Beethoven: Near Perfect As Promised

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Adam Sherkin

Event Details

Few composers have sought perfection in sound architecture as Beethoven did. Instead of spontaneous creativity and improvisation, Beethoven would almost always chisel away at musical ideas, carefully crafting the perfect motif or structural material.

As a young upstart in late 18th century Vienna, Beethoven’s reputation grew quickly as a formidable pianist and equally mighty composer. By the year 1800 (at the age of 30), Beethoven sculpted a calumniatory work in sonata-form: the “Grand” Sonata in B-flat major, op.22.

He regarded this piece as “hat Gewaschen,” literally translated as “washing itself.” An idiomatic English equivalent would be “That’s the way it’s done!” And Beethoven certainly did attain an impressive mastery of structure, harmonic development and maturity of expression in this work.

After the declaration of this sonata’s (near) perfection, Beethoven turned his guise to more varied genres, though returning to the keyboard consequently as his style traversed the threshold of his ‘Middle Period.’

Admitted perfection by composers is a rare thing indeed and is further highlighted in this recital by Adam Sherkin’s own German Promises of 2011. These pieces remain a personal favourite of the composer’s, marking his own achievement in a particular musical language. Moreover, the “promises” offer an extra musical narrative of the contemporary experience that is German art with its inexorable 300-year musical legacy.

Featured Program

• Beethoven – Sonata No.11 in B-flat major, Op.22
• Sherkin – German Promises (2011)