Over het album

The first three…

Both highly in demand on a worldwide scale as unique, exceptional chamber music performers, Antje Weithaas and Dénes Várjon each ideally combine the highest degree of enthusiasm and precision: their energetic, passionate playing is the result of intense concentration.

In Vol. I of their complete recording of Beethoven’s violin sonatas, Weithaas and Várjon have chosen not to follow chronological order, but to seek out thrilling contrast and fascinating variety instead – thus making Beethoven’s rapid evolution as a composer all the more astounding. Volume 1, featuring Op. 12/2, Op. 23, and Op. 47, revolves around the tonal center of A major / A minor.

All movements in these three sonatas are “in A”, except for the middle movement in the Kreutzer Sonata, which is in F major. All three works follow tradition in terms of general structure: they are in three movements, with rapid outer movements in sonata or rondo form surrounding a slower middle movement that tends to be melodious.

For Beethoven, however, such a link with tradition could only serve as a springboard for innovation.

We can thus clearly trace the astounding transformation of Beethoven’s style between the 2nd and the second-to-last violin sonata, particularly since both are in A major. The two other volumes of this complete recording of Beethoven’s violin sonatas are foreseen for
release within the next 12 months