Beethoven Unbound

£40.00£70.00

A stunning 12-CD box set, Beethoven Unbound, will be released to mark the completion of Llŷr Williams’ monumental Beethoven cycle at Wigmore Hall and the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama (RWCMD) – recorded live at Wigmore Hall over three years and nine recitals.

As well as the complete piano sonatas, the box set also features other works including the 32 Variations in C minor, Eroica Variations, Opus 126 Bagatelles and the Diabelli Variations, a total of almost 14 hours of music. This is Williams’ fourth album on Signum Classics. Beethoven Unbound is presented in a beautiful hinged box with extensive notes by Misha Donat, and personal notes by Williams and the album’s award-winning producer Judith Sherman, with whom Williams worked previously on his Wagner Without Words release.

Williams comments on the box set and the partnership with Sherman: “Rather than adopt the chronological approach, I have arranged the works roughly in the order that I played them in the concerts, and each CD has been devised as a mini-recital programme. This has sometimes allowed for creativity in putting the pieces together. Working with Judy on this project has been a joy and a privilege. It was sad to reach the end – but at least we still have a Schubert cycle to look forward to!”

Williams has developed a reputation as one of the finest exponents of Beethoven, since giving his first Beethoven cycle in Perth in 2010, and winning a South Bank Sky Arts Award in 2012 for an epic two-week marathon in Edinburgh. The Guardian said of one of his RWCMD cycle recitals in 2016: “Williams’ already considerable stature as a Beethoven interpreter seems to grow with every performance” (Rian Evans, 25 March 2016) and The Independent commented on a Wigmore recital: “Williams treats it [the keyboard] as an extension of his body, and with the three Opus 10 sonatas plus the Diabelli Variations he took us onto an altogether higher plane” (Michael Church, 12 October 2016). 2017 saw the conclusion not only of the solo series at Wigmore Hall and the RWCMD, but also of a complete concerto cycle with the Scottish Chamber Orchestra.

Williams plays with profound intelligence and a wittily knowing ear for the quirky surprises Beethoven lays in the path of the pianist – The Observer

[Williams’ playing contains] wisdom and humour, comedy and tragedy, the lyrical and the fierce – BARN Magazine

A musical feast of almost 14 hours of music that comes highly recommended Northern Echo

The best of these performances are out of the top drawer and all are worthy of careful listening. At its bargain price this set is highly recommended to all lovers of Beethoven’s piano music – iClassical

Wonderful recordings BBC Radio 3 In Tune

SKU: SIGCD527
 iTUNES  Spotify

Llŷr Williams Piano


RELEASE DATE: 31/03/2018

CATALOGUE NUMBER: SIGCD527

BARCODE: 635212052723

CD1

Piano Sonata in F minor Op 2 No 1[18’02]

1 Allegro[3’54]

2 Adagio[5’18]

3 Menuetto: Allegretto[3’36]

4 Prestissimo[5’14]

Piano Sonata in A major Op 2 No 2[24’26]

5 Allegro vivace[7’32]

6 Largo appassionato[6’42]

7 Scherzo: Allegretto[3’17]

8 Rondo: Grazioso[6’55]

Piano Sonata in C major Op 2 No 3[27’43]

9 Allegro con brio[10’16]

10 Adagio[8’54]

11 Scherzo: Allegro[3’10]

12 Allegro assai[5’23]

 

CD2

Piano Sonata in F minor ‘Appassionata’ Op 57[25’46]

13 Allegro assai[10’50]

14 Andante con moto[6’46]

15 Allegro ma non troppo[8’10]

16 6 Variations on an original theme in F major Op 34[13’12]

Piano Sonata in E major Op 14 No 1[14’28]

17 Allegro[6’51]

18 Allegretto[3’56]

19 Allegro comodo[3’41]

Piano Sonata in G major Op 14 No 2[16’44]

20 Allegro[7’20]

21 Andante[5’56]

22 Scherzo: Allegro assai[3’28]

23 Fantasia in G minor Op 77[9’37]

 

CD3

Piano Sonata in E flat major ‘Quasi una fantasia’ Op 27 No 1[16’59]

24 Andante – Allegro – Tempo I[5’42]

25 Allegro molto e vivace[2’11]

26 Adagio con espressione[3’13]

27 Allegro vivace[5’53]

Piano Sonata in C sharp minor ‘Moonlight’ Op 27 No 2[16’19]

28 Adagio sostenuto[6’25]

29 Allegretto[2’23]

30 Presto agitato[7’31]

Piano Sonata in A major Op 101[22’43]

31 Allegretto ma non troppo (Etwas lebhaft und mit der innigsten Empfindung)[4’56]

32 Vivace alla marcia (Lebhaft, Marschmäßig)[6’44]

33 Adagio, ma non troppo, con affetto (Langsam und sehnsuchtsvoll) – Allegro (Geschwind, doch nicht zu sehr, und mit Entschlossenheit)[11’03]

34 Klavierstück in A minor ‘Für Elise’ WoO59[3’17]

 

CD4

Piano Sonata in G major Op 31 No 1[24’35]

35 Allegro vivace[6’51]

36 Adagio grazioso[10’59]

37 Allegretto[6’45]

Piano Sonata in D minor ‘Tempest’ Op 31 No 2[24’58]

38 Largo – Allegro[8’50]

39 Adagio[8’52]

40 Allegretto[7’16]

Piano Sonata in E flat major Op 31 No 3[23’19]

41 Allegro[8’52]

42 Scherzo: Allegretto vivace[5’04]

43 Menuetto: Moderato e grazioso[4’42]

44 Presto con fuoco[4’41]

 

CD5

Piano Sonata in B flat major Op 22[26’26]

45 Allegro con brio[7’51]

46 Adagio con molta espressione[8’50]

47 Minuetto[3’32]

48 Rondo: Allegretto[6’13]

Piano Sonata in F major Op 54[12’57]

49 In tempo d’un menuetto[6’23]

50 Allegretto – Più allegro[6’34]

Piano Sonata in C major ‘Waldstein’ Op 53[26’40]

51 Allegro con brio[10’57]

52 Introduzione: Adagio molto[4’44]

53 Rondo: Allegretto moderato – Prestissimo[10’59]

54 Andante in F major ‘Andante favori’ WoO57[10’02]

 

CD6

15 Variations and a fugue on an original theme ‘Eroica’ Op 35[24’56]

55 Complete: Introduzione col Basso del Tema – Tema – Variations 1-15 – Finale alla Fuga[24’56]

Piano Sonata in A flat major Op 26[20’29]

56 Andante con variazioni[8’10]

57 Scherzo: Allegro molto[2’45]

58 Marcia funebre sulla morte d’un eroe[6’26]

59 Allegro[3’08]

Piano Sonata in E flat major ‘Les adieux’ Op 81a[18’18]

60 Das Lebewohl: Adagio – Allegro[7’44]

61 Abwesenheit: Andante espressivo –[4’27]

62 Das Wiedersehen: Vivacissimamente[6’07]

 

CD7

Piano Sonata in C minor ‘Pathétique’ Op 13[19’48]

63 Grave – Allegro di molto e con brio[9’24]

64 Adagio cantabile[5’18]

65 Rondo: Allegro[5’06]

Seven Bagatelles Op 33

66 No 1 in E flat major: Andante grazioso, quasi allegretto[4’05]

67 No 2 in C major: Scherzo. Allegro – Trio[2’48]

68 No 3 in F major: Allegretto[2’15]

69 No 4 in A major: Andante[3’10]

70 No 5 in C major: Allegro ma non troppo[3’09]

71 No 6 in D major: Allegretto quasi andante[2’35]

72 No 7 in A flat major: Presto[3’05]

Piano Sonata in E minor Op 90[14’40]

73 Mit Lebhaftigkeit und durchaus mit Empfindung und Ausdruck[6’19]

74 Nicht zu geschwind und sehr singbar vorgetragen[8’21]

Piano Sonata in G major Op 79[9’38]

75 Presto alla tedesca[4’39]

76 Andante[2’47]

77 Vivace[2’12]

 

CD8

Piano Sonata in B flat major ‘Hammerklavier’ Op 106[46’38]

78 Allegro[11’23]

79 Scherzo: Assai vivace – Presto[2’42]

80 Adagio sostenuto, appassionato e con molto sentimento[19’57]

81 Largo – Allegro – Allegro risoluto[12’36]

Six Bagatelles Op 126

82 No 1 in G major: Andante con moto[3’08]

83 No 2 in G minor: Allegro[2’54]

84 No 3 in E flat major: Andante[2’33]

85 No 4 in B minor: Presto[3’57]

86 No 5 in G major: Quasi allegretto[2’42]

87 No 6 in E flat major: Presto – Andante amabile e con moto – Tempo I[4’13]

 

CD9

Piano Sonata in C minor Op 10 No 1[20’50]

88 Allegro molto e con brio[6’34]

89 Adagio molto[9’26]

90 Prestissimo[4’50]

Piano Sonata in F major Op 10 No 2[14’36]

91 Allegro[6’10]

92 Allegretto[4’34]

93 Presto[3’52]

Piano Sonata in D major Op 10 No 3[25’14]

94 Presto[7’02]

95 Largo e mesto[10’57]

96 Menuetto: Allegro[2’58]

97 Rondo: Allegro[4’17]

98 32 Variations on an original theme in C minor WoO80[10’57]

 

CD10

Piano Sonata in G minor Op 49 No 1[8’14]

99 Andante[4’40]

100 Allegro[3’34]

33 Variations on a waltz by Anton Diabelli in C ‘Diabelli Variations’ Op 120[55’41]

101 Theme: Vivace[0’53]

102 Variation 1: Alla marcia maestoso[2’02]

103 Variation 2: Poco allegro[0’55]

104 Variation 3: L’istesso tempo[1’19]

105 Variation 4: Un poco più vivace[1’05]

106 Variation 5: Allegro vivace[0’58]

107 Variation 6: Allegro ma non troppo e serioso[1’43]

108 Variation 7: Un poco più allegro[1’06]

109 Variation 8: Poco vivace[1’15]

110 Variation 9: Allegro pesante e risoluto[1’47]

111 Variation 10: Presto[0’41]

112 Variation 11: Allegretto[1’10]

113 Variation 12: Un poco più moto[0’55]

114 Variation 13: Vivace[1’21]

115 Variation 14: Grave e maestoso[4’07]

116 Variation 15: Presto scherzando[0’42]

117 Variation 16: Allegro[0’58]

118 Variation 17: Allegro[1’03]

119 Variation 18: Poco moderato[2’10]

120 Variation 19: Presto[0’50]

121 Variation 20: Andante[2’47]

122 Variation 21: Allegro con brio – Meno allegro – Tempo primo[1’39]

123 Variation 22: Allegro molto, alla ‘Notte e giorno faticar’ di Mozart[0’50]

124 Variation 23: Allegro assai[0’59]

125 Variation 24: Fughetta: Andante[3’03]

126 Variation 25: Allegro[0’48]

127 Variation 26: [Piacevole][0’57]

128 Variation 27: Vivace[0’57]

129 Variation 28: Allegro[1’01]

130 Variation 29: Adagio ma non troppo[1’14]

131 Variation 30: Andante, sempre cantabile[2’11]

132 Variation 31: Largo, molto espressivo[5’06]

133 Variation 32: Fuga: Allegro[3’03]

134 Variation 33: Tempo di Menuetto moderato[4’06]

Piano Sonata in G major Op 49 No 2[8’37]

135 Allegro, ma non troppo[4’42]

136 Tempo di Menuetto[3’55]

 

CD11

Piano Sonata in E flat major ‘Grande Sonate’ Op 7[31’20]

137 Allegro molto e con brio[8’32]

138 Largo, con gran espressione[9’37]

139 Allegro[5’24]

140 Rondo: Poco allegretto e grazioso[7’47]

Piano Sonata in F sharp major Op 78[10’37]

141 Adagio cantabile – Allegro ma non troppo[7’24]

142 Allegro vivace[3’13]

Piano Sonata in D major ‘Pastoral’ Op 28[28’10]

143 Allegro[11’53]

144 Andante[8’05]

145 Scherzo: Allegro vivace[2’38]

146 Rondo: Allegro ma non troppo[5’34]

 

CD12

Piano Sonata in E major Op 109[20’56]

147 Vivace ma non troppo – Adagio espressivo –[3’55]

148 Prestissimo[2’39]

149 Andante molto cantabile ed espressivo: Gesangvoll mit innigster Empfindung[14’22]

Piano Sonata in A flat major Op 110[21’32]

150 Moderato, cantabile molto espressivo[7’17]

151 Allegro molto[2’20]

152 Adagio ma non troppo – Fuga: Allegro ma non troppo[11’55]

Piano Sonata in C minor Op 111[28’38]

153 Maestoso – Allegro con brio ed appassionato[9’06]

154 Arietta: Adagio[19’32]

Go to Top