Like most composers of his generation, Allen Shawn (b. 1948) jumped on the scene with arrogance and belligerence, determined to make an impression and shatter the status quo. His Piano Sonata No. 1 from 1982 is clear evidence of this, with its highly aggressive and bellicose first movement and unflinching harmonic harshness. Jump forward 25 years to the Piano Sonata No. 2 from 2007, and already the realization that less-is-more and that cohesion is imperative become apparent, despite the still slightly aloof harmonic layout. By the time he'd written his Piano Sonata No. 4 in 2009, experience and mastery of the instrument have settled in, and fluidity of the musical discourse is achieved, along with a deeper understanding of the piano's sonic palette and dynamics. And the 2015 Piano Sonata No. 5 manifests a certain wisdom and expressive degree, of a quasi Scriabinesque nature, from around that composer's Sixth Sonata period. It's extended, single movement format indicates a composer now capable of sustaining a musical narrative over more than just short bursts of energy. And the 2017 Etudes, No. 6 most notibly, raise the bar even higher.

The first four sonatas, performed by Allen Shawn himself, were already available as part of previous Albany Records releases featuring his piano music, as well as a recording of the fourth on Coviello Classics by Julia Bartha. The Etudes along with the Piano Sonata No. 5 make their first appearance here, and it's nice to have all of Shawn's major piano works collected together on this 2-disc set. And who better than the composer himself to present them to us, and allow us to witness first-hand his creative development and evolution.