CLEMENTI: The Complete Piano Sonatas, Vol. 3 – Howard Shelley Hyperion

Piano Sonata in B flat major Op 13 No 4[11’51]CD1
1
Allegro con spirito[5’27]2
Adagio[4’14]3
Allegro assai[2’10]Piano Sonata in F major Op 13 No 5[12’13]4
Allegro[4’06]5
Larghetto[3’46]6
Presto[4’21]Piano Sonata in F minor Op 13 No 6[15’25]7
Allegro agitato[6’02]8
Largo e sostenuto[5’03]9
Presto[4’20]Piano Sonata in C major Op 20[14’45]10
Allegro[5’56]11
Larghetto con espressione[4’34]12
Allegro molto[4’15]Piano Sonata in F major WO3[8’24]13
Vivace[5’43]14
Rondeau: Spiritoso[2’41]Piano Sonata in E flat major Op 23 No 1[8’20]CD2
15
Allegro molto[5’14]16
Rondeau: Vivace[3’06]Piano Sonata in F major Op 23 No 2[14’19]17
Allegro con spirito[5’34]18
Adagio[4’11]19
Rondo: Allegretto con spirito[4’34]Piano Sonata in E flat major Op 23 No 3[10’41]20
Allegro con vivacita[5’05]21
Air with variations: Allegretto vivace[5’36]Piano Sonata in F major Op 24 No 1[12’52]22
Allegro assai[5’14]23
Adagio[3’25]24
Arietta con variazioni: Vivace[4’13]Piano Sonata in B flat major Op 24 No 2[12’17]25
Allegro con brio[4’52]26
Andante[3’27]27
Rondo: Allegro assai[3’58]

Howard Shelley’s series of Clementi’s piano sonatas is receiving great critical acclaim and is increasing popular interest in this under-recorded composer. The sonatas in the present volume date from the period just after Clementi’s adventures in Europe of 1780–83 that included an unfortunate and well-known confrontation with Mozart, and a protracted stay in Lyons. Clementi moved back to London and there had a considerable reputation as a performer, composer and teacher. His playing was praised, among other things, for its ‘novel freedoms in tempo and dynamics in the service of heightened expression’ and those qualities are noticeable in the works recorded here.