Steven Isserlis & Robert Levin 2
Steven Isserlis and Robert Levin complete their Festival survey of Beethoven’s complete music for cello and keyboard with a recital contrasting the composer’s elegant early Classicism with the searching spirituality of his late works.
Exploring the sounds and techniques that Beethoven himself would have known, Isserlis and Levin draw on the clarity and sonic richness of a fortepiano, and a cello strung with authentic gut strings.
Isserlis describes the G minor Sonata Op 5 No 2 as being almost like a trip to the opera, with melodious arias and high drama. The Op 102 Sonatas, however, occupy an entirely different world, one of remarkable concentration, heroism and humour. Isserlis and Levin begin with the composer looking at different aspects of love in his highly lyrical variations on a duet from Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte.
This concert will be broadcast live on BBC Radio 3
Steven Isserlis Cello
Robert Levin Fortepiano
Beethoven Variations on ‘Bei Männern, welche Liebe fühlen’ from Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte
Beethoven Cello Sonata in G minor Op 5 No 2
Beethoven Cello Sonata in C major Op 102 No 1
Beethoven Cello Sonata in D major Op 102 No 2
More information about some of the artists
Steven Isserlis
Website
Robert Levin
Website