Drei Frühe Klaviersonaten (Es-dur / F-moll / D-dur) WoO 47 / Zwei Klaviersonatinen (G-dur / F-dur)

This recording features the 'Kurfürstensonaten' (WoO 47), a set of three piano sonatas composed by Ludwig van Beethoven around 1782–1783, when he was just twelve years old. Dedicated to Elector Maximilian Friedrich of Cologne, these works represent some of the composer’s earliest efforts to master the form. Though sometimes viewed as youthful exercises, they offer a fascinating glimpse into the nascent musical language of a boy who would soon redefine the genre.

The 1970 pressing, produced under the catalog number 8 26 111, features pianist Klaus Bäßler performing these sonatas alongside two additional sonatinas. Bäßler, a respected German pianist and educator, sought to bring a clear, academic precision to these under-performed pieces. The release, circulated as an independent or specialized pressing, was intended for listeners and students interested in the archival development of Beethoven’s piano writing rather than the dramatic depth found in his later, more celebrated works.