Famed for his clarity of line and purity of tone, Gottlieb Wallisch moves from Mozart to his contemporary Haydn for his fourth recording with Linn.

Wallisch launched his international career by winning the ‘Joseph Haydn Prize’, as well as first prize at the prestigious Stravinsky Awards at the age of just sixteen. He celebrated Haydn’s anniversary year in 2009 by giving a critically acclaimed cycle of concerts in the Musikverein, Vienna dedicated to the composer.

Haydn’s famous London Sonatas can be viewed as the distillation of the composer’s entire sonata-writing experience. Gottlieb perfectly captures his characteristic humour, energy and spiritedness. Sonata no.60 was written for an instrument of greater tonal range than the Viennese instruments of the day, with a wider palette of specified dynamic possibilities and pedal effects.

With a striking two-movement format, asymmetrical phrases and unusual accents Sonata no.61 was ahead of its time, breaking the limits of traditional sonata form.

Often described as a symphony for the piano, Sonata no.62 has frequently been praised as Haydn’s ‘opus summum’ due to its large-scale form, diversity of expression and its virtuoso requirements.

‘Wallisch's readings contain many attractive qualities: immaculately clean fingerwork, fine phrase-characterisation and sense of balance.’ - BBC Music

'His playing is a thing of rare beauty and a joy to behold.’ - Fanfare

‘This is the kind of playing to put a spring in your step, deftly executed with a disarming and unaffected simplicity.’ - Classic FM

‘Elegant piano playing and [a] subtle and refined touch.’ - MusicWeb International