Beethoven: Two Sonatas for Pianoforte - Harris Goldsmith

His gaunt, precipitous sweep through the Waldstein’s first movement stands up to equally galvanizing readings by Solomon and Bruce Hungerford, without missing the smallest detail. Unlike many so-called Beethoven specialists, Goldsmith observes the Adagio molto’s eighth-note rests to the letter, and he takes the Rondo’s controversial long pedal markings on faith. The coda goes like the wind, but never spins out of control–and what effortless, ethereal glissando octaves!...Among Goldsmith’s fresh insights vis-à-vis the A-flat Op. 110 sonata are unusually clear left-hand passagework in the first movement, a brisker, more vehement Allegro Molto than usual, plus carefully considered tempo relationships that generate uncommon continuity and cumulative impact in the final movement’s alternating arioso and fugue sections.