Opus 109 – Beethoven | Bach | Schubert
Vikingur Ólafsson
Deutsche Grammophon 13812 (deccaclassics.com/en/catalogue/products/opus-109-beethoven-bach-schubert-vkingur-olafsson-13812)
Born in Reykjavik in 1984, Grammy award winning pianist Víkingur Ólafsson completed his studies at the Juilliard School, and since then has earned an international reputation, performing with such orchestras as the Berlin Philharmonic and the Royal Concertgebouw. Ólafsson signed a contract with DG in 2016 and in ten years, has made some 30 recordings, this latest one featuring music by Bach, Schubert and Beethoven.
The disc opens with the Prelude No.9 in E Major from Bach’s Well-Tempered Clavier – all of a minute and 44 seconds – a seemingly odd choice for an opener. Equally intriguing is his decision that every composition on the recording be in the key realm of E, stemming from Ólafsson’s synaesthesia (in his mind, the key translates into vibrant shades of green.)
Beethoven’s Sonata Op.90 from 1814 that follows is sometimes referred to as “a struggle between head and heart.” Ólafsson plays with a strong assurance, easily meeting the demands of the two contrasting movements.
He returns to Bach with the Partita No.6, long regarded as the grandest of all the Partitas and a true study in contrasts. While the notes are well articulated, both the Corrente and Air are taken at a much brisker pace than is commonly heard.
The early Sonata in E Minor D586 by Schubert precedes the final composition, Beethoven’s three-movement Sonata No.30 Op.109. The work is a marked departure from the traditional sonata form and Ólafsson offers an energetic and expressive interpretation.
A quibble in this recording is the sound quality. It seems possible that the mic may have been placed too closely to the keyboard, resulting in a particular imbalance and a somewhat less resonant sound. While this might be overlooked, it somewhat mars an otherwise engaging performance.
