Beethoven’s music has accompanied pianist Jan Bartoš throughout his life, and each return to it raises new questions and reveals previously unseen connections. At Smetana’s Litomyšl, he will perform all thirty-two of the composer’s piano sonatas over four days – ten hours of music in total. Each sonata has a character of its own, but Jan Bartoš also wants to show what unites them: a journey through Beethoven’s world from youthful daring through dramatic struggles to wisdom, compassion and reconciliation. In his view, even after two centuries this music has lost none of its radicalism or its power to speak about the essence of human existence. In 2027, the 200th anniversary of Beethoven’s death, we will set out on this journey with him.
The last three sonatas form a continuous closing arc. Op. 109 moves towards variations, Op. 110 combines the Arioso dolente with a fugue, and Op. 111 reduces the form to two movements, of which the Arietta with variations brings the whole world of the sonatas to a close.
programme
Ludwig van Beethoven
Piano Sonata No. 30 in E major, Op. 109
Piano Sonata No. 31 in A-flat major, Op. 110
Piano Sonata No. 32 in C minor, Op. 111
Performers
Jan Bartoš – piano
photogallery
