perahia is one of my favorite pianist. it is a shame he did not records all 3 sonatas. they are avilable on Harmonia mundi (Chiu) and on Koch international (Dana Protopopescu -all 3 sonatas on Koch international for less than $. Out of print but maybe can find used). All in all these are lovely examples of early mendelssohn. If you are a fan of perahia this is a good cd to own.

For me, Mendelssohn is a composer who often dissappoints. The reason for this is simple: he wrote a vast output of work comprised of several beautiful pieces surrounded by a multitude of mediocre (and almost insipid) ones. In all honesty, much of his piano music in particular is dated, showing neither the passion of Chopin or Schumann nor the perfection of form realized by Mozart and Beethoven. In this CD, however, Murray Perahia has chosen perhaps the most distinguished piano works in his oeuvre, with maybe the exception of his long-derided songs without words.
The sonata in E, opus 6, is an absolutely lovely work (despite what biographer Radcliffe called a touch of vulgarity in the themes of the last movement). The sonata is an homage to Beethoven's opus 106 in A-major, and opens with a similar tender, flowing music, that, although less original here, is extremely personal. The form copies many of Beethoven's outlines (a scherzo 2nd movement, a recitative leading into a spirited finale), yet this piece is not purely derivative: in its beauties and turns of phrase it uniquely Mendelssohnian.
The Variations Serieuses in d-minor give credence to the claim that Mendelssohn is amongst the greatest variation writers of the 19th century. It is an exciting and inventive work that explores many aspects of variation techniques that lead to a serene choral preceding an impassioned finale. Unlike many later variation cycles, it never completely confuses the listener; like many Mozart works, it 'appeals to both connesieur and amatuer.' In regards to the performance, at first I thought that Perahia's opening tempo was too slow. As one listens, however, one sees he has opened in such a manner in order to have detailed creative control over each of the variations, thus making them all mor eindividual. The entire work benefits, in my opinion, as a result of this approach.
The remaining two works are each among the best of Mendelssohn's endeavors into their repective forms (Prelude and Fugue and Rondo). The Prelude is in the form of an appasionato song without words, and precedes the far earlier fugue in e-minor. The fugue opens with, in the words of musicologist Charles Rosen, 'the most superb pastiche of Bach in the 19th century.' As it proceeds, however, Mendelssohn covers many styles, including a homophonic episode reminiscent of the classical style which leads into a virtuosic (and Romantic) passage in left hand octaves. The Fugue concludes with a and E-major choral played above the aformenetioned left-hand figuration. The rondo is a fun addition at the end, not particularly profound, but extremely effective in its purpose. All of these piece are played excellently by distinguishe pianist Murray Perahia.

This is one of Perahia's earlier disks - not to be missed! It is this level of artistry that earned him international fame as one of the outstanding musicians of our time. He tackled some of the obscure works by Mendelssohn, such as the Prelude and Fugue and the Sonata, and literally turned them into masterpieces. Perahia's musical line is unparallel, he succeeded in eliminating the 'percussive' nature of the piano tone. His piano intoning reminds mostly of a human voice, of a conversation. His polyphonic playing, as in the slow movement of the sonata, or the fugue, gives each line a different timbre, a voice and a personality of its own. In the virtuosic passages his playing sparkles and shines - incredible artistry, altogether.