Ludwig van Beethoven - Piano Sonatas Opus 31 (Marios Papadopoulos)

Information

Composer: Ludwig van Beethoven

• Sonata No. 16 in G Major, Op. 31 No. 1
• Sonata No. 17 in D Minor, Op. 31 No. 2, "The Tempest"
• Sonata No. 18 in E-Flat Major, Op. 31 No. 3, "The Hunt"

Marios Papadopoulos, piano

Date: 2026

Label: Signum Records

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This album features Marios Papadopoulos performing Beethoven’s Piano Sonatas Op. 31 Nos. 1–3, works composed in 1802 that mark the beginning of Beethoven’s middle creative period and a decisive shift in his musical language. The G major Sonata blends wit and lyricism, with its expansive Adagio grazioso serving as an expressive centerpiece. The D minor Sonata, known as the “Tempest,” contrasts dramatic urgency with moments of introspective calm across its three movements. The E flat major Sonata, “The Hunt,” is distinguished by its rhythmic energy and four-movement structure. Recorded in July 2022, this release inaugurates Papadopoulos’s Beethoven sonata cycle reissue series with Signum Records.

Marios Papadopoulos is Founder and Music Director of the Oxford Philharmonic Orchestra and has built an international career as both pianist and conductor since his London debut in 1975. He has collaborated with leading artists such as Vladimir Ashkenazy, Anne-Sophie Mutter, Maxim Vengerov, Martha Argerich, and Lang Lang, and has performed with major orchestras worldwide. Recognized as an interpreter of the German Classical repertoire, he has led complete cycles of Mozart and Beethoven piano concertos and conducted all nine Beethoven symphonies. His extensive discography includes acclaimed recordings of Beethoven sonatas as well as works by Mozart, Mussorgsky, Franck, Stravinsky, and Shostakovich, reflecting his broad artistic range and sustained contribution to both performance and recording.