Jonathan Biss - Beethoven: Piano Sonatas, Vol. 6 (Nos. 9, 13 & 29 Hammerklavier) '2017

Tracks list

Tracklist
---------
01. Piano Sonata No.9 in E Major, Op. 14 No.1: I. Allegro
02. Piano Sonata No.9 in E Major, Op. 14 No.1: II. Allegretto
03. Piano Sonata No.9 in E Major, Op. 14 No.1: III. Rondo. Allegro comodo
04. Piano Sonata No.13 in E-Flat Major, Op. 27 No.1 Sonata quasi una fantasia:
I. Andante
05. Piano Sonata No.13 in E-Flat Major, Op. 27 No.1 Sonata quasi una fantasia:
II. Allegro molto e vivace
06. Piano Sonata No.13 in E-Flat Major, Op. 27 No.1 Sonata quasi una fantasia:
III. Adagio con espressione
07. Piano Sonata No.13 in E-Flat Major, Op. 27 No.1 Sonata quasi una fantasia:
IV. Allegro vivace
08. Piano Sonata No.29 in B-Flat Major, Op. 106 Hammerklavier: I. Allegro
09. Piano Sonata No.29 in B-Flat Major, Op. 106 Hammerklavier: II. Scherzo.
Assai vivace
10. Piano Sonata No.29 in B-Flat Major, Op. 106 Hammerklavier: III. Adagio
sostenuto
11. Piano Sonata No.29 in B-Flat Major, Op. 106 Hammerklavier: IV. Largo.
Allegro risoluto

American pianist Jonathan Biss launched his career in the late 90s, appearances
as a soloist with the Baltimore Symphony and several other prominent national
ensembles. He achieved career-boosting triumphs with his New York appearances in
2000: that year he debuted as soloist with Kurt Masur and the New York
Philharmonic at Avery Fisher Hall and also gave his recital debut at Tisch
Center at the 92nd Street Y, his pianism drawing enthusiastic critical response
at both venues. While he has generally favored standard-repertory works, he has
ventured onto contemporary turf with compositions by John Corigliano, Leon
Kirchner, and others. Biss was born on September 18, 1980, in Bloomington, IN.
Ironically, he comes from a distinguished family of string players: his
grandmother was Raya Garbousova, the cellist who inspired Samuel Barber to
compose his Cello Concerto; his mother is the well-known violinist Miriam Fried
and his father the violinist/violist Paul Biss. Young Jonathan took his first
piano lessons at the age of 6 from teacher Karen Taylor. At 11 he began studies
at Indiana University with Evelyne Brancart, and then three years later (1994)
won the concerto competitions held by the Indianapolis and Bloomington symphony
orchestras, two ensembles with whom Biss then appeared in performances of the
Mendelssohn G minor Piano Concerto. In 1997 Biss concluded his instruction with
Brancart and began studying with Leon Fleisher at the Curtis Institute of Music
in Philadelphia. Biss appeared that same year at Wolf Trap with Isaac Stern and
there accepted the Shouse Debut Artist Award from him. The following year Biss
began appearing as soloist with several of the more important American
orchestras, including the Baltimore and Seattle symphony orchestras, and the
Buffalo and Rochester philharmonic orchestras. In 1999 Biss was presented with
an Avery Fisher career grant, and after the aforementioned triumphs in 2000, he
was invited to return to New York for further engagements at prominent concert
venues, including with the New York Philharmonic. Over the next few years he
appeared with most of the leading American orchestras, including those in
Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Boston, Chicago, and San Francisco, and also played
with numerous orchestras abroad, including the Staatskapelle Berlin (under
Daniel Barenboim) and the Essen Philharmonic. Biss first recording was released
in 2005 on EMI and included works by Beethoven and Schumann.

Related artists