In Practice | Jonathan Biss: Piano Sonatas by Beethoven
In Practice | Jonathan Biss: Piano Sonatas by Beethoven with tags jonathan biss, beethoven, sonata, no. 5, piano, manhattan, npr, music, in practice
It's tough to concentrate on the rigors of Beethoven with jackhammers pounding in your ears. So when they started demolishing the building next to Jonathan Biss, he moved his piano out of his apartment into a separate studio, away from the commotion. "I would get up in the morning, the piano wasn't there, and I had to leave my apartment to go practice and I've decided that's a much more productive way of working," he says. Biss needs a good working environment for his massive project. He's begun a nine year deep-dive into Beethoven, learning and recording all 32 of the composer's piano sonatas. We eavesdropped on Biss, working through Beethoven's vigorous Piano Sonata No. 5, during an unexpected Manhattan heat wave.
Credits
Producers: Mito Habe-Evans, Anastasia Tsioulcas; Audio Engineer: Kevin Wait; Production Assistants: Amanda Ameer, Nick Michael; Executive Producers: Anya Grundmann, Keith Jenkins
