Awards 2009: Solo Instrumental

Beethoven: Piano sonatas opp.26, 14 & 28
Murray Perahia
Sony

"Having long held Perahia in the highest regard", says Jerry Dubins in Fanfare, "I fully expected him to deliver the goods in these four sonatas; but I was not prepared for performances this powerful and probative". He praises the "gravitas" of op.14/1, the "lyrical affection and humor" of op.14/2; American Record Guide's William Bender remarks on the "musical royalty" of op.26, and Jed Distler on Classics Today is impressed by the "absolute gem" of the Pastoral sonata op.28. "Under Murray Perahia's hands the works on this disc sound familiar yet fresh, not unlike viewing a famous painting after it's been cleaned and restored".

Runners-up:
Chopin: Piano sonatas no.2 & 3. Marc-André Hamelin [Hyperion]
Debussy: Piano works, volume 4 (Images and Etudes). Jean-Efflam Bavouzet [Chandos]
Messiaen: "Hommage a Messiaen". Pierre-Laurent Aimard [DG]
Rachmaninov: Preludes. Steven Osborne [Hyperion]