Piano Sonatas, Vol. 4

Reviewed 03/21/15 by DJ Dimitry

Born in 1980 in Bloomington, Indiana, Jonathan Biss has firmly established himself among the major American pianists on the contemporary classical music scene. Currently a professor at the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia, Biss tours regularly, usually emphasizing single composers in any given concert season. On this disc, the fourth in a series of nine discs that will cover Beethoven's solo piano sonatas, you can hear Biss's clear vision of Beethoven's music: confident and expressive without relying too much on overly flexible timing (a.k.a. rubato).
It's a bit too fast in spots, and the Appassionata is uninspiring, but the other sonatas are quite good.

Recommended Tracks: 1-9 (ALL FCC CLEAN)
Recommended Artists: Mitsuko Uchida, Alfred Brendel, Claudio Arrau, Artur Schnabel, Sviatoslav Richter

1. (3:54) Piano Sonata No. 1 - 1. Allegro - A hesitant introduction gives way to a development section full of characteristically Beethovenian anxiety and syncopation.
2. (4:36) Piano Sonata No. 1 - 2. Adagio - This is Beethoven's version of the standard Classical second movement (keep your ears open for the elaboration of the subject and the "rolling" chords in the bass a.k.a. arpeggiation).
3. (3:18) Piano Sonata No. 1 - 3. Menuetto. Allegretto - A minuet that Biss plays with a good dose of humor.
4. (4:38) Piano Sonata No. 1 - 4. Prestissimo - A moody and stormy conclusion with an elegant second subject over the rolling thunder in the bass.
5. (8:20) Piano Sonata No. 6 - 1. Allegro - Beethoven the Virtuoso is shown well in this sonata. The first subject is full of swagger and liberated brilliance.
6. (3:44) Piano Sonata No. 6 - 2. Allegretto - Happiness constantly springs from darkness and tension in this movement.
7. (3:51) Piano Sonata No. 6 - 3. Presto - A mad caper through the streets!
8. (3:34) Piano Sonata No. 19 - 1. Andante - Plaintive elegance.
9. (3:12) Piano Sonata No. 19 - 2. Rondo. Allegro - Simple happiness like a reminiscence of his old teacher, Haydn.
10. (9:36) Piano Sonata No. 23 - 1. Allegro assai - Menace repeatedly gives way to inconclusive glory and then terror.
11. (5:30) Piano Sonata No. 23 - 2. Andante con moto - This is a Beethovenian march, full of perfectly wrought pomp and circumstance, that evolves through variation.
12. (8:07) Piano Sonata No. 23 - 3. Allegro ma non troppo - The perfect complement to the first movement: full of arpeggiating anxiety. The only problem is that Biss fails to make this movement feel exciting.