Ludwig van Beethoven
(1770-1827)
Piano Sonata in E Flat Major, WoO 47 #1
Piano Sonata in F Minor, WoO 47 #2
Piano Sonata in D Major, WoO 47 #3
Sonatina in G Major
Sonatina in F Major
Piano Sonata #15 "Pastoral", Op. 28
Jénö Jandó, piano
Naxos 8.550255 68:34
This CD contains some very early works of Beethoven. Naxos's numbering for the three WoO 47 works are piano sonatas #33-35, although this numbering is not always used in other work lists. The two sonatinas are possibly not by Beethoven, but the Op. 28 sonata certainly is.
The WoO 47 sonatas are collectively called the Kurfürstensonaten (Electoral Sonatas), and are tentatively thought to have been written in about 1783. Each runs about ten minutes and while Mozart and Haydn are his obvious models, there are indications of his later work. The performance of the Sonata #15 is also enjoyable, but the main reason for buying this CD is the rarely-recorded early works.