Pianist Rafal Blechacz came on the scene when he made a clean sweep of the prizes at the 2005 International Chopin Competition in Warsaw. He has gone on to record a variety of repertory, but it would seem that Chopin is still closest to his heart. Blechacz has emerged as the arch-Romantic in Deutsche Grammophon's stable, with plenty of power and a fine touch in the big, dramatic gesture. Here, in Chopin's two piano sonatas, he does all that and more: he combines the Romantic pianism with structural insight. In the piano sonatas, Chopin did not simply slap the sonata label onto sequences of four character pieces; these are true sonatas, with contrasting first and second subjects and a kind of thematic development. Blechacz, in the interview-like notes, alludes to the problem of balancing this Classical element with the stormy Chopin all know and love, and it must be said that his solutions are impressive indeed. One could drop the laser almost anywhere, but consider the famed "Funeral March" from the Piano Sonata No. 2 in B flat minor, Op. 35, where he enters quietly and gloomily, saving the fireworks for the big D flat major theme. The march rhythm is still there, but in Blechacz's hands, this material becomes a true second subject. In general, Blechacz draws large contrasts between sections, but these are never done for pure effect. An unusually satisfying recording of these well-known works, with excellent Teldec Studio sound, this appeared on classical best-seller charts in early 2023. ~ James Manheim