Beethoven/Wallen/Hoad: Ensemble 360; Sheffield Crucible studio 20/5/22

BEETHOVEN Piano Sonatas No.30 in E Op.109; No.31 in A flat Op.110; 32 in C minor Op.111; WALLEN The Negro Speaks of Rivers; FRANCES-HOAD Invocation; BEETHOVEN Cello Sonata Op.102 No.2 Tim Horton, Ensemble 360

These are very difficult works to listen to with many incidental – indeed transcendental –  beauties,  but often with quirks and turns which make it difficult to know where the music is going – as I seem to remember Barenboim saying, even if you play two notes on a piano you are in a way telling a story because you are setting up a relationship between the two and asking the question ‘what next?’. Telling a story, however complex, does seem particularly important in these sonatas. One of my favourite movements in these great works, the final movement of Op109 ends particularly abruptly – and indeed I’m put in mind of the end of the Missa Solemnis which has a similar ‘that’s it, take it or leave it’ feel. In the case of the latter work, it’s very much up to the conductor and the speed relationships established in the Agnus Dei as to whether that ending makes sense and the same of course is true of the pianist in these sonatas. So in Op 109 I felt, in Tim Horton’s performance, that the first movement was too fast and unvarying, while the slow movement seemed under characterised and too quick. Consequently, the ending seemed too abrupt and without clear meaning. In Op 110 I didn’t get a sense of ‘the story’ either. In Op111 however there was a much better sense of narrative and the second, slow, movement was taken at a much slower pace than Op 109 and was very beautiful, with a real sense of peaceful resolution at the end.

It will be interesting to hear how Andras Schiff plays these works at the Proms in early September (I bought a Proms weekend standing pass for that and the two Berlin Phil concerts)

I had planned to stay for the second half of this concert but felt so emotionally drained after 80 mins or so of these works without a break that I felt the better course was to go home at the interval!