Cristian Sandrin performs Beethoven’s Opus 2 Sonatas—his ambitious debut in musical Vienna rivalling the legacy of Mozart and Haydn

“Bold and courageous” – Classical Voice America

“Sandrin expresses the sounds with infinite subtlety” – Nieuwe Noten Netherlands

“A brave new world” – BBC Music Magazine

“An incredibly talented pianist“– Piano News Germany

Join acclaimed pianist and Kettner Concerts co-artistic director Cristian Sandrin for an extraordinary evening showcasing Beethoven’s complete Opus 2 Piano Sonatas—the young composer’s bold declaration and his emerging unique voice within the musical world of Vienna.

Written to challenge the mastery of Mozart and Haydn, these three ambitious sonatas marked Beethoven’s explosive debut in the world of piano sonatas. Experience the revolutionary spirit of young Beethoven as his unique voice emerges through brilliant technical passages, dramatic emotional contrasts, and surprising innovations that would forever change classical music.

Witness the complete cycle performed in the unique space of the International Anthony Burgess Foundation, in the heart of Manchester – a rare opportunity to trace the evolution of Beethoven’s genius across three remarkable works that announced the arrival of one of history’s greatest musical revolutionaries.

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Programme

Sonata No. 1 in F minor, Op. 2, No. 1 | Beethoven
○ Allegro
○ Adagio
○ Menuetto: Allegretto
○ Prestissimo
The F minor sonata opens the cycle with a restless energy. Its first movement, inspired by Mozart’s K. 457 sonata in the same key, features dramatic silences and sudden dynamic contrasts. The lyrical Adagio provides momentary respite before the traditional Menuetto and the fiery final Prestissimo, which pushes the technical boundaries of piano playing for its time.

Sonata No. 2 in A major, Op. 2, No. 2 | Beethoven
○ Allegro vivace
○ Largo appassionato
○ Scherzo: Allegretto
○ Rondo: Grazioso
The A major sonata expands in scale and ambition. Its brilliant opening movement demonstrates Beethoven’s mastery of Classical forms while hinting at new directions. The profound Largo appassionato moves with the dignity of a slow march, while the Scherzo replaces the traditional Menuetto with greater rhythmic playfulness. The elegant Rondo finale showcases Beethoven’s gift for graceful melody.

Sonata No. 3 in C major, Op. 2, No. 3 | Beethoven
○ Allegro con brio
○ Adagio
○ Scherzo: Allegro
○ Allegro assai
The cycle culminates in the virtuosic C major sonata, the most technically demanding of the three. Its expansive first movement rivals a concerto in brilliance, while the serene Adagio explores rich harmonic territories. The playful Scherzo leads to an exhilarating finale that pushes the performer’s technique to its limits, highlighting Beethoven’s own legendary prowess as a pianist.

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Biography

Born into a family of musicians from Bucharest, Cristian Sandrin has been surrounded by classical music all his life. His frequent visits to the historic Romanian Atheneum concert hall and his attendances at the prestigious Enescu Festival shaped his musical aspirations from early childhood. Years later, he would have his own debut at the Atheneum at the age of 13.

Cristian is especially devoted to the Classical and Romantic repertoire. His passion for Mozart’s piano concertos led him to direct from the keyboard several concertos during Summer Festivals at the Royal Academy of Music, as well as for the official opening of the Angela Burgess Recital Hall. From 2018–2020 he was privileged to tour the UK as an artist of the Countess of Munster Recital Scheme. Additionally, He is a scholarship holder of the Imogen Cooper Music Trust benefiting from her unique one-to-one guidance and mentorship since 2017. He graduated in 2019 from the Royal Academy of Music, receiving a DipRAM, MMus later being part of the prestigious Advanced Diploma programme.

In 2023 he has been invited to become the co-Artistic Director of the much-admired Kettner Concerts which are held in the David Lloyd George Hall of the National Liberal Club, Rachmaninov’s favourite London recital room and the venue where he performed his European farewell concert.

In 2021 Cristian travelled to Romania for his debut with the acclaimed George Enescu Philharmonic performing Mozart’s K503 Piano Concerto in C major at the country’s foremost music venue: The Romanian Atheneum.Since 2020, Cristian has performed challenging solo programmes including Beethoven’s last three sonatas and Bach’s Goldberg Variations in famous venues across Europe from Berlin’s Konzerthaus, the Radio Hall in Bucharest to London’s LSO St Luke’s and Holywell Music Room Oxford, Sinfonia Smith Square and Sala Puccini in Milan. In July 2025 Cristian will have his debut at Beethovenhaus in Bonn, Germany.

His debut CD Correspondances (Antarctica Records 2022) featuring music by Ravel, Enescu and Cyril Scott has been highly acclaimed in Europe and accross the Atlantic: the German Magazine Piano News selected it as the CD of the Month whilst the American Record Guide named it “the highlight of this month’s listening. Cristian’s performances have been broadcast on major radio and TV stations in Europe and Canada, from Bayerische Rundfunk, to Rai Tre, Radio France Musique, Radio Romania Muzical and Stingray Classica.