Album insights
Beethoven, at the age of fifty and completely deaf, found himself at the peak of his creative powers. Despite rumors suggesting he was done composing due to the scarcity of recent pieces, he worked on mammoth new projects like the Missa Solemnis, the Diabelli Variations, and the Ninth Symphony. Returning to his favorite musical form, the piano sonata, in early 1820, Beethoven crafted a trilogy of piano sonatas that marked the pinnacle of his late style.
The origin of the Sonata in E Major, Op. 109, began before negotiations with Beethoven's publisher, Adolph Martin Schlesinger. Inspired by another publisher, Friedrich Starke, Beethoven composed a new piece, which later evolved into the opening Vivace ma non troppo. Initially planning another two-movement E Minor sonata, Beethoven, in the final composition phase, intricately weaved all three movements together, creating a cohesive whole with interwoven motives.
The first movement of Opus 109 showcased Beethoven's fascination with parenthetical structures. The initial Vivace material was abruptly interrupted after eight bars, just before a cadenza in E Major.
The cadenza was avoided, leading into a fanciful Adagio section featuring intricate arpeggios contrasting vividly with the Vivace section. As the music decisively approached the dominant cadence, it coincided with the return of the Vivace passage, merging seamlessly into the previous tonal range. The entire Adagio section began from the interrupted cadenza point, creating a sense of suspended time or a juxtaposition of different times.
The bold, unpredictable nature of the music was highlighted by refraining from literal repetitions in the latter part of the movement. Only in the Coda did elements from the Vivace and Adagio sections intertwine, while Beethoven prepared the surprising leap into the following Prestissimo in E Minor. The Prestissimo, set in 6/8 time and acting as a Scherzo, maintained a sonata form, albeit without a trio. Its propulsive, tumultuous character tempered towards the end of the short contrapuntal development section, culminating in a quiet una corda passage where the forward motion nearly halted without a change in tempo.
The theme of the variations that concluded Op. 109 resembled a Sarabande, with a serene quality achieved through lingering on the tonic E and embellishing it with adjacent intervals. Beethoven's instruction "sung, with innermost feeling" emphasized the sublime lyrical essence, reaching its apex in the remarkable sixth variation and the subsequent recapitulation of the original theme.
Amid the striking contrasts of the previous five variations, the sixth variation signaled a return to the Sarabande in the original key, temporarily closing the loop. However, Beethoven illuminated the theme from within, prolonging its dominant pedal point and eventually morphing it into a fast trill in both hands. Through rhythmic acceleration and expanding pitch ranges, the slow cantabile theme underwent an explosive transformation, creating an elaborate chain of shimmering, vibrating sounds.
This ecstatic moment, briefly hinted at in the Coda of the first movement and the fortissimo climax of Variation IV, hinted at the unforeseen. Following this climax, a gradual diminuendo led to a lightly varied da capo of the theme, now appearing transfigured after the musical journey.
The variations that concluded the sonata encapsulated two cycles of transformations: the first five variations adhered to the original theme, offering diverse expressive reconfigurations, while the sixth variation initiated a new series of changes guided by the relentless logic of rhythmic development. The final variation sought to overcome the inevitable passage of time and sound by saturating the theme with unparalleled material density.
In the case of Op. 109, Beethoven chose a different approach for the closing variation, distinct from Op. 111, ending with a da capo repetition of the original Sarabande-like theme. This decision hinted at a connection to Bach's famous "Goldberg Variations," especially given the thematic similarities with Bach's works. Although Op. 109 mirrored aspects of Bach's variations, Beethoven's innovative use of the pedal in the final chord, without resolution, conveyed a sense of an open-ended conclusion, enhancing the lingering E Major sound that bookended the Sarabande. This remarkable ending gesture resonated with Beethoven's motto "ars longa, vita brevis" ("art is long, life is short"), suggesting a unity of sound and silence that transcended conventional boundaries and beckoned the listener to continue experiencing its circular structure beyond the auditory realm.
On December 6, 1821, Beethoven penned a heartfelt dedication of his E Major Sonata to Maximiliane Brentano, the daughter of Antonie Brentano, possibly the intended recipient of his 1812 letter to the "immortal beloved." The composer reflected on the enduring spirit of friendship shared with the Brentano family, referring to cherished memories from a decade earlier. Emerging from a severe illness, Beethoven's recovery allowed a resurgence in humor and creativity, shaping the composition of his Sonata in A-flat Major, Op. 110, alongside his final Sonata in C Minor, Op. 111, in 1822.
Humor pervaded the second movement of Op. 110, resembling a Scherzo in form and character. Beethoven subtly alluded to two Silesian folk songs in the main section, infusing the piece with lively syncopation and cascades of descending figurations in the trio section.
This humor-infused Allegro molto contrasted with the contemplative and transcendental character of the surrounding movements. Scholars noted a sense of anticipation in the opening Moderato cantabile molto espressivo of Op. 110, signifying the piece's prescient unfolding and foreshadowing the subsequent developments. This sense of anticipation permeated the structure, with thematic elements integrated from the outset as a guiding motif for the entire work.