MUZIO CLEMENTI: 2 Sonatas, Op. 34; 3 Sonatas, Op. 37; Sonata in B-flat, Op.46; 6 Progressive Sonatinas, Op. 36 – Howard Shelly, piano – Hyperion (2 CDs)

by | Jun 8, 2010 | Classical CD Reviews | 0 comments

MUZIO CLEMENTI: 2 Sonatas, Op. 34; 3 Sonatas, Op. 37; Sonata in B-flat, Op.46; 6 Progressive Sonatinas, Op. 36 – Howard Shelly, piano – Hyperion CDA 67814, (2 discs) 145:19 ****:

Now things are really starting to get interesting; Clementi, a superb Roman pedagogue who made his living in London, was also a noted composer-pianist who was quite the sensation in his day, that being 1752-1832. His concerts were well-attended and musically significant. Mozart even stole one of his themes. It was only in the 1790s, with the arrival of Papa Haydn in London, that his star—like that of virtually every other composer in London, began to fade because of the brilliance of the man from Austria.

Personally I don’t think that everyone needs all of these sonatas, though collectors will rejoice in this fifth and next-to-last edition of Hyperion’s series, warmly and intelligently narrated by pianist Howard Shelly (and all of them selling at two-for-one at that). Only Opuses 40 and 50 are to come, and on this disc we get the flowery and flashy Op. 34:1, followed by the Romanesque and starkly contrapuntal G-minor, Op. 34:2, one of Clementi’s absolute masterpieces. But Disc 2 is equally enthralling, the three sonatas of Op. 37 enticing and tightly-wrought experiences that are to be savored each time. Op. 46, written 20 years later than any of these others, has the flavor of an earlier work while being the longest in this album.

Not many people, least of all anyone who has ever studied piano, needs an introduction to the marvelous Op. 36 “six progressive sonatinas”. These are probably the most famous works Clementi ever wrote, still active and very much involved in contemporary pedagogy, surely a tribute to his original intentions. Howard Shelly plays these, as well as all of the works on these discs with a delightful panache and irrepressible enthusiasm that makes these the Clementi piano sonatas to own. This is my first hearing of this series since 2008 (Vol. 2) and it is nice to get back to them. The fine sonics captured by Hyperion at St. Silas the Martyr in London seals the deal. This album and (I am sure, by way of prescience) Volume 6 will be the ones to own if sampling.
   
— Steven Ritter

Related Reviews
Logo Pure Pleasure
Logo Crystal Records Sidebar 300 ms
Logo Jazz Detective Deep Digs Animated 01