Album

As would be expected from the technically polished, formally balanced, and articulate Italian pianist Maurizio Pollini, these are magisterial recordings of Beethoven's three Op. 2 Piano Sonatas. They are lucid, musical, and entirely free of affectation, and they articulate every marking in the score, from the smallest dynamic marking to the biggest exposition. Some listeners may find Pollini's performances too brisk in the fast movements and too crisp in the slow movements, and others might even protest that Pollini's interpretations are too objective—missing some of the deeper emotional content of the A major Sonata's Largo appassionato, for example. But these complaints are more a matter of subjective taste than of objective criticism, and anyone who has enjoyed Pollini's recordings in the past will surely enjoy this 2007 recording. Deutsche Grammophon's digital sound is virtually translucent: one can hear even the pedals being depressed.

© James Leonard, All Music Guide

CD 1
Ludwig van Beethoven Composer Piano Sonata No.1 in F-, Op.2, No.1 Work 19:33 Maurizio Pollini Piano
1	1.Allegro	5:28			$0.99
2	2.Adagio	4:35			$0.99
3	3.Menuetto: Allegro	2:39			$0.99
4	4.Prestissimo	6:51			$0.99
Ludwig van Beethoven Composer Piano Sonata No.2 in A, Op.2, No.2 Work 22:03 Maurizio Pollini Piano
5	1.Allegro vivace	6:40			$0.99
6	2.Largo appassionato	6:34			$0.99
7	3.Scherzo: Allegretto	2:48			$0.99
8	4.Rondo: Grazioso	6:01			$0.99
Ludwig van Beethoven Composer Piano Sonata No.3 in C, Op.2, No.3 Work 23:31 Maurizio Pollini Piano
9	1.Allegro con brio	9:08			$1.49
10	2.Adagio	6:30			$0.99
11	3.Scherzo: Allegro	2:53			$0.99
12	4.Finale: Allegro assai	5:00			$0.99