As with his previous Haydn release for Profil, Evgeni Koroliov presents a full-bodied, rounded, and often Romantic conception of this composer’s music. The little two-movement G minor sonata typifies Koroliov’s approach, along with the great E-flat Sonata Allegro’s fluent tempo modifications, beautifully tapered countermelodies, and extra waiting time for the long-sustained and suspense-inducing chords.
To my taste, the finales of the E minor and C major (No. 50) sonatas need a more rhythmically incisive and harder-hitting attitude than Koroliov’s relatively genteel phrasing offers. Indeed, Koroliov can deliver spicier Haydn playing when so inclined; just listen to how he articulates the earlier C major (No. 35) Allegro finale with biting wit and astutely timed accents that justify his moderate basic tempo.
The piano is a bit distant in relation to the microphones, but not to the murky extremes of Hänssler’s “wrong end of the telescope” Gerhard Oppitz Beethoven recordings. In fact, the engineering conveys a small concert hall ambience as heard from one of the back rows.
