Jonathan Biss; Artist-in-Residence, piano: ALL BEETHOVEN

Artist-in-Residence Jonathan Biss is serious about his Beethoven. “Beethoven’s sonatas have been a constant presence in my life for nearly as long as I have been playing the piano,” he writes. “‘Presence’ is too mild a word, though: ‘force’ comes a bit closer to conveying the space he occupies in my heart and head.”

Through Beethoven/5, a new commissioning project inviting composers to react to Beethoven’s concertos, a 9-year commitment to record each of the composer’s 32 sonatas, and a groundbreaking Coursera class entitled “Exploring Beethoven’s Piano Sonatas,” Biss continues his exploration of the intensity, rigor, and profundity of one of the world’s greatest composers.

In his latest appearance at Caramoor, a solo recital in 2013, the pianist played an entirely different slate of Beethoven’s sonatas to a rapt audience. The player and public both found themselves surrounded by torrential downpour, but it didn’t matter: “Coming back to places where I have history, where the audience and I know each other, where I’ve played a wide variety of repertoire — that always feels deeper to me. And since I have a longer history with Caramoor than I do just about any other place, it’s really very exciting to know that I have this extended visit coming up…”

Witness the passion, dedication, and mastery of a man obsessed.

Beethoven  Sonata in E flat major, Op. 7
Beethoven  Sonata in D minor, Op. 31 no. 2 (“Tempest”)
– Intermission –
Beethoven  Sonata in G major, Op. 79
Beethoven  Sonata in F minor, Op. 57 (“Appassionata”)