Beethoven Unbound

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With Williams…expressiveness is all. He paradoxically achieves this through emotional restraint, and in a style which you might call ‘plain’, but which allows the individual character of each... — BBC Music Magazine, August 2018, 5 out of 5 stars More…

Release Date: 30th Mar 2018
Catalogue No: SIGCD527
Label: Signum
Length: 13 hours 56 minutes

BBC Music Magazine

August 2018

Recording of the Month

Usually despatched in 4 - 5 working days

Beethoven: Piano Sonata No. 1 in F minor, Op. 2 No. 1

Work length18:02

$4.00

$5.60

$7.00

Llŷr Williams

I. Allegro

Track length3:54

$1.00

$1.40

$1.75

II. Adagio

Track length5:18

$1.00

$1.40

$1.75

III. Menuetto, Allegretto

Track length3:36

$1.00

$1.40

$1.75

IV. Prestissimo

Track length5:14

$1.00

$1.40

$1.75

Beethoven: Piano Sonata No. 2 in A major, Op. 2 No. 2

Work length24:26

$4.50

$6.30

$7.85

Llŷr Williams

I. Allegro vivace

Track length7:32

$1.50

$2.10

$2.60

II. Largo appassionato

Track length6:42

$1.00

$1.40

$1.75

III. Scherzo. Allegretto

Track length3:17

$1.00

$1.40

$1.75

IV. Rondo. Grazioso

Track length6:55

$1.00

$1.40

$1.75

Beethoven: Piano Sonata No. 3 in C major, Op. 2 No. 3

Work length27:43

$5.00

$7.00

$8.70

Llŷr Williams

I. Allegro con brio

Track length10:16

$1.50

$2.10

$2.60

II. Adagio

Track length8:54

$1.50

$2.10

$2.60

III. Scherzo. Allegro

Track length3:10

$1.00

$1.40

$1.75

IV. Allegro assai

Track length5:23

$1.00

$1.40

$1.75

Beethoven: Piano Sonata No. 23 in F minor, Op. 57 'Appassionata'

Work length25:46

$4.00

$5.60

$6.95

Llŷr Williams

I. Allegro assai

Track length10:50

$1.50

$2.10

$2.60

II. Andante con moto

Track length6:46

$1.00

$1.40

$1.75

III. Allegro ma non troppo - Presto

Track length8:10

$1.50

$2.10

$2.60

Beethoven: Variations (6) for Piano on an Original Theme in F major, Op. 34

Work length13:12

$2.00

$2.80

$3.50

Llŷr Williams

Beethoven: Piano Sonata No. 9 in E major, Op. 14 No. 1

Work length14:28

$3.00

$4.20

$5.25

Llŷr Williams

I. Allegro

Track length6:51

$1.00

$1.40

$1.75

II. Allegretto

Track length3:57

$1.00

$1.40

$1.75

III. Rondo. Allegro comodo

Track length3:40

$1.00

$1.40

$1.75

Beethoven: Piano Sonata No. 10 in G major, Op. 14 No. 2

Work length16:42

$3.50

$4.90

$6.10

Llŷr Williams

I. Allegro

Track length7:20

$1.50

$2.10

$2.60

II. Andante

Track length5:55

$1.00

$1.40

$1.75

III. Scherzo. Allegro assai

Track length3:27

$1.00

$1.40

$1.75

Beethoven: Fantasia in G minor, Op. 77

Work length9:37

$1.50

$2.10

$2.60

Llŷr Williams

Beethoven: Piano Sonata No. 13 in E flat major, Op. 27 No. 1 'Quasi una fantasia'

Work length16:56

$4.00

$5.60

$7.00

Llŷr Williams

I. Andante. Allegro

Track length5:41

$1.00

$1.40

$1.75

II. Allegro molto e vivace

Track length2:10

$1.00

$1.40

$1.75

III. Adagio con espressione

Track length3:12

$1.00

$1.40

$1.75

IV. Allegro vivace

Track length5:53

$1.00

$1.40

$1.75

Beethoven: Piano Sonata No. 14 in C sharp minor, Op. 27 No. 2 ‘Moonlight'

Work length16:16

$3.50

$4.90

$6.10

Llŷr Williams

I. Adagio sostenuto

Track length6:24

$1.00

$1.40

$1.75

II. Allegretto

Track length2:22

$1.00

$1.40

$1.75

III. Presto agitato

Track length7:30

$1.50

$2.10

$2.60

Beethoven: Piano Sonata No. 28 in A major, Op. 101

Work length22:43

$4.00

$5.60

$7.00

Llŷr Williams

I. Etwas lebhaft und mit der innigsten Empfindung

Track length4:56

$1.00

$1.40

$1.75

II. Lebhaft. Marschmassig

Track length6:44

$1.00

$1.40

$1.75

III. Langsam und sehnsuchtsvoll – Zeitmaß des ersten Stückes – Geschwinde, doch nicht zu sehr, und mit Entschlossenheit

Track length11:03

$2.00

$2.80

$3.50

Beethoven: Für Elise (Bagatelle in A minor, WoO59)

Work length3:16

$1.00

$1.40

$1.75

Llŷr Williams

Beethoven: Piano Sonata No. 16 in G major, Op. 31 No. 1

Work length24:34

$3.50

$4.90

$6.10

Llŷr Williams

I. Allegro vivace

Track length6:50

$1.00

$1.40

$1.75

II. Adagio grazioso

Track length10:59

$1.50

$2.10

$2.60

III. Rondo. Allegretto

Track length6:45

$1.00

$1.40

$1.75

Beethoven: Piano Sonata No. 17 in D minor, Op. 31 No. 2 'Tempest'

Work length24:58

$4.50

$6.30

$7.80

Llŷr Williams

I. Largo - Allegro

Track length8:50

$1.50

$2.10

$2.60

II. Adagio

Track length8:52

$1.50

$2.10

$2.60

III. Allegretto

Track length7:16

$1.50

$2.10

$2.60

Beethoven: Piano Sonata No. 18 in E flat major, Op. 31 No. 3 'The Hunt'

Work length23:18

$4.50

$6.30

$7.85

Llŷr Williams

I. Allegro

Track length8:52

$1.50

$2.10

$2.60

II. Scherzo. Allegretto vivace

Track length5:04

$1.00

$1.40

$1.75

III. Menuetto. Moderato e grazioso - Trio

Track length4:42

$1.00

$1.40

$1.75

IV. Presto con fuoco

Track length4:40

$1.00

$1.40

$1.75

Beethoven: Piano Sonata No. 11 in B flat major, Op. 22

Work length26:26

$5.00

$7.00

$8.70

Llŷr Williams

I. Allegro con brio

Track length7:51

$1.50

$2.10

$2.60

II. Adagio con molto espressione

Track length8:50

$1.50

$2.10

$2.60

III. Minuetto

Track length3:32

$1.00

$1.40

$1.75

IV. Rondo. Allegretto

Track length6:13

$1.00

$1.40

$1.75

Beethoven: Piano Sonata No. 22 in F major, Op. 54

Work length12:56

$2.00

$2.80

$3.50

Llŷr Williams

I. In tempo d'un minuetto

Track length6:22

$1.00

$1.40

$1.75

II. Allegretto - Più allegro

Track length6:34

$1.00

$1.40

$1.75

Beethoven: Piano Sonata No. 21 in C major, Op. 53 'Waldstein'

Work length26:37

$4.00

$5.60

$6.95

Llŷr Williams

I. Allegro con brio

Track length10:56

$1.50

$2.10

$2.60

II. Introduzione. Adagio molto

Track length4:43

$1.00

$1.40

$1.75

III. Rondo. Allegretto moderato - Prestissimo

Track length10:58

$1.50

$2.10

$2.60

Beethoven: Andante Favori in F, WoO 57

Work length10:02

$1.50

$2.10

$2.60

Llŷr Williams

Beethoven: Eroica Variations, Op. 35

Work length24:56

Album only

Llŷr Williams

Beethoven: Piano Sonata No. 12 in A flat major, Op. 26 'March Funebre'

Work length20:29

$4.50

$6.30

$7.85

Llŷr Williams

I. Andante con variazioni

Track length8:10

$1.50

$2.10

$2.60

II. Scherzo. Molto allegro

Track length2:45

$1.00

$1.40

$1.75

III. Marcia funebre sulla morte d'un eroe

Track length6:25

$1.00

$1.40

$1.75

IV. Allegro

Track length3:09

$1.00

$1.40

$1.75

Beethoven: Piano Sonata No. 26 in E flat major, Op. 81a 'Les Adieux'

Work length18:17

$3.50

$4.90

$6.10

Llŷr Williams

I. Das Lebewohl. Adagio - Allegro

Track length7:43

$1.50

$2.10

$2.60

II. Abwesenheit. Andante espressivo

Track length4:27

$1.00

$1.40

$1.75

III. Das Wiedersehn. Vivacissimamente

Track length6:07

$1.00

$1.40

$1.75

Beethoven: Piano Sonata No. 8 in C minor, Op. 13 'Pathetique'

Work length19:47

$3.50

$4.90

$6.10

Llŷr Williams

I. Grave - Allegro di molto e con brio

Track length9:23

$1.50

$2.10

$2.60

II. Adagio cantabile

Track length5:18

$1.00

$1.40

$1.75

III. Rondo. Allegro

Track length5:06

$1.00

$1.40

$1.75

Beethoven: Bagatelles (7), Op. 33

Work length20:07

$7.00

$9.80

$12.25

Llŷr Williams

No. 1 in E-flat Major. Andante grazioso, quasi allegretto

Track length4:05

$1.00

$1.40

$1.75

No. 2 in C Major. Scherzo allegro

Track length2:48

$1.00

$1.40

$1.75

No. 3 in F Major. Allegretto

Track length2:15

$1.00

$1.40

$1.75

No. 4 in A Major. Andante

Track length3:10

$1.00

$1.40

$1.75

No. 5 in C Major. Allegro, ma non troppo

Track length3:09

$1.00

$1.40

$1.75

No. 6 in D Major. Allegretto quasi Andante

Track length2:35

$1.00

$1.40

$1.75

No. 7 in A-flat Major. Presto

Track length2:05

$1.00

$1.40

$1.75

Beethoven: Piano Sonata No. 27 in E minor, Op. 90

Work length14:39

$2.50

$3.50

$4.35

Llŷr Williams

I. Mit lebhaftigkeit und durchaus mit Empfindung und Ausdruck

Track length6:18

$1.00

$1.40

$1.75

II. Nicht zu geschwind und sehr singbar vorgetragen

Track length8:21

$1.50

$2.10

$2.60

Beethoven: Piano Sonata No. 25 in G major, Op. 79

Work length9:37

$3.00

$4.20

$5.25

Llŷr Williams

I. Presto alla tedesca

Track length4:38

$1.00

$1.40

$1.75

II. Andante

Track length2:47

$1.00

$1.40

$1.75

III. Vivace

Track length2:12

$1.00

$1.40

$1.75

Beethoven: Piano Sonata No. 29 in B-flat major, Op. 106 'Hammerklavier'

Work length46:35

Album only

Llŷr Williams

I. Allegro

Track length11:22

$2.00

$2.80

$3.50

II. Scherzo. Assai vivace - Presto - Tempo I

Track length2:40

$1.00

$1.40

$1.75

III. Adagio sostenuto, appassionato e con molto sentimento

Track length19:58

Album only

IV. IV. Largo - Allegro risoluto

Track length12:35

$2.00

$2.80

$3.50

Beethoven: Bagatelles (6), Op. 126

Work length19:26

$6.00

$8.40

$10.50

Llŷr Williams

No. 1 in G Major. Andante con moto

Track length3:08

$1.00

$1.40

$1.75

No. 2 in G Minor. Allegro

Track length2:54

$1.00

$1.40

$1.75

No. 3 in E-Flat Major. Andante

Track length2:32

$1.00

$1.40

$1.75

No. 4 in B Minor. Presto

Track length3:57

$1.00

$1.40

$1.75

No. 5 in G Major. Quasi allegretto

Track length2:42

$1.00

$1.40

$1.75

No. 6 in E-Flat Major. Presto - Andante amabile e con moto - Tempo I

Track length4:13

$1.00

$1.40

$1.75

Beethoven: Piano Sonata No. 5 in C minor, Op. 10 No. 1

Work length20:50

$3.50

$4.90

$6.10

Llŷr Williams

I. Molto allegro e con brio

Track length6:34

$1.00

$1.40

$1.75

II. Adagio molto

Track length9:26

$1.50

$2.10

$2.60

III. Finale. Prestissimo

Track length4:50

$1.00

$1.40

$1.75

Beethoven: Piano Sonata No. 6 in F major, Op. 10 No. 2

Work length14:36

$3.00

$4.20

$5.25

Llŷr Williams

I. Allegro

Track length6:10

$1.00

$1.40

$1.75

II. Allegretto

Track length4:34

$1.00

$1.40

$1.75

III. Finale. Presto

Track length3:52

$1.00

$1.40

$1.75

Beethoven: Piano Sonata No. 7 in D major, Op. 10 No. 3

Work length25:12

$5.00

$7.00

$8.70

Llŷr Williams

I. Presto

Track length7:01

$1.50

$2.10

$2.60

II. Largo e mesto

Track length10:56

$1.50

$2.10

$2.60

III. Menuetto - Trio - Menuetto. Allegro

Track length2:59

$1.00

$1.40

$1.75

IV. Rondo. Allegro

Track length4:16

$1.00

$1.40

$1.75

Beethoven: Variations (32) on an Original Theme in C minor, WoO 80

Work length10:57

$1.50

$2.10

$2.60

Llŷr Williams

Beethoven: Piano Sonata No. 19 in G minor, Op. 49 No. 1

Work length8:13

$2.00

$2.80

$3.50

Llŷr Williams

I. Andante

Track length4:40

$1.00

$1.40

$1.75

II. Rondo. Allegro

Track length3:33

$1.00

$1.40

$1.75

Beethoven: Diabelli Variations, Op. 120

Work length55:26

$34.00

$47.60

$59.50

Llŷr Williams

Theme. Vivace

Track length0:53

$1.00

$1.40

$1.75

Variation 1. Alla Marcia, maestoso

Track length2:02

$1.00

$1.40

$1.75

Variation 2. Poco allegro

Track length0:54

$1.00

$1.40

$1.75

Variation 3. L'istesso tempo

Track length1:18

$1.00

$1.40

$1.75

Variation 4. Un poco più vivace

Track length1:05

$1.00

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$1.75

Variation 5. Allegro vivace

Track length0:58

$1.00

$1.40

$1.75

Variation 6. Allegro ma non troppo e serioso

Track length1:42

$1.00

$1.40

$1.75

Variation 7. Un poco più allegro

Track length1:05

$1.00

$1.40

$1.75

Variation 8. Poco vivace

Track length1:15

$1.00

$1.40

$1.75

Variation 9. Allegro pesante e risoluto

Track length1:47

$1.00

$1.40

$1.75

Variation 10. Presto

Track length0:40

$1.00

$1.40

$1.75

Variation 11. Allegretto

Track length1:11

$1.00

$1.40

$1.75

Variation 12. Un poco più mosso

Track length0:54

$1.00

$1.40

$1.75

Variation 13. Vivace

Track length1:20

$1.00

$1.40

$1.75

Variation 14. Grave e maestoso

Track length4:07

$1.00

$1.40

$1.75

Variation 15. Presto scherzando

Track length0:41

$1.00

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$1.75

Variation 16. Allegro

Track length0:57

$1.00

$1.40

$1.75

Variation 17. [Allegro]

Track length1:02

$1.00

$1.40

$1.75

Variation 18. Poco moderato

Track length2:10

$1.00

$1.40

$1.75

Variation 19. Presto

Track length0:49

$1.00

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$1.75

Variation 20. Andante

Track length2:46

$1.00

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$1.75

Variation 21. Allegro con brio

Track length1:38

$1.00

$1.40

$1.75

Variation 22. Allegro molto

Track length0:50

$1.00

$1.40

$1.75

Variation 23. Allegro assai

Track length0:57

$1.00

$1.40

$1.75

Variation 24. Fughetta - Andante

Track length3:03

$1.00

$1.40

$1.75

Variation 25. Allegro

Track length0:48

$1.00

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$1.75

Variation 26. [Piacevole]

Track length0:57

$1.00

$1.40

$1.75

Variation 27. Vivace

Track length0:57

$1.00

$1.40

$1.75

Variation 28. Allegro

Track length1:00

$1.00

$1.40

$1.75

Variation 29. Adagio ma non troppo

Track length1:14

$1.00

$1.40

$1.75

Variation 30. Andante, sempre cantabile

Track length2:11

$1.00

$1.40

$1.75

Variation 31. Largo, molto espressivo

Track length5:06

$1.00

$1.40

$1.75

Variation 32. Fuga - Allegro

Track length3:02

$1.00

$1.40

$1.75

Variation 33. Tempo di Menuetto, moderato

Track length4:07

$1.00

$1.40

$1.75

Beethoven: Piano Sonata No. 20 in G major, Op. 49 No. 2

Work length8:36

$2.00

$2.80

$3.50

Llŷr Williams

I. Allegro ma non troppo

Track length4:40

$1.00

$1.40

$1.75

II. Tempo di menuetto

Track length3:56

$1.00

$1.40

$1.75

Beethoven: Piano Sonata No. 4 in E flat major, Op. 7

Work length31:18

$5.50

$7.70

$9.55

Llŷr Williams

I. Molto allegro

Track length8:31

$1.50

$2.10

$2.60

II. Largo con gran espressione

Track length9:36

$1.50

$2.10

$2.60

III. Allegro

Track length5:24

$1.00

$1.40

$1.75

IV. Rondo. Poco allegretto

Track length7:47

$1.50

$2.10

$2.60

Beethoven: Piano Sonata No. 24 in F sharp major, Op. 78

Work length10:36

$2.50

$3.50

$4.35

Llŷr Williams

I. Adagio cantabile - Allegro ma non troppo

Track length7:23

$1.50

$2.10

$2.60

II. Allegro vivace

Track length3:13

$1.00

$1.40

$1.75

Beethoven: Piano Sonata No. 15 in D major, Op. 28 'Pastorale'

Work length28:08

$5.50

$7.70

$9.60

Llŷr Williams

I. Allegro

Track length11:52

$2.00

$2.80

$3.50

II. Andante

Track length8:06

$1.50

$2.10

$2.60

III. Scherzo. Allegro vivace

Track length2:37

$1.00

$1.40

$1.75

IV. Rondo. Allegro ma non troppo

Track length5:33

$1.00

$1.40

$1.75

Beethoven: Piano Sonata No. 30 in E major, Op. 109

Work length20:54

$4.00

$5.60

$7.00

Llŷr Williams

I. Vivace ma non troppo

Track length3:54

$1.00

$1.40

$1.75

II. Prestissimo

Track length2:38

$1.00

$1.40

$1.75

III. Gesangvoll, mit innigster Empfindung. Andante molto cantabile ed espressivo

Track length14:22

$2.00

$2.80

$3.50

Beethoven: Piano Sonata No. 31 in A flat major, Op. 110

Work length21:30

$4.50

$6.30

$7.85

Llŷr Williams

I. Moderato cantabile molto espressivo

Track length7:16

$1.50

$2.10

$2.60

II. Allegro molto

Track length2:18

$1.00

$1.40

$1.75

III. Adagio ma non troppo - Fuga. Allegro ma non troppo

Track length11:56

$2.00

$2.80

$3.50

Beethoven: Piano Sonata No. 32 in C minor, Op. 111

Work length28:38

Album only

Llŷr Williams

I. Maestoso - Allegro con brio ed appassionato

Track length9:06

$1.50

$2.10

$2.60

II. Arietta. Adagio molto semplice e cantabile

Track length19:32

Album only

About
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About

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 Mischa 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.

Reviews

August 2018

With Williams…expressiveness is all. He paradoxically achieves this through emotional restraint, and in a style which you might call ‘plain’, but which allows the individual character of each sonata to emerge vividly…[He] has a marvellous transparency of sound, and his articulation even at the fastest tempos is phenomenally clean. He never overdoes his effects…By and large his approach is massively persuasive…A stunning achievement.

Beethoven Unbound

12 CDs

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