Piano Sonata No. 30 in E major, Op. 109
Piano Sonata No. 31 in A-flat major, Op. 110
Piano Sonata No. 32 in C minor, Op. 111

What we have in pianist James Brawn is an exacting and meticulous musician who scrupulously follows Ludwig van Beethoven's tempo indications and dynamic markings, and yet makes everything sound fresh and spontaneous. I'm convinced that when Beethoven sat at the keyboard to work on a new sonata, that most of the musical material emerged like a stream, almost as if improvised. A prime example of this is the opening movement of the Piano Sonata No. 30 in E major, Op. 109. Not to say that Beethoven didn't set out with a concrete plan in mind beforehand. With each sonata he would explore and experiment with new rhythms, new key relations and harmonic colors, different structural forms, etc ... which is what makes each of his 32 piano sonatas so unique.

James Brawn has been recording these at a measured pace (roughly 25 over the last ten years) which allows him to completely assimilate and absorb their essence and expressive character. When you listen to his interpretations, it's obvious that he's taken the time to ruminate over all the expressive and technical details long enough to completely get inside the music, and allow himself to simply "play" Beethoven without affectation or undue mannerisms. The result sounds natural and genuine. In other words, Beethoven's intent comes through with every note.

Due to time constraints I haven't had the pleasure to hear all of the previous six releases in this cycle, but based on my previous reviews of Vol. 3 and Vol. 5, I would not hesitate to recommend James Brawn's interpretations to anyone interested in hearing Beethoven straight, no chaser.