Idil Biret - Brahms: Piano Sonatas Nos. 1 & 2 (1991)

Brahms has always been one of Biret's favorite composers. Despite her love for his music, it's her extraordinary musical comprehension that makes her one of the strongest interpreter of his piano music. Besides her sensibility, her sharp technique contributes for the immense success of this disc. She has a very special way for playing those massive chords while not making them sound pedantic. The sonatas here are stylish, colorful, firm in passages of bravura, intimate in lyrical sections, filled with a deeply satisfying contrasting dynamic range. The passionate result of the 1st movement of the 2nd sonata is a delight. I didn't have luck trying to listen to this sonata before. Some pianists (including some world wide famous names, such as Richter) were unable to display the outpouring of passion of this early work, leading to boring performances. Now I know that the 2nd sonata, though written before the 1st, is of equal strength of the other: a quite enjoyable genial piece for an early work.