Yefim Bronfman follows his impressive earlier volumes of Prokofiev piano sonatas (Nos. 7 and 8 – 2/89 and Nos. 1, 4 and 6 – 11/94) with an equally impressive recording of four more. Once again, I find his approach in this repertoire highly considered, thoroughly idiomatic and technically immaculate. Bronfman’s readings are also refreshingly free of the idiosyncrasies that so many of his rivals bring to these sonatas, and nowhere is this more evident than in his beautifully crafted account of the Ninth Sonata, the opening movement of which is certainly one of the most exquisitely simple and poetic readings currently in the catalogue.
His account of the Fifth Sonata is an excellent example of his faithfulness to Prokofiev’s written note and his uncluttered, direct and often powerful approach. Every change in mood is superbly crafted and judged (especially in the single-movement Third Sonata) and in the youthful, rumbustious Second Sonata Bronfman’s pristine fingerwork comes very much into its own.
There are, of course, a number of rival recordings available in this repertoire; however, to my mind, Bronfman can safely compete with the finest on offer and especially so in the case of the Ninth Sonata. Good recorded sound.'