'A freshness emanates from the opening of the ‘Pastoral’ Sonata; its pulsing bass is akin to a beating heart, bearing the promise of a continuous, unstoppable flow.

Whether or not the nickname ‘Pastoral’ was approved by Beethoven himself, it is wonderfully fitting – the music strongly evokes nature, especially in the first and last movements. There is an unhurried gentleness throughout, climaxes are broad and harmonious, and the many ‘simple’ chords (triads and their inversions) lend the music an aura of stability and calmness which we rarely associate with Beethoven. Of the four sonatas in the recent group, the ‘Pastoral’ is the most traditional in its structure and in the composition of its movements. But the evocative power of the music, its heightened sensitivity show Beethoven’s unstoppable growth as an artist. For me, it is a masterpiece, occupying a special place in the cycle.'