest, the story under this name has been researched by many musicologists. There is evidence that Beethoven's interest and love for Shakespear's works is true because he not only recommending his student Shakespear's play The Tempest, but also tells her which edition she should prefer to read it from. We do not know exactly whether Beethoven described the characters and the story in Shakespear's The Tempest in the 17th sonata, but when we listen to the music with this subtext, it is possible to hear the stormy elements in the music and the love stories of Miranda and Ferdinand. On the other hand, there are studies of musicologist claiming that the music depicting Shakespeare's The Tempest (despite the name of Appassionata given by the publisher) is essentially the 23rd sonata. Even though we know all this information, it seems to me the best way as listeners and performers to engage with Beethoven's music is to leave ourselves to the drama in music and try to understand what he says to us through the language of music".