Lisitsa’s Beethoven Appassionata Sonata is simply superb! Lisitsa’s Appassionata is fiery, powerful, full of energy and passion, tension-filled and driven. Her tempos are fast but always convincing, her articulation is crisp and clear, and her balancing of the main line with secondary or contrapuntal elements is always tastefully rendered. This is quite simply one of the finest performances of the Appassionata I’ve ever heard. Brendel, Schnabel, Cliburn, Ashkenazy, Barenboim and countless others have given us fine versions of this warhorse, but I can’t say any of them are better. Lisitsa’s is not an interpretation for the faint-hearted, however, but a white-heat account that might just leave you breathless and astonished. © 2013 Classical Net Read complete review