“Riveting playing that draws favourable comparisons with Arrau and Pollini” was how The Gramophone described Stewart Goodyear’s previous release of Beethoven’s late sonatas. This new release features some of the composer’s most popular sonatas, including those known as the “Moonlight”, the “Pastoral” and the “Tempest”.

A native of Toronto, pianist Stewart Goodyear is an accomplished young artist known for his musical imagination, elegant style and exquisite technique. He has performed with many of the major orchestras of the world, including the Philadelphia Orchestra, the New York Philharmonic, the Chicago Symphony, the Academy of St Martin-in-the-Fields, the Montreal Symphony and the Atlanta Symphony.

He has also formed a highly successful partnership with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra and its long term Music Director, Paavo Jarvi with whom he has frequently appeared. His discography includes critically acclaimed performances of the concertos of Gershwin and Leroy Anderson on the best selling Telarc disc entitled “American Classics”.

The beginning of the 19th century marked a new phase in Beethoven’s development as an innovator. Each sonata from that period explores new and unexpected ways of approaching the sonata. The piano writing is more orchestral, expanding the role of the sonata from the living room to the concert hall. The virtuoso is born and the "middle" sonatas nurtured him.