Beethoven: Last Three Sonatas - Pizarro - Hi-Fi Choice

Music: The three final Beethoven piano sonatas are from the very summit of his achievement. The first movement of Opus 111 is a tortured, abrasive piece full of stark and brutal contrasts, but there are also moments of poetry and serenity in these works. This is the second disc of Beethoven sonatas from Artur Pizarro on Linn Records, and while the interpretations are perhaps not quite as convincing as the earlier release of the famous named sonatas, there is no lack of virtuosity, and the playing is notable for its boundless energy, expression and power. Great Stuff.

Sound: The very realistic sounding piano has a bell-like purity, but the recording has far too much energy in the surround channels, and doesn't always sound properly anchored to the front of the soundstage unless the front/rear balance is adjusted to suit.