Ludwig van Beethoven (1770 – 1827)

Hyperion Records CDA68199

Piano Sonata in D minor ‘Tempest’ Op 31 No 2 [24’02] 1 Largo – Allegro [8’41] 2 Adagio [7’54] 3 Allegretto [7’27]

Piano Sonata in E flat major ‘Quasi una fantasia’ Op 27 No 1 [16’31] 4 Andante – Allegro – Tempo I [5’09] 5 Allegro molto e vivace [2’06] 6 Adagio con espressione [2’54] 7 Allegro vivace [6’22]

Piano Sonata in G major Op 79 [10’08] 8 Presto alla tedesca [5’15] 9 Andante [2’31] 10 Vivace [2’22]

Piano Sonata in E major Op 109 [19’41] 11 Vivace ma non troppo – Adagio espressivo [3’45] 12 Prestissimo [2’40] 13 Andante molto cantabile ed espressivo: Gesangvoll mit innigster Empfindung [13’16]

This latest instalment of Angela Hewitt’s Beethoven is bookended by the great ‘Tempest’ and Op 109 sonatas. The performances—incentive enough to acquire this release—are as usual complemented by Angela’s own booklet notes which provide real insight into how she approaches these masterworks.

‘As we would expect from Angela Hewitt, there’s much thoughtful and deeply-felt playing here. Hewitt is particularly successful in Beethoven’s slow movements: the lyrically sustained Adagio of the Tempest Sonata Op 31 No 2, the gently lilting Andante of the little G major Op 79, and the profound serenity of the concluding variations in the Sonata Op 109’ (BBC Music Magazine)

‘The Canadian virtuoso brings all her characteristic crisp intelligence, poetry and judgment to bear as the Allegro [of the ‘Tempest’ Sonata] unfolds. Those qualities are everywhere apparent over the next hour or so … Hewitt continues to make a persuasive case for her survey’ (Limelight, Australia)