12 of 14 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
A good supplement to your larger Beethoven collection, January 21, 2001
This review is from: Beethoven: Complete Piano Sonatas (Audio CD)
Those of us in New England are lucky to have access to Russell Sherman's performances at the Monadnock Music Festival each summer in New Hampshire. I make it to his concerts whenever possible and have never been disappointed. Sherman has a huge repertoire and his playing is expressive and stylish; he always seems as if he's anxious to show us something. He is also an outstanding teacher.
I have way too many recordings of these sonatas but I've made room for this set as well. It's a good compliment to the Kempff, Jando and Arrau recordings. Sherman's playing is intimate and expressive. He seems to have a little surprise for us around every corner (note, a *little* surprise, not a big one like Bernstein) and it keeps us on our toes waiting for the next note or phrase. I liked this carrot-on-stick approach and looked forward to each Sonata - at no point was this a chore or a duty to listen to.
First choice in this repertoire remains the stereo DG Kempff. But if you want something off the beaten path, something to tickle your fancy every once in a while, Sherman's your man. Recommended.
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