Beethoven: Complete Sonatas for Piano
Steven Masi (piano)
Acclaimed as an artist of unusual sensitivity and virtuosity, pianist Steven Masi has concertized extensively throughout North America, Europe and Asia. As a recitalist and chamber musician he has appeared at the Aspen Music Festival, Casals Festival, Chattauqua Festival and Music Festival of the Hamptons, and as a guest soloist with orchestras such as the Atlanta Symphony and New Symphony Orchestra of London. Critic Colin Clarke has written about his Beethoven performances: "It is not exaggerating to suggest that Masi belongs with the elite in the late sonatas, providing as satisfying an experience as the likes of Solomon, Kempff, and Pollini, for example." Producer Joseph Patrych comments that "When Mr. Masi approached me with the idea of tackling this set, I was compelled by the maturity and thoughtfulness of his playing in the ones I heard. What you have before you represents the fruit of five years of labor, consideration, discussion and a shared passion for this seminal body of work in the piano literature."
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Track Listing
| Title | Composer | Performer |
|---|---|---|
| Piano Sonata No. 1 in F Minor, Op. 2, No. 1 | Ludwig van Beethoven | Steven Masi, piano |
| Piano Sonata No. 2 in A major, Op. 2, No. 2 | Ludwig van Beethoven | Steven Masi, piano |
| Piano Sonata No. 3 in C major, Op. 2, No. 3 | Ludwig van Beethoven | Steven Masi, piano |
| Piano Sonata No. 4 in E-flat major, Op. 7 | Ludwig van Beethoven | Steven Masi, piano |
| Piano Sonata No. 15 in D major, Op. 28 | Ludwig van Beethoven | Steven Masi, piano |
| Piano Sonata No. 5 in C minor, Op. 10, No. 1 | Ludwig van Beethoven | Steven Masi, piano |
| Piano Sonata No. 6 in F major, Op. 10, No. 2 | Ludwig van Beethoven | Steven Masi, piano |
| Piano Sonata No. 7 in D major, Op. 10, No. 3 | Ludwig van Beethoven | Steven Masi, piano |
| Piano Sonata No. 8 in C minor, Op. 13 "Sonata Pathétique" | Ludwig van Beethoven | Steven Masi, piano |
| Piano Sonata No. 9 in E major, Op. 14, No. 1 | Ludwig van Beethoven | Steven Masi, piano |
| Piano Sonata No. 10 in G major, Op. 14, No. 2 | Ludwig van Beethoven | Steven Masi, piano |
| Piano Sonata No. 11 in B-flat major, Op. 22 | Ludwig van Beethoven | Steven Masi, piano |
| Piano Sonata No. 19 in G minor, Op. 49, No. 1 | Ludwig van Beethoven | Steven Masi, piano |
| Piano Sonata No. 12 in A-flat major, Op. 26 | Ludwig van Beethoven | Steven Masi, piano |
| Piano Sonata No. 13 in E-flat major "Quasi una fantasia," Op. 27, No. 1 | Ludwig van Beethoven | Steven Masi, piano |
| Piano Sonata No. 14 in C-sharp minor "Quasi una fantasia," Op. 27, No. 2 "Moonlight Sonata" | Ludwig van Beethoven | Steven Masi, piano |
| Piano Sonata No. 16 in G major, Op. 31, No. 1 | Ludwig van Beethoven | Steven Masi, piano |
| Piano Sonata No. 17 in D minor, Op. 31, No. 2 "The Tempest" | Ludwig van Beethoven | Steven Masi, piano |
| Piano Sonata No. 18 in E-flat major, Op. 31, No. 3 "The Hunt" | Ludwig van Beethoven | Steven Masi, piano |
| Piano Sonata No. 21 in C major, Op. 53 "Waldstein" | Ludwig van Beethoven | Steven Masi, piano |
| Piano Sonata No. 22 in F major, Op. 54 | Ludwig van Beethoven | Steven Masi, piano |
| Piano Sonata No. 23 in F minor, Op. 57 "Appassionata" | Ludwig van Beethoven | Steven Masi, piano |
| Piano Sonata No. 27 in E minor, Op. 90 | Ludwig van Beethoven | Steven Masi, piano |
| Piano Sonata No. 24 in F-sharp major, Op. 78 "à Thérèse" | Ludwig van Beethoven | Steven Masi, piano |
| Piano Sonata No. 26 in E-flat major, Op. 81a "Das Lebewohl" | Ludwig van Beethoven | Steven Masi, piano |
| Piano Sonata No. 28 in A major, Op. 101 | Ludwig van Beethoven | Steven Masi, piano |
| Piano Sonata No. 29 in B-flat major, Op. 106 "Große Sonate für des Hammerklavier" | Ludwig van Beethoven | Steven Masi, piano |
| Piano Sonata No. 30 in E major, Op. 109 | Ludwig van Beethoven | Steven Masi, piano |
| Piano Sonata No. 31 in A-flat major, Op. 110 | Ludwig van Beethoven | Steven Masi, piano |
| Piano Sonata No. 32 in C minor, Op. 11 | Ludwig van Beethoven | Steven Masi, piano |
Reviews
- “
"It's been quite a season for Beethoven piano music enthusiasts. In the past several months, we've witnessed the completion of sonata cycles by Paavali Jumppanen and Jean-Efflam Bavouzet, not to mention the epic conclusion of Ronald Brautigam's survey of Beethoven's complete solo piano works. Then, there was the fruition of a set with whose performer, Steven Masi, I had been absolutely unfamiliar but with which I've been having the pleasure of new acquaintance. What sets Masi's set apart from the others is a sense of voyage, a kind of spontaneous approach to each sonata that charts a singular path of progression through a series of pieces that, all too often, can come off sounding glib, affected or some uneasy combination of both For breathtaking virtuosity serving safe interpretations well inside established lines, we are spoiled for choice, but much rarer is the offering of insight via a unified vision of this extraordinary body of work. This is Masi's crowning achievement."
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"A strong recommendation if you're looking to steer clear of the "glossy and manicured"magazine cover type of production. And the packaging by Albany Records is first class. The box opens up like a binder, with each individual CD protected by a plastic sleeve that you can easily flip back and forth over binder rings. Its too bad they don't give out awards for packaging."
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"What a distinguished congregation of pianists have recorded a complete Beethoven cycle. It's a virtual universe of pianists, with immense differences, often, from pianist to pianist. What is almost startling about Steven Masi's performances is his almost complete avoidance of the sustaining pedal. Five years of effort went into this recording of the complete Beethoven cycle and it is a remarkable achievement. It is noting if not distinctive which makes it a Beethoven cycle of major distinction."
*Album cover provided for Editorial use only. ©Albany Records. The Albany Imprint is a registered trademark of PARMA Recordings LLC. The views and opinions expressed in this media are those of the artist and do not necessarily represent or reflect the views and opinions held by PARMA Recordings LLC and its label imprints, subsidiaries, and affiliates.