Beethoven, Symphonies 1-9

Alberto Sanna, Wim Winters, Fortepiano
In Collaboration with Currende

Instrument: Fortepiano after J. Fritz 1816 - Joris Potvlieghe, 2019

Singers: Eric van Nevel, Sarah Van Mol, Renate Weytjens, Roel Vansevenant

Album design: Laurent Simon

Consultant Microphone positioning: Dirk Joosten/Joris Potvlieghe

Symphony 9 recorded in Trypoul Recording Studios

CD Box - 10 disc - Available

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A Paradigm Shift for Beethoven!

You still have DOUBTS?

We are working on a database with a growing list of metronome marks that will show the metronomic problem in full scale. In the mean time, we have compiled a list of over 150 impossible metronome marks from more than 50 composers. Just click on the button below to download the list. This metronomic problem is rarely mentioned in clear terms. There are many more reasons for the Whole Beat principle than this, but the unplayability of hundreds, if not thousands, of metronome figures is certainly the first reason to choose a different perspective.

List of Impossible Metronome Marks

Beethoven Symphonies As You Have Never Heard Before

Beethoven’s symphonies as you've never heard before. That’s quite a claim we better back up right away. I’ll give you two reasons why ‘our’ symphonies will be completely different from every performance you are familiar with. And why you definitely do not want to miss out on them.

The first reason is the phenomenal transcription of the symphonies for four hands made by Beethoven‘s friend and pupil Carl Czerny. Yes, indeed, you’ll hear not an orchestra, but an incredibly beautiful fortepiano. A copy of a real Viennese grand piano from 1816, meticulously measured and recreated piece by piece especially for this project. Czerny, often scorned today but for Beethoven, his by far preferred collaborator for symphonic transcriptions. He made absolute masterpieces from his friend's symphonies. And even though these transcriptions could easily get the price of best transcriptions ever, they have never been recorded in their entirety.

The second reason is the tempo we took. Tempo determines everything. It is super important, not only for every musician today but also for Beethoven. Even three months before his death, he wrote to his publisher Schott to wait for his metronome marks. And if you think that today we have often heard Beethoven's works in his tempi, I must disappoint you.

The lightning-fast Beethoven has become a symbol of a whole musical society today. But that version is unsustainable. The speeds demanded by current insights go beyond any human ability. Something else must have been going on. Because whatever Beethoven prescribed for his works must make sense. It must make a lot of sense.

So we took our metronome, and began this journey determined to find the solution to this long standing problem. Four years and countless hours of research, experiment, and recordings later, we are proud to present all nine symphonies in a way you have never heard before. In the end, we didn’t need to do anything too outlandish – the sole adjustment we made was interpreting Beethoven’s metronome markings, much like physicists today read a pendulum.

This is the Beethoven we rediscovered, this is the Beethoven we embrace and want you to fully experience in all its power as well.