Llŷr.Williams-Beethoven.Unbound.[24-bit Hi-Res].(12CDs).(2018).[FLAC]
About the album (compilation):
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.
CD01
01. Piano Sonata No. 1 in F Minor, Op. 2 No. 1: I. Allegro (03:54)
02. Piano Sonata No. 1 in F Minor, Op. 2 No. 1: II. Adagio (05:18)
03. Piano Sonata No. 1 in F Minor, Op. 2 No. 1: III. Menuetto, Allegretto (03:36)
04. Piano Sonata No. 1 in F Minor, Op. 2 No. 1: IV. Prestissimo (05:14)
05. Piano Sonata No. 2 in A Major, Op. 2 No. 2: I. Allegro vivace (07:32)
06. Piano Sonata No. 2 in A Major, Op. 2 No. 2: II. Largo appassionato (06:42)
07. Piano Sonata No. 2 in A Major, Op. 2 No. 2: III. Scherzo. Allegretto (03:17)
08. Piano Sonata No. 2 in A Major, Op. 2 No. 2: IV. Rondo. Grazioso (06:55)
09. Piano Sonata No. 3 in C Major, Op. 2 No. 3: I. Allegro con brio (10:16)
10. Piano Sonata No. 3 in C Major, Op. 2 No. 3: II. Adagio (08:54)
11. Piano Sonata No. 3 in C Major, Op. 2 No. 3: III. Scherzo. Allegro (03:10)
12. Piano Sonata No. 3 in C Major, Op. 2 No. 3: IV. Allegro assai (05:23)
CD02
01. Piano Sonata No. 23 in F Minor, Op. 57, "e;Appassionata"e;: I. Allegro assai (10:50)
02. Piano Sonata No. 23 in F Minor, Op. 57, "e;Appassionata"e;: II. Andante con moto (06:46)
03. Piano Sonata No. 23 in F Minor, Op. 57, "e;Appassionata"e;: III. Allegro ma non troppo - Presto (08:10)
04. 6 Variations on an Original Theme in F Major, Op. 34 (13:12)
05. Piano Sonata No. 9 in E Major, Op. 14, No. 1: I. Allegro (06:51)
06. Piano Sonata No. 9 in E Major, Op. 14, No. 1: II. Allegretto (03:58)
07. Piano Sonata No. 9 in E Major, Op. 14, No. 1: III. Rondo. Allegro comodo (03:41)
08. Piano Sonata No. 10 in G Major, Op. 14, No. 2: I. Allegro (07:20)
09. Piano Sonata No. 10 in G Major, Op. 14, No. 2: II. Andante (05:56)
10. Piano Sonata No. 10 in G Major, Op. 14, No. 2: III. Scherzo. Allegro assai (03:28)
CD03
01. Fantasia in G Minor, Op. 77 (09:37)
02. Piano Sonata No. 13 in E-Flat Major, Op. 27, No. 1, "e;Quasi una fantasia"e;: I. Andante. Allegro (05:42)
03. Piano Sonata No. 13 in E-Flat Major, Op. 27, No. 1, "e;Quasi una fantasia"e;: II. Allegro molto e vivace (02:11)
04. Piano Sonata No. 13 in E-Flat Major, Op. 27, No. 1, "e;Quasi una fantasia"e;: III. Adagio con espressione (03:13)
05. Piano Sonata No. 13 in E-Flat Major, Op. 27, No. 1, "e;Quasi una fantasia"e;: IV. Allegro vivace (05:53)
06. Piano Sonata No. 14 in C-Sharp Minor, Op. 27, No. 2, "e;Moonlight"e;: I. Adagio sostenuto (06:25)
07. Piano Sonata No. 14 in C-Sharp Minor, Op. 27, No. 2, "e;Moonlight"e;: II. Allegretto (02:23)
08. Piano Sonata No. 14 in C-Sharp Minor, Op. 27, No. 2, "e;Moonlight"e;: III. Presto agitato (07:31)
09. Piano Sonata No. 28 in A Major, Op. 101: I. Etwas lebhaft und mit der innigsten Empfindung (04:56)
10. Piano Sonata No. 28 in A Major, Op. 101: II. Lebhaft. Marschmassig (06:44)
11. Piano Sonata No. 28 in A Major, Op. 101: III. Langsam und sehnsuchtsvoll – Zeitmaß des ersten Stückes – Geschwinde, doch nicht zu sehr, und mit Entschlossenheit (11:03)
12. Bagatelle in A Minor, WoO 59, "e;Fur Elise"e; (03:17)
CD04
01. Piano Sonata No. 16 in G Major, Op. 31, No. 1: I. Allegro vivace (06:51)
02. Piano Sonata No. 16 in G Major, Op. 31, No. 1: II. Adagio grazioso (10:59)
03. Piano Sonata No. 16 in G Major, Op. 31, No. 1: III. Rondo. Allegretto (06:45)
04. Piano Sonata No. 17 in D Minor, Op. 31, No. 2, "e;The Tempest"e;: I. Largo - Allegro (08:50)
05. Piano Sonata No. 17 in D Minor, Op. 31, No. 2, "e;The Tempest"e;: II. Adagio (08:52)
06. Piano Sonata No. 17 in D Minor, Op. 31, No. 2, "e;The Tempest"e;: III. Allegretto (07:16)
07. Piano Sonata No. 18 in E-Flat Major, Op. 31, No. 3, "e;La Chasse"e;: I. Allegro (08:52)
08. Piano Sonata No. 18 in E-Flat Major, Op. 31, No. 3, "e;La Chasse"e;: II. Scherzo. Allegretto vivace (05:04)
09. Piano Sonata No. 18 in E-Flat Major, Op. 31, No. 3, "e;La Chasse"e;: III. Menuetto. Moderato e grazioso - Trio (04:42)
10. Piano Sonata No. 18 in E-Flat Major, Op. 31, No. 3, "e;La Chasse"e;: IV. Presto con fuoco (04:41)
CD05
01. Piano Sonata No. 11 in B-Flat Major, Op. 22: I. Allegro con brio (07:51)
02. Piano Sonata No. 11 in B-Flat Major, Op. 22: II. Adagio con molto espressione (08:50)
03. Piano Sonata No. 11 in B-Flat Major, Op. 22: III. Minuetto (03:32)
04. Piano Sonata No. 11 in B-Flat Major, Op. 22: IV. Rondo. Allegretto (06:13)
05. Piano Sonata No. 22 in F Major, Op. 54: I. In tempo d'un minuetto (06:23)
06. Piano Sonata No. 22 in F Major, Op. 54: II. Allegretto - Più allegro (06:34)
07. Piano Sonata No. 21 in C Major, Op. 53, "e;Waldstein"e;: I. Allegro con brio (10:57)
08. Piano Sonata No. 21 in C Major, Op. 53, "e;Waldstein"e;: II. Introduzione. Adagio molto (04:44)
09. Piano Sonata No. 21 in C Major, Op. 53, "e;Waldstein"e;: III. Rondo. Allegretto moderato - Prestissimo (10:59)
10. Andante in F Major, WoO. 57, "e;Andante favori"e; (10:02)
CD06
01. 15 Variations and a Fugue on an Original Theme in E-Flat Major, Op. 35, "e;Eroica Variations"e; (24:56)
02. Piano Sonata No. 12 in A-Flat Major, Op. 26, "e;Funeral March"e;: I. Andante con variazioni (08:10)
03. Piano Sonata No. 12 in A-Flat Major, Op. 26, "e;Funeral March"e;: II. Scherzo. Molto allegro (02:45)
04. Piano Sonata No. 12 in A-Flat Major, Op. 26, "e;Funeral March"e;: III. Marcia funebre sulla morte d'un eroe (06:25)
05. Piano Sonata No. 12 in A-Flat Major, Op. 26, "e;Funeral March"e;: IV. Allegro (03:09)
06. Piano Sonata No. 26 in E-Flat Major, Op. 81a, "e;Les adieux"e;: I. Das Lebewohl. Adagio - Allegro (07:43)
07. Piano Sonata No. 26 in E-Flat Major, Op. 81a, "e;Les adieux"e;: II. Abwesenheit. Andante espressivo (04:27)
08. Piano Sonata No. 26 in E-Flat Major, Op. 81a, "e;Les adieux"e;: III. Das Wiedersehn. Vivacissimamente (06:07)
CD07
01. Piano Sonata No. 8 in C Minor, Op. 13, "e;Pathetique"e;: I. Grave - Allegro di molto e con brio (09:23)
02. Piano Sonata No. 8 in C Minor, Op. 13, "e;Pathetique"e;: II. Adagio cantabile (05:19)
03. Piano Sonata No. 8 in C Minor, Op. 13, "e;Pathetique"e;: III. Rondo. Allegro (05:06)
04. 7 Bagatelles, Op. 33: No. 1 in E-flat Major. Andante grazioso, quasi allegretto (04:05)
05. 7 Bagatelles, Op. 33: No. 2 in C Major. Scherzo allegro (02:48)
06. 7 Bagatelles, Op. 33: No. 3 in F Major. Allegretto (02:15)
07. 7 Bagatelles, Op. 33: No. 4 in A Major. Andante (03:10)
08. 7 Bagatelles, Op. 33: No. 5 in C Major. Allegro, ma non troppo (03:09)
09. 7 Bagatelles, Op. 33: No. 6 in D Major. Allegretto quasi Andante (02:35)
10. 7 Bagatelles, Op. 33: No. 7 in A-flat Major. Presto (02:06)
11. Piano Sonata No. 27 in E Minor, Op. 90: I. Mit lebhaftigkeit und durchaus mit Empfindung und Ausdruck (06:18)
12. Piano Sonata No. 27 in E Minor, Op. 90: II. Nicht zu geschwind und sehr singbar vorgetragen (08:21)
13. Piano Sonata No. 25 in G Major, Op. 79: I. Presto alla tedesca (04:39)
14. Piano Sonata No. 25 in G Major, Op. 79: II. Andante (02:48)
15. Piano Sonata No. 25 in G Major, Op. 79: III. Vivace (02:13)
CD08
01. Piano Sonata No. 29 in B-Flat Major, Op. 106, "e;Hammerklavier"e;: I. Allegro (11:23)
02. Piano Sonata No. 29 in B-Flat Major, Op. 106, "e;Hammerklavier"e;: II. Scherzo. Assai vivace - Presto - Tempo I (02:40)
03. Piano Sonata No. 29 in B-Flat Major, Op. 106, "e;Hammerklavier"e;: III. Adagio sostenuto, appassionato e con molto sentimento (19:58)
04. Piano Sonata No. 29 in B-Flat Major, Op. 106, "e;Hammerklavier"e;: IV. IV. Largo - Allegro risoluto (12:36)
05. 6 Bagatelles, Op. 126: No. 1 in G Major. Andante con moto (03:09)
06. 6 Bagatelles, Op. 126: No. 2 in G Minor. Allegro (02:54)
07. 6 Bagatelles, Op. 126: No. 3 in E-Flat Major. Andante (02:32)
08. 6 Bagatelles, Op. 126: No. 4 in B Minor. Presto (03:57)
09. 6 Bagatelles, Op. 126: No. 5 in G Major. Quasi allegretto (02:42)
10. 6 Bagatelles, Op. 126: No. 6 in E-Flat Major. Presto - Andante amabile e con moto - Tempo I (04:13)
CD09
01. Piano Sonata No. 5 in C Minor, Op. 10, No. 1: I. Molto allegro e con brio (06:34)
02. Piano Sonata No. 5 in C Minor, Op. 10, No. 1: II. Adagio molto (09:26)
03. Piano Sonata No. 5 in C Minor, Op. 10, No. 1: III. Finale. Prestissimo (04:50)
04. Piano Sonata No. 6 in F Major, Op. 10, No. 2: I. Allegro (06:10)
05. Piano Sonata No. 6 in F Major, Op. 10, No. 2: II. Allegretto (04:34)
06. Piano Sonata No. 6 in F Major, Op. 10, No. 2: III. Finale. Presto (03:52)
07. Piano Sonata No. 7 in D Major, Op. 10, No. 3: I. Presto (07:01)
08. Piano Sonata No. 7 in D Major, Op. 10, No. 3: II. Largo e mesto (10:56)
09. Piano Sonata No. 7 in D Major, Op. 10, No. 3: III. Menuetto - Trio - Menuetto. Allegro (02:59)
10. Piano Sonata No. 7 in D Major, Op. 10, No. 3: IV. Rondo. Allegro (04:16)
11. 32 Variations in C Minor, WoO 80 (10:57)
CD10
01. Piano Sonata No. 19 in G Minor, Op. 49, No. 1: I. Andante (04:40)
02. Piano Sonata No. 19 in G Minor, Op. 49, No. 1: II. Rondo. Allegro (03:34)
03. 33 Variations in C Major on a Waltz by Diabelli, Op. 120, "e;Diabelli Variations"e;: Theme. Vivace (00:53)
04. 33 Variations in C Major on a Waltz by Diabelli, Op. 120, "e;Diabelli Variations"e;: Variation 1. Alla Marcia, maestoso (02:02)
05. 33 Variations in C Major on a Waltz by Diabelli, Op. 120, "e;Diabelli Variations"e;: Variation 2. Poco allegro (00:55)
06. 33 Variations in C Major on a Waltz by Diabelli, Op. 120, "e;Diabelli Variations"e;: Variation 3. L'istesso tempo (01:18)
07. 33 Variations in C Major on a Waltz by Diabelli, Op. 120, "e;Diabelli Variations"e;: Variation 4. Un poco più vivace (01:05)
08. 33 Variations in C Major on a Waltz by Diabelli, Op. 120, "e;Diabelli Variations"e;: Variation 5. Allegro vivace (00:58)
09. 33 Variations in C Major on a Waltz by Diabelli, Op. 120, "e;Diabelli Variations"e;: Variation 6. Allegro ma non troppo e serioso (01:43)
10. 33 Variations in C Major on a Waltz by Diabelli, Op. 120, "e;Diabelli Variations"e;: Variation 7. Un poco più allegro (01:06)
11. 33 Variations in C Major on a Waltz by Diabelli, Op. 120, "e;Diabelli Variations"e;: Variation 8. Poco vivace (01:15)
12. 33 Variations in C Major on a Waltz by Diabelli, Op. 120, "e;Diabelli Variations"e;: Variation 9. Allegro pesante e risoluto (01:48)
13. 33 Variations in C Major on a Waltz by Diabelli, Op. 120, "e;Diabelli Variations"e;: Variation 10. Presto (00:40)
14. 33 Variations in C Major on a Waltz by Diabelli, Op. 120, "e;Diabelli Variations"e;: Variation 11. Allegretto (01:11)
15. 33 Variations in C Major on a Waltz by Diabelli, Op. 120, "e;Diabelli Variations"e;: Variation 12. Un poco più mosso (00:55)
16. 33 Variations in C Major on a Waltz by Diabelli, Op. 120, "e;Diabelli Variations"e;: Variation 13. Vivace (01:21)
17. 33 Variations in C Major on a Waltz by Diabelli, Op. 120, "e;Diabelli Variations"e;: Variation 14. Grave e maestoso (04:08)
18. 33 Variations in C Major on a Waltz by Diabelli, Op. 120, "e;Diabelli Variations"e;: Variation 15. Presto scherzando (00:42)
19. 33 Variations in C Major on a Waltz by Diabelli, Op. 120, "e;Diabelli Variations"e;: Variation 16. Allegro (00:58)
20. 33 Variations in C Major on a Waltz by Diabelli, Op. 120, "e;Diabelli Variations"e;: Variation 17. [Allegro] (01:03)
21. 33 Variations in C Major on a Waltz by Diabelli, Op. 120, "e;Diabelli Variations"e;: Variation 18. Poco moderato (02:10)
22. 33 Variations in C Major on a Waltz by Diabelli, Op. 120, "e;Diabelli Variations"e;: Variation 19. Presto (00:50)
23. 33 Variations in C Major on a Waltz by Diabelli, Op. 120, "e;Diabelli Variations"e;: Variation 20. Andante (02:47)
24. 33 Variations in C Major on a Waltz by Diabelli, Op. 120, "e;Diabelli Variations"e;: Variation 21. Allegro con brio (01:39)
25. 33 Variations in C Major on a Waltz by Diabelli, Op. 120, "e;Diabelli Variations"e;: Variation 22. Allegro molto (00:51)
26. 33 Variations in C Major on a Waltz by Diabelli, Op. 120, "e;Diabelli Variations"e;: Variation 23. Allegro assai (00:58)
27. 33 Variations in C Major on a Waltz by Diabelli, Op. 120, "e;Diabelli Variations"e;: Variation 24. Fughetta - Andante (03:04)
28. 33 Variations in C Major on a Waltz by Diabelli, Op. 120, "e;Diabelli Variations"e;: Variation 25. Allegro (00:48)
29. 33 Variations in C Major on a Waltz by Diabelli, Op. 120, "e;Diabelli Variations"e;: Variation 26. [Piacevole] (00:57)
30. 33 Variations in C Major on a Waltz by Diabelli, Op. 120, "e;Diabelli Variations"e;: Variation 27. Vivace (00:57)
31. 33 Variations in C Major on a Waltz by Diabelli, Op. 120, "e;Diabelli Variations"e;: Variation 28. Allegro (01:01)
32. 33 Variations in C Major on a Waltz by Diabelli, Op. 120, "e;Diabelli Variations"e;: Variation 29. Adagio ma non troppo (01:15)
33. 33 Variations in C Major on a Waltz by Diabelli, Op. 120, "e;Diabelli Variations"e;: Variation 30. Andante, sempre cantabile (02:11)
34. 33 Variations in C Major on a Waltz by Diabelli, Op. 120, "e;Diabelli Variations"e;: Variation 31. Largo, molto espressivo (05:07)
35. 33 Variations in C Major on a Waltz by Diabelli, Op. 120, "e;Diabelli Variations"e;: Variation 32. Fuga - Allegro (03:03)
36. 33 Variations in C Major on a Waltz by Diabelli, Op. 120, "e;Diabelli Variations"e;: Variation 33. Tempo di Menuetto, moderato (04:07)
37. Piano Sonata No. 20 in G Major, Op. 49, No. 2: I. Allegro ma non troppo (04:41)
38. Piano Sonata No. 20 in G Major, Op. 49, No. 2: II. Tempo di menuetto (03:56)
CD11
01. Piano Sonata No. 4 in E-Flat Major, Op. 7: I. Molto allegro (08:31)
02. Piano Sonata No. 4 in E-Flat Major, Op. 7: II. Largo con gran espressione (09:37)
03. Piano Sonata No. 4 in E-Flat Major, Op. 7: III. Allegro (05:24)
04. Piano Sonata No. 4 in E-Flat Major, Op. 7: IV. Rondo. Poco allegretto (07:47)
05. Piano Sonata No. 24 in F-Sharp Major, Op. 78: I. Adagio cantabile - Allegro ma non troppo (07:24)
06. Piano Sonata No. 24 in F-Sharp Major, Op. 78: II. Allegro vivace (03:13)
07. Piano Sonata No. 15 in D Major, Op. 28, "e;Pastoral"e;: I. Allegro (11:53)
08. Piano Sonata No. 15 in D Major, Op. 28, "e;Pastoral"e;: II. Andante (08:06)
09. Piano Sonata No. 15 in D Major, Op. 28, "e;Pastoral"e;: III. Scherzo. Allegro vivace (02:38)
10. Piano Sonata No. 15 in D Major, Op. 28, "e;Pastoral"e;: IV. Rondo. Allegro ma non troppo (05:34)
CD12
01. Piano Sonata No. 30 in E Major, Op. 109: I. Vivace ma non troppo (03:54)
02. Piano Sonata No. 30 in E Major, Op. 109: II. Prestissimo (02:38)
03. Piano Sonata No. 30 in E Major, Op. 109: III. Gesangvoll, mit innigster Empfindung. Andante molto cantabile ed espressivo (14:23)
04. Piano Sonata No. 31 in A-Flat Major, Op. 110: I. Moderato cantabile molto espressivo (07:17)
05. Piano Sonata No. 31 in A-Flat Major, Op. 110: II. Allegro molto (02:19)
06. Piano Sonata No. 31 in A-Flat Major, Op. 110: III. Adagio ma non troppo - Fuga. Allegro ma non troppo (11:57)
07. Piano Sonata No. 32 in C Minor, Op. 111: I. Maestoso - Allegro con brio ed appassionato (09:07)
08. Piano Sonata No. 32 in C Minor, Op. 111: II. Arietta. Adagio molto semplice e cantabile (19:32)