Lugansky - Beethoven “Moonlight” - Piano Sonata No. 14 in C sharp minor

Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827)
Piano Sonata No. 14 in C♯ minor, Quasi una fantasia (”Moonlight"), Op. 27, No. 2 (1801)
Nikolai Lugansky, 2021
From Moscow Philharmonic Society

[0:00] I. Adagio sostenuto
[6:28] II. Allegretto - Trio 7:27
[8:58] III. Presto agitato - Dev. 12:19 - Recap. 13:33 - Coda 15:02


“The Finales of the C minor Trio, of the Sonata Appassionata, of the C♯ minor Sonata, Op. 27, No. 2 (which we will not call “Moonlight”), and of the C♯ minor Quartet, are Beethoven’s only tragic finales. All his other pathetic finales show either an epilogue in some legendary or later world far away from the tragic scene (the quartets in F minor and A minor) or a temper, flighting, humorous, or resigned, that does not carry with it a sense of tragic doom….”

Donald Tovey