Bachtrack top ten: Ludwig van Beethoven

Ludwig Van Beethoven, portrait by Joseph Karl Stieler (1820)

Ludwig van Beethoven, portrait by Josef Willibrord Mähler (1804–05)

By Mark Pullinger, 16 December 2023

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“the notes seem to fly off the page as we are born along on a floodtide of inspired invention”

SangKwon Lee, 9th January

Ahead of performances with Insula orchestra in February, the South Korean pianist talks about taking inspiration from Beethoven’s harmony, early pianos, and making musical choices that are maximally persuasive.

The magical world of composers’ handwriting

Lawrence Dunn, 17th December

From Buxtehude, Bach and Handel, to contemporary composer Liza Lim, we take a tour of the myriad forms of composers’ handwriting and calligraphy – and how music makes itself on the page.

Freedom and flexibility: Lukas Sternath returns to Bamberg Symphony

Frank Kuznik, 15th October

The young Austrian pianist reunites with Jakub Hrůša and the Bamberg Symphony Orchestra for a tour this November. He talks about taking inspiration from improvisation, and being an “accidental” artist...

The Schumann Quartett on performing Beethoven in Tokyo

Peter Quantrill, 14th May

The Schumann Quartett make an emotional return to Tokyo to perform their first complete Beethoven string quartet cycle at Suntory Hall.

Jan Lisiecki’s total Beethoven concerto cycle with Toronto Symphony

Thomas May, 9th January

Jan Lisiecki, this season’s Spotlight Artist with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, delves into the significance of Beethoven’s five piano concertos, which he leads from the keyboard in a thrilling two-night marathon.

Highest lustre: the complete Herbert von Karajan

Richard Bratby, 25th October

Deutsche Grammophon’s STAGE+ has assembled a comprehensive archive of Karajan’s recordings, concert films and opera performances – which did much to define the sound of classical music in the 20th century.

Mark Pullinger

Mark has been a Bachtrack editor since 2014. He is also an experienced critic, writing hundreds of reviews for the site, as well as a freelancer writing for other magazines and newspapers. He also writes programme notes and blogs on Substack. Mark has a particular passion for the operas of Verdi as well as Russian and French repertoire. Outside the concert hall and opera house, Mark enjoys cooking and travel and is probably at his happiest let loose in a French patisserie or a Viennese coffee house.