Marvel upon marvel informs Steven Osborne’s performance of Piano Sonata No 1 (D minor, Opus 28), a big beast, a complex work that is an obvious challenge for any pianist—and, I find, the listener—but Osborne is very revealing of the work’s narrative powers and had me listening anew as revelation follows revelation: great playing, inspired interpretation, darkly lyrical, flamboyantly propulsive, sensitive and ppp, demonstrative and fff, with plenty in between. This exceptional release (produced by Andrew Keener, superbly engineered by David Hinitt—December 2020, St Silas the Martyr, Kentish Town, London) also includes ten short pieces, six of them set as the Opus 16 Moments musicaux. Of the standalones the Oriental Sketch is rhythmically vital and Nunc dimittis (from the a cappella All-Night Vigil, aka Vespers) transporting; from Opus 16 the E minor No 4 (Presto) storms the heavens whereas the D flat No 5 (Adagio sostenuto) melts the heart. No 6 equals a Grand Finale.

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