András Schiff

In the Hungarian pianist András Schiff, we have in our midst one of the most important pianists of our time. His particularly sensitive interpretations of the major piano pieces by Bach, Mozart and Schubert have undoubtedly set the standard for many generations of pianists to come. In the last few years Schiff has focused on the complete sonatas of Beethoven (all thirty-two!), a truly gargantuan feat. In deSingel you can hear him play the last three sonatas, examples of the late-Beethoven period. This is a real tour de force because Beethoven stretches the player to the limit. The three sonatas create a synthesis of all forms and expressions that Beethoven had explored in the previous sonatas. To the player, it presents an enormous challenge to find the right balance between the many opposites; intimate musings to explosive outbursts, from complex fugues to simple arias, folk tunes to sublime melody. Many expressions of a rich personality. András Schiff happily rises to the challenge and brings you a little closer to the unfathomable genius of Beethoven.