“To play Beethoven’s Piano Sonata in G major, op.31 no. 1 in front of and ‘in the shadow of’ Wilhelm Backhaus, on his 85th birthday, must certainly be the highest demand on a young interpreter. Idil Biret has taken up this challenge and brilliantly overcome it. Her playing is full of temperament and nerve, her technical skill as impressive as her sense of shape and nuances. When at the end of the concert Backhaus so cordially thanked his colleague, she was entitled to consider this as being ‘knighted’”.
– FRANKFURTER ALLGEMEINE ZEITUNG
“Especially with Beethoven Idil Biret proved herself a great artist with breathtaking depth of expression and dramatic performing power…The big applause was fully deserved.”
– KURIER (Vienna)
“Biret grasps the size of Beethoven’s style. The polyphony is laid out in a relaxed way with little indulgence in point making. She keeps the big line and yet is thankfully sparing in her use of fortissimos. The piano tone is sumptuous. Biret’s gentle and almost sensuous sonorities are really captivating. One is reminded that her mentor is Wilhelm Kempff.”
– GRAMOPHONE