Evgeni Koroliov follows up his earlier Beethoven Op. 101 and 106 release with masterful performances of the composer’s last three sonatas that hold their own alongside the finest versions. The pianist unfolds the florid fantasy of Op. 109’s first movement with such grace and proportion that we can forgive his cavalier treatment of Beethoven’s characteristic subito dynamics. If Koroliov doesn’t sustain his energetic promise in the Prestissimo’s opening measures, he still makes expressive points without losing momentum. He plays the third-movement variations superbly: listen to the uncommonly clear melodic trajectory of Variation 3’s two-part writing, and notice how his tiny broadenings of phrase enliven Variation 5’s contrapuntal textures.
Koroliov eloquently spins out Op. 110’s first movement, followed by a brisk and insightfully detailed Scherzo that pays unusual heed to Beethoven’s legato markings. I also like how Koroliov minimizes the ritardandos leading into fortissimos to terser, more stinging effect than most pianists. He also navigates the fugal finale’s tricky tempo relationships well, and allows syncopated accents to fully register.
Throughout Op. 111 Koroliov manages to reconcile the music’s natural cumulative grip with rhetorical tempo modifications. It’s an approach that may remind some listeners of Claudio Arrau’s earlier studio versions, and differs from the diamond-like brilliance of Maurizio Pollini’s relatively austere paradigm. Although the catalog boasts dozens of distinguished Op. 109/110/111 triptychs, Koroliov’s seasoned perspective and individual voice warrant serious consideration, abetted by Tacet’s sonic concert hall realism.
