With his debut album, Beethoven: Sonatas Ops. 53, 57, 111, Vladyslav Ustiuhov steps into the classical recording world with conviction and depth. Featuring three of Ludwig van Beethoven’s most monumental piano sonatas — the Waldstein, the Appassionata, and Op. 111 — this release feels less like a student milestone and more like a personal manifesto. Recorded during his Master’s and Doctor of Musical Arts studies, the album captures an artist wrestling with music that demands both technical command and existential honesty.
The opening movement of Piano Sonata No. 21 in C Major, Op. 53 “Waldstein” — Allegro con brio — bursts forward with clarity and propulsion. Ustiuhov leans into its brilliance without sacrificing structural control. The shimmering right-hand passages remain luminous rather than percussive, and the dynamic contrasts feel architectural, carefully shaped rather than exaggerated. There is a sense of optimism in his pacing, as though the music is constantly reaching toward light. The Introduzione: Adagio molto shifts the atmosphere entirely. Here, Ustiuhov shows restraint, allowing the harmonic suspensions to breathe. The touch softens, and the silences gain emotional weight. It functions as a true threshold — a moment of inward gathering before the expansive final movement. The Rondo: Allegretto moderato — Prestissimo closes the Waldstein with buoyancy and fire. The recurring theme sings with elegance, while the Prestissimo coda is delivered with thrilling precision. Yet even at top speed, Ustiuhov maintains clarity of voicing. The result is radiant rather than chaotic — virtuosic, but always purposeful. In Piano Sonata No. 23 in F Minor, Op. 57 “Appassionata,” the Allegro assai reveals a darker palette. Ustiuhov draws out the sonata’s turbulence with controlled intensity. The left-hand figures rumble ominously, and the thematic fragments feel restless, almost defiant. There’s a lived-in quality to the phrasing — an understanding that this music is not simply dramatic, but existential. The Andante con moto provides contrast through introspection. The variations unfold patiently, with a singing tone that avoids sentimentality. Ustiuhov allows the theme’s quiet dignity to anchor the movement, shaping each variation with subtle dynamic gradations rather than overt display. The final Allegro ma non troppo — Presto is relentless. Here, his rhythmic control is particularly striking. The forward momentum never slackens, yet the articulation remains clean and deliberate. The closing measures arrive with explosive inevitability, capturing the sonata’s tragic intensity without losing structural coherence.
Piano Sonata No. 32 in C Minor, Op. 111 begins with Maestoso — Allegro con brio ed appassionato, and Ustiuhov approaches it with gravitas. The opening gestures feel declamatory, almost orchestral in scope. As the movement unfolds, he balances its jagged energy with moments of introspective lyricism, emphasizing the sonata’s tension between struggle and transcendence. The Arietta: Adagio molto semplice e cantabile is the emotional heart of the album. Ustiuhov resists overinterpretation, letting the theme emerge with simplicity and warmth. As the variations expand into rhythmic complexity and shimmering textures, he maintains a sense of stillness beneath the surface. The final pages feel suspended in air — meditative, spacious, and quietly luminous. Throughout the album, Ustiuhov demonstrates not only formidable technique but also interpretive maturity. His Ukrainian roots and immigrant journey seem to inform his affinity for Beethoven’s language of resilience and transformation. Rather than presenting these sonatas as monuments carved in marble, he reveals them as living works — full of tension, vulnerability, and ultimately, hope. This debut positions Vladyslav Ustiuhov as a pianist of both discipline and depth. In tackling three of Beethoven’s most demanding sonatas, he does more than prove his capability; he affirms his artistic voice — one grounded in strength, reflection, and a belief in music’s enduring power to transcend struggle.
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