At last. What took him so long to record these?
"Long renowned for his performances of this composer, Perahia’s brand new recording pairs together two of the most radically ground-breaking of Beethoven’s 32 piano sonatas, in a release that is sure to be a crown jewel of the Beethoven discography".
"Murray Perahia explored the “Hammerklavier” Sonata first when he was in his mid-twenties. While the work’s enormous technical and physical challenges fell within his grasp, its profound musical demands eluded him. He quietly dropped the “Hammerklavier” from his repertoire, recognising that he would need time to fathom its cosmic depths. Over four decades passed before he felt ready to programme the piece in recital".
"After years of studying the original manuscripts, working sketches and editions published during the composer’s lifetime, and having edited the new Henle Urtext edition of The Complete Beethoven Piano Sonatas, Perahia now presents two of Beethoven’s most famous sonatas as a revelation".
“The challenge of this music is still alive because one can get deeper and deeper into the piece’s mysteries. That’s endless – both musicologically and emotionally. Everything in it is connected. There isn’t a random note, yet it feels improvisatory. So it’s a mystery that will intrigue and occupy musicians forever.” – Murray Perahia
From Presto Classical, 9th February 2018:
"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".
Video here:
https://youtu.be/5iKuv9Gy3EA