Ludwig van Beethoven's Piano Sonata No. 26 in E♭ major, Op. 81a, known as Les Adieux ("The Farewell"), was written during the years 1809 and 1810.
The title Les Adieux implies a programmatic nature. The French attack on Vienna, led by Napoléon Bonaparte in 1809, forced Beethoven's patron, Archduke Rudolph, to leave the city. Yet, there is some uncertainty about this nature of the piece — or at least, about the degree to which Beethoven wished this programmatic nature would be known. He titled the three movements "Lebewohl", "Abwesenheit", and "Wiedersehen" ('farewell', 'absence', and 'reunion'), and reportedly regarded the French "Adieux" (said to whole assemblies or cities) as a poor translation of the feeling of the German "Lebewohl" (said heartfully to a single person). Indeed, Beethoven wrote the syllables "Le-be-wohl" over the first three chords.
Read more at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piano_Sonata_No._26_(Beethoven)
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What you will get is a new sense of the sheer physicality of the music…What’s fascinating about Levit’s whole cycle is the crazy tempos at which he takes the first Allegros and Prestos…Where... —
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Building A Library, March 2026, Top Choice (Waldstein Sonata)
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…appropriately enough this final volume ends with the last sonata triptych of Opp. 109-111. Lewis plays all three works with characteristic warmth and beauty of tone, and you're not likely... —
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Presto Recording of the Week, 7th April 2008
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Gramophone Magazine, June 2008, Editor's Choice
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Building a Library, February 2023, Recommended Recording - 'Appassionata'
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She’s a musician of immense skill with a strong point of view. Her choice of this beautiful Graf for her superbly recorded new Alpha disc seems fully justified. From the outset it is obvious... —
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Gramophone Magazine, April 2007, Re-issue of the Month
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All but one of these performances are exceptional, even by Kissin’s stratospheric standards, the odd one out being the Moonlight Sonata…But the most extraordinary track is that of the 32 Variations.... —
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Presto Recording of the Week, 25th August 2017
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Presto Recordings of the Year, Finalist 2017
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Opus Klassik Awards, 2023, Nominated - Young Talent
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Building a Library, October 2006, Historic Choice
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Penguin Guide, Rosette
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