Mozart: Piano Sonatas K. 279-284 & K. 309

Angela Hewitt brings her trademark clarity and crispness to Mozart’s early piano sonatas, the first six of which were written when the composer was just a teenager. Youthful these pieces may be, but they’re far from straightforward. This is Mozart experimenting with style and texture, pushing the boundaries of his expressive range while challenging the pianist’s technique with daring, virtuosic writing. In Hewitt’s hands every gesture is exquisitely shaped, every embellishment immaculately turned. There’s a gentle sense of dance in many of the faster movements, while the melancholy “Adagio” from the F major Sonata, K.280 has all the qualities of an operatic aria, beautifully shaped by Hewitt who never lets the music become indulgent or overly emotional.