Hammerklavier : piano sonatas op 106 & op 2 no 3

"It is no surprise that Hamelin has made his way to the giant of the classical piano literature that is Beethoven's Hammerklavier sonata. He has scaled summits of other eras to great acclaim ... Hamelin shines in this repertoire as brightly as in the romantic and more contemporary repertoire that we are used to hearing him in ... I see that he is playing all the Beethoven concertos in the upcoming months. Based on this gorgeously recorded and performed album it would be wonderful to have him commit those to disc, but for the moment I would just say savour these special recordings".

Læs anmeldelse

"Recommended: Surprisingly, this is Marc-André Hamelin's first Beethoven release. He has chosen two sonatas, known for their epic proportions and profound technical challenges ... Hamelin certainly hits the heights in this recording. I sincerely hope there'll be more Beethoven to come from Hamelin, such has been the pleasure I've derived from this disc".

Læs anmeldelse

"Recording of the week: At just over forty minutes, it must be one of the swifter accounts [of the Hammerklavier] out there, and yet it never feels hurried or "too fast", partly because of the clarity and conviction that Perahia brings, but also because of the care he takes over the ends of phrases ... Perahia latches onto this idea of [the Moonlight] being more of a fantasy, and brings a wonderful freedom to his playing".

Læs anmeldelse

"The whole work ... struck me afresh with Osborne bringing so many new insights to it [Hammerklavier Sonata] ... They [the other works] are given fine performances, but I can't imagine that anyone will want to listen to anything for sometime after this colossal Hammerklavier".

Vurdering : 5/5.

"What a pleasure to report the nearsimultaneous release of two magnificent new Hammerklaviers by a pair of internationally recognised artists, Nelson Goerne and Steven Osborne ... These discs seem to signal peak periods of their musical and pianistic powers ... The opening of Osborne's Hammerklavier bursts with energy and excitement ... The result is a virtuoso apotheosis as brilliant as molten iron from a blast furnace ... Each may be considered representative of the current ethos framing Beethoven performance on the modern piano".

"As the music grows increasingly decorative and elaborate, Hamelin gradually expands his expressive palette, assiduously building to a shattering climax. In short, Hamelin's masterful marshalling of small details reveals both the majesty and the inherent classicism of Beethoven's achitecture ... Excellent sound and insightful annotations ... bolster my warn recommendation".

"Vurdering: Editor's choice" - "Goerner's Hammerklavier is about flight, variety of shapes, sounds, ideas and precision of communication ... Phrases are imbued with life and meaning but, equally importantly, they are separated by breath, lending them intelligibility ... If ever there were an effortless Hammerklavier finale, this is it".

"The ninth and final volume of Martin Roscoe's Beethoven sonata cycle for DeuxElles matches the distinction of its predecessors ... The reading scores above many modern-day versions for lightness and lilt ... [and] conveys both geniality and shapely wit at the same time ... DeuxElles' engineering enhances my admiration for Roscoe's intelligent virtuosity".

"Andreas Haefliger's Perspectives series has been a model of thoughtful and occasionally provocative programme-building. This fifth instalment leans more towards provocation ... Avie's engineering captures Haefliger's piano and the 1200-seat La Chaux-de-Fonds gorgeous acoustic to perfection".

"Recording of the month - Editor's choice: Perahia is artist enough to know that great art is never, of itself, ugly. It may be Beethoven's instinct to push every component of the dauntingly complex contrapuntal finale [of the Hammerklavier] to its logical conclusion (and beyond) but Perahia, though honouring the intent, declines to turn the music into a rout. In matters of musical diction, lucidity matters ... This is a disc, naturally and vividly recorded, of rare distinction and pedigree".