Beethoven: Piano Sonata 26 - 28

 

This seventh volume in my Works Series series follows Beethoven's piano sonatas from pianist Stephen Kovacevich. This post will cover CD7 in Warner's 2017 set, which includes Piano Sonatas 26 - 28.

This is the first of Warner's volumes to skip out of chronological / catalog order, thus I will only be covering Op. 81a, Op. 90, and Op. 101 here. I will include the later Op. 109 in the next volume, where I can place it between Op. 106 and Op. 110.

With these three piano sonatas, we tackle the works from the end of Beethoven's middle compositional period and the beginnings of his late compositional period. In this way, I often consider them transitional pieces.

For those looking for my generalized thoughts, skip to the bottom. Otherwise, I will do a movement-by-movement breakdown of each sonata for those who wish to listen along. I provided a YouTube playlist at the very bottom of this blog post of Stephen Kovacevich's recorded performances in order to make it easier to follow along with my thoughts.

Piano Sonata 26, op. 81a

Movement 1
Key: E-flat Major
Meter: 2/4
Tempo: Adagio & Allegro
BPM: ♪ = 50 & 𝅗𝅥 = 112

I have always found Beethoven's Les Adieux Sonata a rather curious work. I have never found it to be completely satisfying, where even the programmatic movement titles have done little for me.

A slow introduction introduces many of the themes found across the movement. The opening three-note, downward-moving fanfare almost sounds out 'Three Blind Mice', although Beethoven puts a deceptive chord upon the third note, subverting listeners expectations. The immediately following upward leaping fourths and fifths will also be utilized across the movement, although both of these motivic ideas will be found in a faster Allegro.

The thing about these themes is Beethoven doesn't employ them in garish ways. Rather, he almost hides these ideas when the piano is in full motion with many voices. On the other hand, he also stop the action of the music to present the descending 'Three Blind Mice' melody, usually set in imitation, and sometimes uncomfortably close in imitation at that.

I am noticing the right hand and left hand are often farther apart from each other. This creates a rather spare texture, especially if the left hand has close-knit block chords further down in the bass. Beethoven is also giving into more obscure chromatic motion, although nothing which distracts at this point. Just some unusual chord progression that are tossed off quickly, but are quite curious.

If there is an aspect I really enjoy in this particular movement, it is the first theme of the Allegro portion, the one with rising right-hand octaves. There is something about the motoric left-hand arpeggios against the soaring right hand which captures my imagination.

Movement 2
Key: C minor
Meter: 2/4
Tempo: Andante espressivo
BPM: ♪ = 50

Like Op. 53, I find this movement more transitional and linking rather than a movement to stand on its own. If anything is sturdy in this central movement, it is the opening melody, although even it is filled with ambiguous harmonic motion and unstable augmented and diminished intervals to create great unease.

The middle portion is highly ornamented and decorated, setting itself apart from the outer portions of its short runtime. That, and this area is a little more harmonically stable than what exists around it.



Movement 3
Key: E-flat Major
Meter: 6/8
Tempo: Vivacissimamente
BPM: . = 104

Bounding arpeggios ripple away as a fast introduction segues from the last movement. This leads to a lilting figure which clears the rough cobwebs of the opening arpeggios.

Generally speaking, this is a movement of great joy, with little taking away from its exuberance. Only some short octaves existing on their own break up the forward motion, and even these seem to be more playful insertions rather than anything contrasting.

A short Coda slows down the tempo to an Andante, which Stephen Kovacevich treats more as rubato than an actual tempo change. A brightly-paced button brings the work to a quick close.

As I said at the top, I find this a rather quirky piece as a whole, not completely gelling in my mind. Truth be told, it might be the central movement which disrupts my pleasures, but I suppose it serves its purpose.

Piano Sonata 27, op. 90

Movement 1
Key: E minor
Meter: 3/4
Tempo: Mit Lebhaftigkeit und durchaus mit Empfindung und Ausdruck
BPM:  = 166

Quite frankly, I find most of Beethoven's two-movement piano sonatas rather odd, and this one is no exception. While the new German-language tempo markings are a bit of well-needed Nationalism in Germany in Beethoven's time, they still seem unusually descriptive all the same.

The opening melody could have been a swarthy, swashbuckling musical adventure, but Beethoven generally choose inwardness, walking away fromoverly grandiose statements. I find Kovacevich very free with his application of rubato in these portions, imbuing a thoughtfulness rather than a drive, although the pianist does feel the movement 'in 1'.

There is a moment where octaves are exchanged back and forth between the left and right hands in imitation, akin to a similar moment I noticed in Op. 81a. This imitation also becomes uncomfortably close, even creating unusual dissonance as a byproduct. That, and the occasional diminished and augmented intervals rear their head again rather starkly.

When the listener reached the Coda, Kovacevich takes his time, pulling the momentum back a fair bit, making for a rather contemplative conclusion.



Movement 2
Key: E Major
Meter: 2/4
Tempo: Nicht zu geschwind und sehr singbar vorgetragen
BPM:  = 80 - 90

Being only two movements, I suppose I can't criticize Beethoven for ending this E-minor piano sonata in E Major. Nor does the composer seem even bothered to enter into anything e-minor related, although a short key change reminds the listener for a short span.

One can forgive his choice of E Major as the final key, for never have I heard Beethoven create anything remotely as dreamy and delightful as this final movement. While this movement might not be my favorite slow movement from Beethoven, if one could call this movement slow, but it is a top contender for sure.

This movement could almost be called a perpetuo, for the accompanying arpeggios are nearly unending. Yet, Beethoven mixes it up, ever so slightly changing up the rhythmic make-up, yet without destroying the mood he created. There are contrasting sections, but everything is related and put into a musically-contained scope.

Piano Sonata 28, op. 101

Movement 1
Key: A Major
Meter: 6/8
Tempo: Allegretto, ma non troppo
BPM: . = 60


The strangest aspect of this first movement actually lays in its relation to the final movement of the last piano sonata, Op. 90. Both are set in the key of E Major and both bear a lilting 6/8 time signature. Yet, one would only know this is they listened to the two works back to back, as if Beethoven is simply continuing exactly where he left off last time.

Even the tone is remarkably similar, with a light dreaminess and a disarming gentleness. Only some off off-beat chords (syncopated even) disrupt the reverie, and yet even here Beethoven is extremely delicate.

Even small turns into minor are merely passing flavors rather than a turn towards contrast, akin to a slightly darker hued cloud amidst fluffy white ones moving o'erhead. These moment really only feature a gruffer bass line, leaned into by Kovacevich. Also, pay no attention to my beats per minute, for the pianist is very free with rubato here, albeit very natural sounding.

I might normally use monochrome as a criticism, but coming from the striking contrasts of the composer's middle compositional period, this is a compliment as well as a change for Beethoven.

But did I mention this piano sonata isn't actually in E Major, it is in A Major! And yet, Beethoven only lands in A Major towards the end of the movement, a curiosity for sure.


Movement 2
Key: F Major
Meter: Common time
Tempo: Vivace alla marcia
BPM:  = 144

Really, this feels like a jaunty skip rather than a march. Dotted rhythms permeate the movement, only broken up by a smoother central section, where Beethoven also completely changes the key to B-flat Major. Only when the dotted rhythms begin to reappear do we know he is transitioning back to his initial musical ideas.

I could imagine this movement sound more playful and humorous, whereas Kovacevich seems rather serious here. This is not a criticism per se, but more of an observation at this point. 



Movement 3
Key: A minor
Meter: 2/4
Tempo: Adagio, ma non troppo, con affetto
BPM: ♪ = 36

Beethoven positions a Scherzo in the previous second movement instead of the normal third movement position. I assume he does this so as to link the third and fourth movements together without a break. That means this is another linking transitional movement than it is an actual stand-alone movement, at least to my ears.

Like Op. 81a, the movement begins chordal, with chromatic flecks thrown in. As the movement progresses, the music becomes more highly decorated and embellished, areas where the harmonies stray further from the A-minor key.

To link movement three with movement four, a right-hand flourish leads to a return of the first-movement E-Major theme. That's right; the delicate, lilting music from the beginning of the work. Some trills signal a change to the fourth-movement proper.



Movement 4
Key: A Major
Meter: 2/4
Tempo: Allegro
BPM:  = 120

This might be the most outwardly gregarious music I have heard from Beethoven from this trio of piano sonatas, and yet, even this movement is more light and playful than it is inherently dramatic. Imitative octaves, with the right and left hands far apart, create an unusual texture, although the filler material between the statements contrast the texture nicely. While there is a short motoric middle area, Beethoven doesn't quite keep a Baroque feeling yet. 

Most important though, is the idea of a falling third, perhaps an imitation of the composer's famous Symphony no. 5, a motive he will continually reference here, sometimes to cheeky effect.

The composer eventually transitions to the key of C Major, a chromatic-mediant relationship to the opening A Major, a point in the movement where Beethoven essentially stops the music of this movement altogether, in order to start something completely new.

A honest-to-goodness fugue! Yes, he bases that falling third interval into his fugal material and drives home the music in a Baroque fashion, with just a few moments of quite texture breaking up the forward-moving action.

I use the terms unusual, unexpected, strange, and curious way too often when speaking of Beethoven's music to have any effect at this point, yet this complete change-up in the ninth inning of the game is a very out-of-left-field move from the composer. And not unwelcome, as this movement almost puts three previous three movements completely out of mind, and if not completely, than at least the linking third movement.

Final Thoughts

While pianist Stephen Kovacevich imbues noticeable forward motion in Beethoven, he is remarkably delicate and gentle when the music calls for such things. This is not strong-armed music and Kovacevich doesn't try to stir up drama where it isn't called for, following Beethoven's instructions well.

I think as a reaction to this new-found delicacy, Kovacevich employs more rubato than he had in Beethoven's early and middle compositional periods. I don't begrudge him the opportunity either, for any rubato is applied with great intelligence, keeping the focus on the music and composer, rather than the performer.

I will be wrapping up Beethoven's late piano sonatas soon, a journey which is always fascinating considering where we as listeners have come from thus far. Next time I will cover Op. 106, Op. 109, and Op. 110.

As I always, I look forward to the next volume with you my friends!

Cheers!

Work Series
Vol. 7 from Beethoven Piano Sonatas on Warner

Works
Piano Sonata 26 in E-flat Major 'Les Adieux', op. 81a (15.40)
Piano Sonata 27 in E minor, op. 90 (12.27)
Piano Sonata 28 in A Major, op. 101 (20.34)

Soloist
Stephen Kovacevich, piano

Label: EMI / Warner
Year: 1991-2002; 2017

Find more Beethoven recordings HERE!