Pierre-Arnaud Dablemont / Beethoven: Piano Sonatas Opp. 27 & 28 (2014) [Official Digital Download - 24bit/96kHz]

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Pierre-Arnaud Dablemont / Beethoven: Piano Sonatas Opp. 27 & 28 (2014) [Official Digital Download - 24bit/96kHz]

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Pianist Pierre-Arnaud Dablemont releases his first disc on Resonus Classics with an album containing three pivotal sonatas by Ludwig van Beethoven - the two Op. 27 sonatas labelled "Quasi una fantasia" in E flat major and C sharp minor (including the "Moonlight" sonata) and the Op. 28 sonata in D major ("Pastoral"). In these three sonatas we see Beethoven stretching and experimenting with both form and texture, and the Paris-born pianist Pierre-Arnaud Dablemont - known for his innovative and insightful interpretations - brings a unique and fresh view to these vital works of the classical piano repertoire.

Reviews: Pierre-Arnaud Dablemont’s new CD of Beethoven Sonatas on Resonus Classics brings a fresh approach and a superb recording to these often recorded works. The Parisian born and Brussels based French pianist has a fluent technique and produces a lovely tone, but it’s his musicality that wins here.

For the first in his Beethoven series, Dablemont has chosen three sonatas from Beethoven’s middle period, and what gems they are. Sonatas 13, 14 (Moonlight) and 15 (Pastoral) offer both the power and sensitivity that flows through all of Beethoven’s works.

Dablemont’s interpretations feature faster tempos than my favourite performances in these works, those by Freddy Kempf, Gilels and Schnabel, but they work. And, Dablemont has both the technique and musicality to bring them off. Playing his version of the famous slow movement from the Moonlight directly after Freddy Kempf’s proved a shock. Kempf is so slow (but is wonderful) and Dablemont’s positively races in comparison. Yet, Dablemont is closer to Beethoven’s marking of alla breve than Kempf. Your choice.

And, that’s the ‘problem’ with so many amazing Beethoven Sonatas on record. Choice. A serious collector will have many full sets and lots of individual recordings. I’ve recently enjoyed Angela Hewitt’s Hyperion series, the Peter Takacs set and Canadian great, Robert Silverman’s fantastic set on Orpheum Masters. Add young Dablemont’s CD to my favourites list. AK

Piano Sonata No. 13 in E flat major “Quasi una fantasia”
Op. 27, No. 1

Piano Sonata No. 14 in C sharp minor “Quasi una fantasia”
(Moonlight) Op. 27, No. 2
Piano Sonata No. 15 in D major “Pastoral”
Op. 28