Piano Sonata in B flat major 'Hammerklavier', Op. 106
Piano Sonata in C major, Op. 2 No. 3

I'm convinced that one and all will agree that Marc-André Hamelin's discography is vast and comprehensive. From C.P.E. Bach to Samuil Feinberg he's pretty well performed and recorded some of the piano works of most composers, especially the lesser-known yet technically brilliant ones. Like me, you've probably asked yourselves over the years as to why he had never tackled the music of Beethoven. Could it be that with the market already saturated with Beethoven recordings, that the execs at the Hyperion label decided they would get more mileage from rare repertoire, or that Hamelin's technical brilliance dictated he explore technically challenging composers like Leopold Godowsky or Nikolai Kapustin. Regardless, Beethoven by Hamelin is finally here, and it was well worth the wait.

Ludwig van Beethoven, in my opinion, is the only composer that managed to seamlessly fuse the intellectual and emotional aspects of music into one self-contained utterance. As such, his music should be approached with that in mind.

Refined nobility, compelling abandon, fluid articulation and unrestrained dynamics are all key factors that Hamelin brings to the music. It's as if he is so far above and beyond the technical pianistic requirements of the music that he can easily and freely reveal Beethoven's anima within the written score. This is particularly prominent during the Adagio sostenuto of the 'Hammerklavier' Sonata. As well, and amazingly so, Hamelin never gets lost behind the darker shadowy corners of the music, and always has a firm grip on the structural direction of the music. And with decisive accents and punctuations, keeps the fugal characteristics of the final Allegro risoluto well in sight at all times, whereas some other pianists turn it all into uncontrolled mush.

The Sonata in C major, Op. 2 No. 3, one that I myself can actually play, receives the same level of care and in-depth methodology from Hamelin. Its rather simple Adagio movement receives an honestly lyrical treatment here, again due to Hamelin's well judged accents and dynamics. Its Scherzo quite literally dances off the page, as does the final Allegro assai. I've never heard such a steady hand during all of the ascending chord passages. Once again, Hamelin's total control over tempo and dynamics is astonishing. Not a single note is out of place or out of time. One would think that this level of mechanical control would sound stiff or artificial when actually it drives the music forward with assured determination.

As the old saying goes: Good things come to those who wait!