From Bach to Beethoven | Virginia Black (piano)

Virginia Black performs an evening of contrasts, moving from the stately work of JS Bach, to the quirky inventiveness of his son CPE and finally to the passionate complexities of Beethoven’s penultimate piano sonata.

With her vast experience of performing the Baroque repertoire, Virginia has chosen works by JS and CPE Bach to illustrate a fascinating divergence of styles. Who would expect such a difference between father and son? The CPE sonata, rarely played in the modern concert hall, illustrates just how much he moved away from his father’s style and provided a bridge between the Baroque and Classical music styles.

These works are followed by Beethoven’s great Opus 110 sonata; this sonata seems to encapsulate the entire tragic story of Beethoven’s life and his ability to overcome his troubles.