Beethoven: Piano Sonatas Nos.26 'Les Adieux, 30 & 32 (Idil Biret) (Idil Biret: 8.571268)

'Biret grasps the size of Beethoven's style. The polyphony is laid out in a relaxed way with little indulgence in point making. She keeps the big line and yet is thankfully sparing in her use of fortissimos. The piano tone is sumptuous. Biret's gentle and almost sensuous sonorities are really captivating. One is reminded that her mentor is Wilhelm Kempff.'' GRAMOPHONE

'Turkish pianist Idil Biret's series of Beethoven Sonatas is emerging as a major statement in the field, entirely different from the other cycles that have appeared in recent years. She favors slow tempos and a light touch which brings out small details, all subsumed within a convincing and well thought-out overall architecture... The performances here truly represent a lifetime of musical thinking, and they are essential for serious Beethovenians.'' ALL MUSIC GUIDE (USA)