Piano Sonatas 14 21 31
Reference's CDs are marketed primarily as realistic sound recordings, on which level this disc is a decided success. The piano definitely sounds like a piano, well above the high level norm of contemporary recordings. There is another realism to be considered, though, and that is how well Beethoven is reproduced by the performances. Despite Eugene Istomin's long-standing reputation as one of America's leading pianists, his playing here is distressingly bland, setting out the music without a strong point of view and minimizing the power of Beethoven's conception.--Leslie Gerber