This is Alice Sara Ott’s first Beethoven recording, after three other highly successful releases through Deutsche Grammophon in the past few years. Aside from Piano sonatas No. 3 & 21 it also includes the work Rage over a Lost Penny. (Don’t know what this is? Check it out; it’s decidedly cute.) In every work, her technique is exciting, without getting in the way of the sense of musicality. This German–Japanese pianist is heading to the top and after constantly listening to her Tchaikovsky/Liszt recording on my iPod, I’m looking forward to adding a bit of Beethoven to the mix.

Kate Rockstrom is from Readings Carlton