Roy Holmes plays Beethoven's Piano Sonata in C minor, Op. 111

Sandford and St Philip's parishes are delighted to present a performance by pianist Roy Holmes of Beethoven's iconic final piano sonata, Op. 111 in C minor, recorded in Sandford Parish Church, Ranelagh, Dublin, to mark the composer's 250th birthday, which falls on 16th December 2020.
This sonata-set in Beethoven's favourite key-is cast in two contrasting movements. The first movement begins with a highly dramatic opening 'Maestoso', before leading into a frenetic and impassioned fast section, headed 'Allegro con brio ed appassionato'. The second movement, an Arietta in C major with with five variations is marked 'Adagio molto semplice e cantabile', and provides a remarkable contrast to the opening movement.
The work seems to be a musical diptych, portraying both sides of Beethoven's musical personality-the stormy and passionate, and the serene and devotional. The calm resignation of the second movement prefigures the mood of the 'Heiliger Dankgesang'-the middle movement of Beethoven's string quartet, Op. 132.
Roy Holmes writes:
'After the volcanic first movement, for me the emotional climax of the second movement comes on realization that the second last appearance of the theme has crept in on an already established active accompaniment.
'The cadenza at the very end resembling two flutes can be viewed as the human on its last journey, hesitant at first but then, in the descending scales, embracing its transition to the next life, when, from Beethoven's perspective, the scales would descend not only from his eyes, but from his crippled ears.'
Ludwig van Beethoven: Piano Sonata in C minor, Op. 111
i. Maestoso-Allegro con brio ed appassionato
ii. Arietta: Adagio molto semplice e cantabile
Performed by Roy Holmes at Sandford Parish Church, Ranelagh, Dublin 6, Ireland