Evgeny Kissin BEETHOVEN Piano Sonatas No. 3 - No. 14 "Moonlight" - No. 23 "Appassionata" - No. 26 "Les Adieux" - No. 32 - 32 Variations in C minor

“It has been clear for some time that Evgeny Kissin is a Beethoven player of rare pedigree and distinction, the finest Russian-born Beethovenian since Emil Gilels,” Gramophone

Any history of the great pianists would be incomplete without a chapter devoted to Evgeny Kissin. The 45-year-old artist is blessed with the rare qualities required to enter the pantheon of piano legends. A recent recital at London’s Barbican Centre inspired the Telegraph to describe his playing as “miraculous”, while the New York Times wrote of the pianist’s “blend of technical mastery and eloquent artistry” following a spellbinding performance at Carnegie Hall.

After a break of twenty-five years, the pianist has signed a new exclusive contract with the yellow label. Kissin’s discography already contains landmark recordings for Deutsche Grammophon, critically acclaimed collaborations with the Berliner Philharmoniker, Herbert von Karajan and Claudio Abbado among them, and the association between artist and label resumes with the release of a Beethoven album in August. The double-disc set, its programme personally chosen by Kissin from recitals given over the past decade, includes Piano Sonatas No. 14 Op. 27 No. 2, “Moonlight”, No. 23 Op. 57, “Appassionata”, and No. 26 Op. 81a, “Les Adieux”. It also comprises the evergreen 32 Variations in C minor WoO 80 and a profound exploration of the sublime two-movement Piano Sonata No. 32 Op. 111, the composer’s final work in the genre. The album, Kissin’s first solo recital recording in more than a decade, represents a major addition to his Beethoven discography and an essential document of his artistic development.

“These recordings were made in the moment of performance,” observes the pianist. “Live recordings always surpass studio albums for me, because I feel more inspired when playing for an audience. It means a lot to me to be able to share the spirit of that live experience with others.” (Deutsche Grammophon)