Beethoven: Waldstein & Hammerklavier

Packed full of character, beautifully controlled, and articulated with crystal clarity, pianist Théo Fouchenneret’s thrilling playing is akin to removing a layer of dust from these masterpieces, revealing colors that in many other recordings lie hidden. The opening movement of the “Waldstein” ticks along like a beautiful Swiss watch, its final movement equally precise, rhythmically taut, and with a restraint that paradoxically seems to enhance its emotional power. The opening to the mighty “Hammerklavier” is technically superb and relentless in its intensity and sheer daring. Fouchenneret brings an almost operatic feel to the sublime “Adagio sostenuto,” the sonata’s beating heart. The final ‘“Allegro,” perhaps Beethoven’s most ambitious music for piano, is simply electrifying from start to astonishing finish.