Ludwig van Beethoven

Sonatas Op. 7, 13 & 49

Roberto Prosseda

Label: Challenge Classics
Format: CD
Barcode: 0608917200706

Catalog number: CC 720070
Releasedate: 04-09-26

- The third volume in Prosseda’s acclaimed Beethoven fortepiano cycle for Challenge Classics, continuing his highly praised exploration of the composer’s early sonatas
- Performed on an original 1820 Conrad Graf fortepiano, revealing Beethoven’s sound world with remarkable authenticity and colour
- Features Beethoven’s iconic Pathétique alongside the lyrical Op. 7 and intimate Op. 49 sonatas, showcasing the extraordinary diversity of his early piano style
- Roberto Prosseda uncovers Beethoven’s improvisatory spirit, bringing fresh spontaneity and dramatic expression to these celebrated works
- Recorded at Musicafelix Studio, Prato, capturing every nuance of the fortepiano in a warm, natural acoustic
- “The fortepiano is not an instrument of authenticity, but an instrument of discovery.” - Roberto Prosseda

In this third volume of his acclaimed Beethoven fortepiano cycle, Roberto Prosseda explores four early piano sonatas composed between 1796 and 1799, including the iconic Pathétique Sonata, the expansive Op. 7, and the intimate Op. 49 sonatas. Performing on an original 1820 Conrad Graf fortepiano, Prosseda reveals a Beethoven who is bold, unpredictable, and deeply theatrical - an improviser whose music breathes with rhetorical power, expressive contrasts, and remarkable spontaneity. Rather than seeking historical reconstruction, this recording offers a fresh rediscovery of Beethoven’s creative imagination through the distinctive colours and responsiveness of one of the finest surviving instruments of its kind.

Recorded at the renowned Musicafelix Studio in Prato, Italy, this album benefits from an exceptional acoustic environment that beautifully captures the fortepiano’s unique palette of transparent bass, eloquent middle register, and crystalline treble. Together, Prosseda’s insightful interpretation and the studio’s natural sound create an immersive listening experience that brings Beethoven’s early masterpieces vividly to life, balancing architectural grandeur with poetic intimacy.
“I continue to perceive a remarkably living presence: a Beethoven who improvises, experiments, and takes risks.” - Roberto Prosseda