Beethoven: Piano Sonata No. 30 in E major, Op. 109

The release of Glenn Gould’s 1955 recording of Bach’s Goldberg Variations, BWV 988, (Naxos 8.111247) spread his name around the world as this was Bach playing of a style that was wholly new. As a follow up, the 23 year-old Gould chose the last three sonatas by Beethoven which, at that time, were usually reserved for more experienced pianists. With their sometimes unusually fast tempos (executed with remarkable clarity and precision) and omission of repeats, Gould’s performances originally attracted widespread criticism for daring to be different. With hindsight, however, they can be seen as perfectly valid interpretations that combine sensitivity and intelligence without a trace of sentimentality.

The Canadian musician Glenn Gould was undoubtedly one of the greatest pianists of all time. To mark the 75th anniversary of his birth, and the 25th anniversary of his death, Sony BMG Masterworks presents this seminal artist’s vinyl recordings as re-mastered CDs, designed to replicate the exact artwork of the original gramophone records in miniaturised form. Already issued as part of an 80-CD box set (88697130942), these albums are now being made available individually, with the first 20 in the series being released in November 2007.