Beethoven - The Complete Piano Sonatas
Peter Takács
Cambria CD1175-1185 11 (www.cambriamusic.com)
Peter Takács is a professor of piano at Oberlin College in Oberlin, Ohio. He was born in Bucharest, Romania and by four was taking music lessons and made his debut there at seven. When the family emigrated to France he was admitted to the Conservatoire National de Paris. In the United States he was awarded full scholarships to both Northwestern and the University of Illinois. It was with Leon Fleisher, with whom he maintains a close personal friendship, that he completed his artistic training at Peabody Conservatory. In addition to the usual one-on-one instruction, he gives master classes, adjudicates on music competitions, and concertizes in the United States and abroad, performing in solo recitals, chamber music and works with orchestra.
It is evident that Takács has become very close to Beethoven’s spirit, for these interpretations seem to come from within and not imposed on the score. These are not simply scholarly performances but fresh, compelling renditions by a scholar who has resolutely looked beyond the printed page. In addition to the 32 published sonatas, six extras are included: WoO 50 & 51 (1797/8); The Elector Sonatas WoO 47 nos. 1,2,3; and the sonata for piano four hands op.6 (1896/7) with Janice Weber, secondo. Plus, for good measure, the Andante Favori WoO 57. Thus, the collection is uniquely complete.
For me, Takács reveals qualities in these works that elevate them from piano pieces into musical narratives that engage the listener’s undivided attention and hold it beyond the very last note. I hated to stop any one of them or have my attention diverted in case I missed something. Even the shortest note or phrase has meaning. A poor simile but it may be like habitually viewing a sculpture from the same perspective and then seeing it from a new aspect... same piece but differently illuminated... an added dimension and a fresh appreciation of a familiar piece. Listening to these recordings aroused nostalgic remembrances of the wonderment and excitement of hearing these works for the first time. I do hope that Professor Takács will favour us with some Schumann, played with equal dedication.
Audiophiles will be very excited with these hybrid discs which are recorded in five channels that are available on the SACD track but are spot-on heard on the two channel track of the discs. The instrument is a Model 290, 9’6” Bösendorfer Imperial Grand and the recordings were engineered by Soundmirror, Inc. of Boston.
Finally, I must comment on the sumptuous packaging which, itself, is a work of art: a sturdy box houses a 144-page, full colour, hard-bound book of informative essays and meticulous notes on each work written by Professor Takács. A pocket on the inside back cover contains a BEETHOVEN TIMELINE, an 18”x19” folded 2-sided almanac of significant events in Beethoven’s life with contemporary milestones in the worlds of music, literature, science, philosophy and history. The CDs are individually sleeved in a matching hard cover book.
Professor Takács visited Toronto recently and he was kind enough to sit and chat with me in the WholeNote offices. Parts of that conversation/interview with this very interesting and articulate man were recorded and I urge the reader to view this below.
