Type: Piano Solo
Location: Berlin State Opera House
Soloist: Daniel Barenboim
Composer: Beethoven
Year: 1984

Beethoven’s Piano Sonata No. 11 in B-flat major, Op. 22 sits at a turning point in his compositional style. The crown jewel of Beethoven’s early period, it remains a masterclass in Classical form, structure, and clarity yet hints at the more emotional and dramatic style he would explore later. Full of challenging passagework, quick shifts, and delicate articulation, this sonata is the most “Mozartian” of Beethoven’s early sonatas. This is Beethoven when he was contented not confrontational.