A brighter but less warmly equalized transfer of Solomon’s Beethoven Op. 90 sonata previously appeared on EMI. This is one of the few Beethoven Sonatas Solomon was able to record in stereo, to the advantage of his elegant sonority and subtle color palette. Solomon plays down the first movement’s stark dynamic contrasts yet never loses hold of the demanding, rotary left hand sequences. He lets the last movement’s concluding upward run trail off in tempo as Beethoven asks, and the lyrical mood winds down with a question mark. The effortless aplomb with which Solomon negotiates the Les Adieux sonata’s awkward chains of thirds and cascading scalar passages is matched by concentrated, sustained phrasing in the slow movement and the haunting first movement introduction: a wonderful performance.
Reviewing Solomon’s justly acclaimed Hammerklavier sonata in Philips Great Pianists series (type the “quicksearch” number q490 in Search Reviews), I noted the pianist’s rare fusion of suavity and power. Few pianists on record have made the outer movements sound so utterly easy to play. Testament’s slightly improved transfer, however, reveals a weightier, larger-scaled slow movement than I’ve previously accredited to Solomon. Or perhaps I’m just listening better. In any event, these recordings shine in the starry Beethoven Sonata discographic firmament, and can’t be recommended highly enough.
