Clementi: Early Piano Sonatas—The Path to Beethoven and Chopin
by Brian J. Hay
This guy definitely got a bad wrap from Mozart but if the content of this recording is an example of what he saw when they met it's also easy to see reasons why Mozart felt as he did. The earliest work presented here is one that Clementi wrote when he was about sixteen. The Sonata in G Major (WO 14) is an appealing work but also one that's typical of its time. It's strong enough to bear repeated listening well but doesn't break a lot of new ground either. If Mozart heard it he would certainly have noted those shortcomings.
The other pieces presented here display another facet of Clementi's work that may have offended Mozart. The Opus 8 Sonatas preview the romantic era, particularly the works of Beethoven and also Chopin. The central theme from the Andante Cantabile of the Sonata in G minor (Opus 8) hints toward the Etude in E-Major (opus 10, no. 3) by Chopin. Actually, when I heard the central theme the famous passage from the E Major Etude was the first thing I thought of. The Presto from the same piece employs a writing style that foreshadows many of Chopin's Preludes. The work as a whole also hints toward much of the writing found in Beethoven's "Appassionata" and "Moonlight" Sonatas.
The Sonata in B Flat Major doesn't have as many clear ties to Beethoven's more famous works but the style of playing and writing (particularly the fortissimo passages of the Rondo) were an obvious influence. And even though obvious references are vague it's hard to listen to the Sonata in F Minor (Opus 13, No. 6) without thinking of the "Waldstein" Sonata. For all his gifts and breathtaking ability to get his personal expression into forms while showing enormous respect for them Mozart was a musician who worked within the conventions of his time. That's not a bad thing either, not when one had the exquisite taste that Mozart had. Still, the abrupt stops and starts Clementi used for dynamic effect would likely have offended his ears. If that hadn't Clementi's willingness to break from established forms would have.
Naxos has a reputation for being the label that releases the best recordings done by performers nobody ever heard of but that shouldn't be counted against them. They find musicians whose egos take a back seat to the music they play and get exemplary performances from them. Susan Alexander-Max has to be one of the great pianists that fall into that category. Her level of control over the instrument borders on digital but it never sounds mechanical. She finds what's in the music she plays. In the allegro from the G Minor Sonata she conjures waves of serene beauty, interrupts them with claps of thunder and returns the listener back to that moment of contentment. In the andante cantabile from the same piece she conveys a sense of profound melancholy along with deepest thought. The presto from the B Flat Sonata combines playfulness with drama. Those are just a few examples. Clementi's music is very impressionistic. Susan Alexander-Max reflects it well in her playing.
Their work is also generally recorded exceptionally well and this release is no exception. The fortepiano has a lot of dynamic range but not a lot of volume. Its tones are very rich but easily lost if the microphone is placed too far from the soundboard. This recording captures those tones beautifully and does so without falling into the other trap of putting the microphone too close and recording the echo (and mechanism clatter) from inside the cabinet. Susan Alexander-Max chose a Derek Adam copy of a late 18th century Michael Rosenberger for this recording. It's a five-octave instrument with a high range that she describes as "flute like" and a low range that she refers to as "robust and growling". The instrument is a joy to listen to, as is this whole recording. The entire disc is good but the Opus 8 and 13 Sonatas should be singled out for special notice. These pieces go a long way toward pointing out what would follow them.
For lovers of the piano and especially for people interested in the roots of music that's better known this disc gets the highest recommendation.
This line acts as a space bar.
Copy of a Heilmann Fortepiano of 1785
Made by Derek Adam in 1978
Thornhill Pianos:
Information about Period Keyboard Instruments
The Music Collection:
Official Site
Muzio Clementi:
Wikipedia Information
