Philip Glass: Piano Sonata

A loyal champion of Philip Glass’ music, Maki Namekawa plays the Piano Sonata of 2019 magnificently. Glass has declared the piece too difficult for him to play and said he wouldn’t know how it truly sounded until a pianist like Namekawa performed it. It was written for her to premiere and, after working closely with the composer, she delivered a performance that’s surely definitive—filled with fantasy, intensity, an amazing range of color, and complete control of the complex rhythmic gear changes. Beautifully recorded, this premiere is joined by two shorter piano pieces, and the whole album is essential listening.