Despite its many virtues, Finnish pianist Olli Mustonen's 1995 recording of variations, dances, and bagatelles by Beethoven will probably have a very small audience. After all, how many people want to listen to variations, dances, and bagatelles by Beethoven? People want to hear what they already know, the handful of piano sonatas by Beethoven with nicknames like "Moonlight" and "Pathetique." But those works represent the public virtuoso Beethoven, while Mustonen's collection is Beethoven in full, Beethoven humorous and ...
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Despite its many virtues, Finnish pianist Olli Mustonen's 1995 recording of variations, dances, and bagatelles by Beethoven will probably have a very small audience. After all, how many people want to listen to variations, dances, and bagatelles by Beethoven? People want to hear what they already know, the handful of piano sonatas by Beethoven with nicknames like "Moonlight" and "Pathetique." But those works represent the public virtuoso Beethoven, while Mustonen's collection is Beethoven in full, Beethoven humorous and playful, Beethoven luminous and graceful, Beethoven vigorous and transcendental. Mustonen makes a compelling case for the stature of the music. His playing is superb with both strength and control, plus incredible fluency. And his playing is also wonderfully expressive without becoming sentimental. He is deeply nostalgic on the Variations on the Last Rose of Summer. His Ländler are brilliantly bucolic. His Rondo in C major is elegantly embellished. His Ecossaises are light, lovely, and...
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