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Beethoven Sonata in d minor, Op. 31, no. 2, “The Tempest”

Recorded 2022

Remastered 2024


Movement 1


Movement 2


Movement 3


About:


Beethoven composed his Sonata No. 17 in D minor, Op. 31, No. 2, commonly known as “The Tempest,” around 1801-1802, during the onset of his deafness. The inner turmoil and frustration he experienced during this period are palpable in the music, making it easy to associate the work with his personal struggles.


The title "The Tempest" originates from Beethoven’s friend Anton Schindler, who claimed that the composer told him the piece was inspired by Shakespeare’s play. However, modern scholars like Donald Tovey have dismissed this as one of Schindler’s many fabrications. Regardless, the programmatic association has endured, as the music effectively conveys tempestuous emotions.


Beethoven’s pupil Carl Czerny once asked how to approach the first movement, to which Beethoven famously replied, “Break the piano.” This is vividly illustrated after the calm of four rolled chords, where the music erupts into a violent fortissimo. The first movement, marked Largo - Allegro, alternates between calm and chaos, evoking the sense of a brewing storm, only to explode into waves of sound.


The second movement, Adagio, provides respite as the storm subsides, offering a serene contrast in a major key. Beethoven contrasts the tinkling upper registers with the buzzing lower notes, all while subtly borrowing motivic elements from the first movement. The music is meditative, as if offering a moment of reflection amidst the turmoil.


The final movement, Allegretto, brings back the rain, relentless but less torrential than the first movement. The music moves forward inexorably in perpetual-motion fashion, centered around the oft-repeated graceful opening motif. If the first movement reflects Beethoven’s anger and frustration over his deteriorating hearing, and the second movement represents contemplation, the last movement suggests a reluctant acceptance of his fate. The composer seems to come to terms with his deafness, prioritizing his artistic ideals over his physical limitations. However, there is no triumphant resolution; instead, the ending of the last movement dissolves into a haunting D-minor arpeggio, leaving the storm unresolved.

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