Type: Piano solo
Composer: Ludwig van Beethoven
Program: Piano Sonata No. 21 in C major, Op. 53 “Waldstein”
Soloist: Daniel Barenboim
Location: Palais Rasumofsky, Vienna, Austria
Year: 1984

The Piano Sonata No. 21 “Waldstein” captures a brilliance, sweep, and exhilarating sense of forward motion. Barenboim brings a flow to the opening movement, balancing its driving pulse with architectural control, so the music feels both powerful and finely shaped. In the serene introduction to the finale, Barenboim lets Beethoven’s suspended lyricism glow before launching into the radiant rondo with crisp articulation and controlled fire. “Waldstein” is grand, daring, and dazzlingly alive.