Beethoven: Violin Sonatas 4, 5 & 7 Viktoria Mullova & Alasdair Beatson

• Ludwig van Beethoven (1770 - 1827): Violin Sonata No. 4 in A Minor, Op. 23:
• 1 Beethoven: Violin Sonata No. 4 in A Minor, Op. 23: I. Presto 07:35
• 2 Beethoven: Violin Sonata No. 4 in A Minor, Op. 23: II. Andante scherzoso, piu allegretto 06:52
• 3 Beethoven: Violin Sonata No. 4 in A Minor, Op. 23: III. Allegro molto 05:15
• Violin Sonata No. 5 in F Major, Op. 24 "Spring":
• 4 Beethoven: Violin Sonata No. 5 in F Major, Op. 24 "Spring": I. Allegro 10:06
• 5 Beethoven: Violin Sonata No. 5 in F Major, Op. 24 "Spring": II. Adagio molto espressivo 05:20
• 6 Beethoven: Violin Sonata No. 5 in F Major, Op. 24 "Spring": III. Scherzo. Allegro molto 01:09
• 7 Beethoven: Violin Sonata No. 5 in F Major, Op. 24 "Spring": IV. Rondo. Allegro ma non troppo 06:45
• Violin Sonata No. 7 in C Minor, Op. 30 No. 2:
• 8 Beethoven: Violin Sonata No. 7 in C Minor, Op. 30 No. 2: I. Allegro con brio 07:45
• 9 Beethoven: Violin Sonata No. 7 in C Minor, Op. 30 No. 2: II. Adagio cantabile 07:36
• 10 Beethoven: Violin Sonata No. 7 in C Minor, Op. 30 No. 2: III. Scherzo. Allegro 03:06
• 11 Beethoven: Violin Sonata No. 7 in C Minor, Op. 30 No. 2: IV. Finale. Allegro 05:09
• Total Runtime 01:06:38

Info for Beethoven: Violin Sonatas 4, 5 & 7

Viktoria Mullova’s first album of Beethoven Violin Sonatas - Nos. 3 & 9 (‘Kreutzer’) with Kristian Bezuidenhout - was reviewed enthusiastically by Gramophone magazine, who stated “The sound in these familiar pieces has a startling clarity” and went on to say that the period instruments “relocate these two works in a darkly Romantic sound world.”

For this next volume in a complete cycle, Viktoria is partnered by Alasdair Beatson in the strange 4th sonata, the popular 5th ‘Spring’ sonata and the dramatic 7th - Beethoven in C Minor mood, always exciting and turbulent.

"In terms of their dramatic rethinking of texture, balance, articulation and expression, these performances form a vital part of the bracingly fresh interpretative emphasis on this music evinced by the likes of Faust/Melnikov (Harmonia Mundi), Ibragimova/Tiberghien (Wigmore Hall) and Sepec/Staier (Harmonia Mundi)." (BBC Music Magazine)

"Her sound is rich but not creamy, and never lapses into mere beauty for its own sake…Among recent recordings of such extremely familiar repertoire, this one must surely rank among the finest." (Gramophone Magazine)

Viktoria Mullova, violin
Alasdair Beatson, fortepiano

Viktoria Mullova
studied at the Central Music School of Moscow and the Moscow Conservatoire. Her extraordinary talent captured international attention when she won first prize at the 1980 Sibelius Competition in Helsinki and the Gold Medal at the Tchaikovsky Competition in 1982 which was followed, in 1983, by her dramatic and much publicized defection to the West. She has since appeared with most of the world’s greatest orchestras and conductors and at the major international festivals. She is now known the world over as a violinist of exceptional versatility and musical integrity. Her curiosity spans the breadth of musical development from baroque and classical right up to the most contemporary influences from the world of fusion and experimental music.

Her interest in the authentic approach has led to collaborations with period instrument bands such as the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, Il Giardino Armonico, Venice Baroque and Orchestre Révolutionaire et Romantique. Viktoria has a great affinity with Bach and his work makes up a large part of her recording catalogue. Her interpretations of Bach have been acclaimed worldwide and led Tim Ashley to write, “To hear Mullova play Bach is, simply, one of the greatest things you can experience…” in the Guardian. Her disc of Bach Concerti with the Accademia Bizantina and Ottavio Dantone was highly praised and her recording of Bach’s solo sonatas and partitas represents a significant milestone in Viktoria’s personal journey into this music. The recording received 5-star reviews from all over the world and she has embarked on an international several season-long, series of solo Bach recitals.

Her ventures into creative contemporary music started in 2000 with her album “Through the Looking Glass” in which she played world, jazz and pop music arranged for her by Matthew Barley. This exploration continued with her second album ‘The Peasant Girl’ which she has toured around the world with the Matthew Barley Ensemble. This project shows a different side to Viktoria as she looks to her peasant roots in the Ukraine and explores the influence of gypsy music on the classical and jazz genres in the 20th Century. This was followed by “Stradivarius in Rio” , inspired by her love of Brazilian songs by composers such as Antonio Carlos Jobim, Caetano Veloso and Claudio Nucci. A CD of the same name was enthusiastically received . As well as her own projects, she has also commissioned works from young composers such as Fraser Trainer, Thomas Larcher and Dai Fujikura. In 2017, Pascal Dusapin wrote his concerto for violin and cello, At Swim-Two-Birds for Viktoria Mullova and Matthew Barley, with them giving the premiere in Amsterdam followed by performances in London, Paris, Seattle and Leipzig. This rich musical diversity has been celebrated in several high-profile residencies, including London’s Southbank, Vienna’s Konzerthaus, the Auditorium du Louvre in Paris, Musikfest Bremen, Barcelona Symphony Orchestra and Helsinki Music Festival.

Highlights of Viktoria’s 2025/26 season will include extensive touring across Asia, performing with the Korean National Symphony Orchestra, National Symphony Orchestra Taiwan, Guangzhou Symphony & NCPA Orchestra, in addition to being this season’s Artist-in-Residence with the Hangzhou Philharmonic. Viktoria also returns to the Halle Orchestra for a multi-city tour of the UK, debuts with The Mozartists, and brings her innovative string ensemble project based on Schoenberg’s Verklärte Nacht (Transfigured Night) to Bremen & Utrecht.

Viktoria continues her collaboration with pianist Alasdair Beatson playing Beethoven and Schubert on gut strings and fortepiano. In September 2024 the duo completed their final recoding of the Beethoven sonatas series (sonatas n. 2 and n.10) which is released on 12th September 2025. And they will tour the complete cycle across Europe and Asia in 2026/27 to mark the 200th anniversary of the composer’s death.

Other projects also include “Music We Love”; a duo partnership her son, bass player Misha Mullov-Abbado, featuring his original compositions, arrangements of a variety of world music, jazz arrangements and works by Schumann and Bach.

Viktoria’s extensive discography has garnered widespread critical acclaim, highlighting her breadth of work and versatility. Her recordings feature works ranging from Bach & Vivaldi through core classical & romantic repertoire, to the complete works of Arvo Pärt with Estonian National Symphony Orchestra and Paavo Järvi. Her recordings of the Vivaldi Concertos with Il Giardino Armonico and directed by Giovanni Antonini, Bach Sonatas with Ottavio Dantone & Beethoven’s Archduke Trio with André Previn and Heinrich Schiff have all received prestigious Diapason D’Or awards. Other lauded releasees include Beethoven’s Op.12, No.3 and Kreutzer Sonatas with Kristian Bezuidenhout, “Music We Love” with Misha Mullov-Abbado, “Stradivarius in Rio”, an exploration of Brazilian music, “Recital” celebrating her extensive collaboration with Katia Labèque & “The Peasant Girl”, reflecting the phenomenal influence of gypsy music on both classical and jazz music in the 20th century.

Alasdair Beatson
Scottish pianist Alasdair Beatson works prolifically as soloist and chamber musician. Highlights of 2017 include concerts in London’s Wigmore Hall and Kings Place, Zurich’s Tonhalle, West Cork, Ryedale, Resonances and Ernen festivals, and collaborations with Adrian Brendel, Philippe Graffin, Pekka Kuusisto, Alexander Melnikov, Pieter Wispelwey, the Doric String Quartet, Meta4 and the Nash Ensemble among many.

Alasdair is renowned as a sincere musician and intrepid programmer. Alongside a particular affinity with the classical repertoire and the music of Schumann and Fauré, he often explores the more exotic: Catoire, Pierné, Thuille; Debussy’s Jeux (in the composer’s arrangement for solo piano); Ligeti Horn Trio, Thomas Adès Piano Quintet; and piano trio arrangements of Debussy’s La Mer, Janacek’s Kreutzer Sonata, Shostakovich’s 15th Symphony (with 3 percussionists) and Schönberg’s Verklärte Nacht. His concerto repertoire includes works of Bach, Bartok, Fauré, Hans Abrahamsen, Hindemith, Mozart, Sally Beamish, Stravinsky, Messiaen, appearing in recent years with Britten Sinfonia, Moscow Virtuosi, Scottish Chamber Orchestra, Scottish Ensemble, Royal Scottish National Orchestra, Sønderjyllands Symphony Orchestra and Tapiola Sinfonietta.

2017 sees the release on BIS of a recording with Alec Frank-Gemmill of 19th century music for horn and piano, recorded on four exquisite historical pianos (and four fantastical historical horns) spanning 1815 – 1895. This release joins an acclaimed discography of three solo and numerous chamber recordings, on BIS, Claves, Champs Hill and SOMM labels.

A regular participant at the open chamber music at IMS Prussia Cove, Alasdair took part in their tours of 2007 and 2011, and collected the 2008 RPS Award for Chamber Music on their behalf. He has enjoyed working closely with composers George Benjamin, Harrison Birtwistle, Cheryl Frances-Hoad, Heinz Holliger and Helena Winkelman.

A former student of John Blakely and Menahem Pressler, Alasdair is increasingly drawn to education, teaching annually on the Musicworks summer courses, and giving regular coaching or masterclasses at London’s Guildhall and the Royal Welsh schools of music, and at Birmingham Conservatoire. Alasdair is founder and artistic director of the French chamber music festival Musique à Marsac.

This album contains no booklet.