Andrew Wan & Charles Richard-Hamelin - Beethoven: Violin Sonatas Nos. 4, 9 & 10 (2021)

With this third album, which includes Sonata No. 4 in A Minor, Op. 23, the famous Sonata No. 9 in A Major, Op. 47 (“Kreutzer”), and Sonata No. 10 in G Major, Op. 96, Andrew Wan and Charles Richard- Hamelin complete their recording of the entire cycle of Ludwig van Beethoven’s (1770–1827) sonatas for violin and piano. Sonata No. 4 was composed in parallel with Sonata No. 5 in F Major, Op. 24 (“Spring”) in the latter half of 1800. Sonata No. 4 stands apart from both its opus 12 predecessors and Sonata No. 5 with its spartan piano part, which, more often than not, has only a single voice playing in each hand; the resulting texture is much akin to a string trio. After the rhythmic energy of the opening “Presto,” the middle section, marked “Andante scherzoso più allegretto,” serves as a light interlude between two serious movements. The concluding rondo features a number of highly contrasting sections, one of which foreshadows that of Sonata No. 9 (“Kreutzer”).

Tracklist
1. Violin Sonata No. 4 in A Minor, Op. 23: I. Presto (07:42)
2. Violin Sonata No. 4 in A Minor, Op. 23: II. Andante scherzoso, più allegretto (08:07)
3. Violin Sonata No. 4 in A Minor, Op. 23: III. Allegro molto (05:24)
4. Violin Sonata No. 9 in A Major, Op. 47 “Kreutzer”: I. Adagio sostenuto – Presto (13:55)
5. Violin Sonata No. 9 in A Major, Op. 47 “Kreutzer”: II. Andante con variazioni (15:10)
6. Violin Sonata No. 9 in A Major, Op. 47 “Kreutzer”: III. Presto (09:09)
7. Violin Sonata No. 10 in G Major, Op. 96: I. Allegro moderato (11:02)
8. Violin Sonata No. 10 in G Major, Op. 96: II. Adagio espressivo (06:06)
9. Violin Sonata No. 10 in G Major, Op. 96: III. Scherzo - Allegro – Trio (01:51)
10. Violin Sonata No. 10 in G Major, Op. 96: IV. Poco allegretto (08:56)