Beethoven's Shadow

Upon the release of the fourth volume, BBC Music Magazine said, “Jonathan Biss will surely take his place among the greats if he continues on this exalted plane.” Now Biss is seven out of nine discs into the recording cycle, but his behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to prepare for this kind of musical feat is still fascinating for Beethoven-lovers, pianists, and anyone interested in the creative process. He describes how technology has changed the way we listen to and appreciate music. He describes his maturation from a talented young pianist to a fully-formed artist.

A member of the faculty of his alma mater the Curtis Institute of Music since 2010, Biss led the first massive open online course (MOOC) offered by a classical music conservatory, Exploring Beethoven’s Piano Sonatas, which has reached more than 150,000 people in 185 countries. Here, he includes an annotated guide to go along with the listening experience.