Piano Sonatas 17, 21 & 26
Beethoven'sFarewellSonata has three movements--departure, absence, and return--that perfectly capture the emotions they express. The first movement had a powerful influence on Mahler's Ninth Symphony, which quotes it literally on several occasions. TheWaldsteinandTempestSonatas are, in many respects, quintessential Beethoven: passionate, turbulent, but always formally perfect. Jeno Jando's survey of Beethoven sonatas on Naxos has been extremely successful--much more so than several other pianists on more expensive, full-priced labels. His second volume isn't just a good deal for the money, it's a good deal, period.--David Hurwitz