Zefir Records

Beethoven Fantasia Sonata

Martin Oei

Ludwig van Beethoven, Fantasia sonata in D (1792)
Reconstruction: Cees Nieuwenhuizen

It is interesting to know that there are many more unfinished than completed compositions of Beethoven which have been preserved. In these fragments one sees ideas for individual works. There are a large number of sketchbooks and sketches from the composer preserved which are spread over the whole world in libraries and private collections. Some sketches are no more than brief experiments or a short elaborated idea, but there are also fragments preserved which give us a nearly complete picture of a definite composition. In the so-called Kafka sketchbook, which was published in 1970 in London, a large number of manuscripts were bundled from the period 1786 until 1799: approximately 500 fragments.

Included on this CD:

Fantasiesonata in D (1792)
To make the Fantasia sonata sketch playable, Cees Nieuwenhuizen had to make well-considered decisions. The first movement is almost completed, but he had to fill in the phrasing and some dynamics by comparing the sonatas no. 13, 14 and 15 with the Fantasia Sonata. The second  movement is less elaborate; mainly the left hand was missing. Luckily the composer gave indications for the use of the left hand. The third movement was the real challenge, but Nieuwenhuizen also reconstructed this by comparing with other sonatas. This CD is the premiere of this reconstruction.

Bagatelle in a minor t. WoO 59 Für Elise
In 1822 Beethoven had plans to publish a few of his early piano works. De Nouvelles Bagatelles opus 112 was among these pieces. In the edition of Breitkopf & Härtel in 1851, this opus number was changed into the correct opus number 119. Yet there were twelve so-called bagatelles for piano, which weren’t sufficiently worked out. One of these pieces is the famous Für Elise composed in 1808 or 1810, which appeared in the well-known first version in an edition by Ludwig Nohl in 1867. This edition was later used in the supplement of Beethoven’s works by the publishers Breitkopf & Härtel which appeared in 1888.
The words Für Elise are almost unreadably written on top of the manuscript, but this piece is probably dedicated to Therese Malfatti. Because of the hard to read handwriting the name was misread. This piece should have the title Für Therese. The so-called second version of the Für Elise appeared in 1989 in a musicological edition. In this edition a lot of notes and musical notations are not clear. Cees Nieuwenhuizen compiled a practical version based on this edition and it is this version that Martin Oei has recorded.

external links
Visit the website of Martin Oei

press quotes:

PZC Oei makes the piano sing beneath his hands. Jeanette Vergouwen

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KLASSIEKE ZAKEN Martin Oei is a balanced and robust piano-personality. There is more to be expected from him. Jurjen Vis

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NRC As a musician I have to distinguish myself. Bas van Bommel

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AD Oei completes Beethoven. Bram van Schaik

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BRABANTS DAGBLAD Beethoven uses adventurous harmonics in this early sonata. René van Peer

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DE ZAKENGIDS Worldpremiere for pianist Martin Oei. Theo van Dam

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DE GELDERLANDER The youthful naivety of Oei fits perfectly with the turbulent character of the young Beethoven. 

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LUISTER The Sonata is certainly Beethoven. Jurjen Vis

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AKKOORD MAGAZINE Beethoven from scratch. BdN

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