Piano Sonatas in a & E-Flat Major / Sonata a Minor
Evgeny Kissin is one of the best young pianists on the concert scene, but this is not his best recording. Both of the Haydn sonatas are on his highest level, but Kissin plays them as though he weren't fully aware of their expressive content--he gets the notes out there with brilliance and flair but with insufficient nuance. The Schubert Sonata, a small tragedy and a milestone in his development, is more expressive here, but still not within miles of Radu Lupu's classic recording (regrettably out of print.) Try Crow (Bridge) for the full impact of this magnificent music; for the best Kissin, check out his RCA Chopin recordings, which are extraordinary.--Leslie Gerber