Much like the opening of the F minor sonata Op. 2 No. 1 where Beethoven quotes Mozart’s G minor Symphony No. 25 K.138, for this one he borrows the theme from Mozart’s C minor sonata No. 14 K. 457 - one of the very few Mozart sonatas in minor keys - and with the use of dotted rhythms, turns it into something even more effective than a simple rising figuration of the Mannheim Rocket.
The decisive opening chord is in contrast to the openings of the four piano sonatas he had written so far and establishes the strong character of the movement. With a relatively short development section, the movement and ultimately the whole sonata is rather compact compared to the grandeur of the E-flat major sonata Op. 7. It therefore calls for much focus to ensure the subtle details, twists and turns are not missed whilst studying the score in practice as well as conveying in performance.
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Masayuki Tayama has maintained a highly active schedule as both international recitalist and concerto soloist. Tayama’s Wigmore Hall debut early in his career was a sell-out, and he continues to appear regularly at eminent London venues, including Queen Elizabeth Hall, Cadogan Hall and St. John Smith’s Square. He has taught some of the country’s aspiring pianists as tutor at Chetham’s School of Music, and his teaching incorporates the method taught by Sumiko Mikimoto on tone production, muscle relaxation and training for pianists. In 2020, he was appointed Director of the Piano Teachers’ Course UK, the country’s leading professional development course for piano pedagogy. Tayama is also currently in the midst of a project to record Rachmaninov’s complete works for solo piano.
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