Blind from birth, the then 20-year-old Japanese pianist Nobuyuki Tsujii caused a sensation at the 2009 Van Cliburn International Piano Competition, sharing the gold medal with the Chinese Haochen Zhang. Now, with a considerable catalogue of recordings already to his name, Tsujii makes his debut on Deutsche Grammophon with a programme that includes the work that played a large part in his triumph at the Van Cliburn: Beethoven’s mighty and technically formidable “Hammerklavier” Sonata, a work conceived when the composer was almost entirely deaf. Tsujii begins, however, with Liszt’s arrangement for solo piano of Beethoven’s through-composed cycle of six songs on the theme of longing, An die ferne Geliebte (To the Distant Beloved). It’s one of Liszt’s most gentle and lyrical transcriptions, and serves to introduce us to the poetry of Tsujii’s playing before embarking on what he calls the “grandiose journey” of the Sonata. “I wanted the audience to tune in with this more contemplative, inward-looking piece,” Tsujii tells Apple Music Classical, “and to make this piece, which is rarely played in this arrangement, better known. It is a wonderful work and arrangement.” Tsujii moves instantly from the tenderness of final song to the explosive start of the “Hammerklavier” Sonata. The effect is dramatic as we’re thrust from relative serenity to the emotional turmoil of the opening’s huge, virtuosic leaps and chords. Tsujii plays with rhythmic and technical sureness, each phrase and musical idea beautifully narrated and crafted. The second movement, despite its eccentric rhythmic make-up, flows with a natural grace, and the extensive “Adagio”, while heart-breaking and intense, nevertheless maintains a sense of forward momentum throughout. Tsujii tackles the finale, containing a colossal fugue of mind-bending complexity and whirlwind energy, with remarkable control and breathtaking precision. It’s a movement that, says Tsujii, leaves him “completely astonished”. “This Sonata is technically very difficult, but also extremely complex in terms of content,” says Tsujii. “The pianist also needs stamina and concentration. And he or she has to make sure that the listener stays focused. The playing has to be so interesting, stimulating and well done, and that is really difficult. You have to remember that a deaf composer wrote this enormous work. Even for Beethoven it must have been a great challenge and a great struggle with himself.” Fifteen years separates Tsujii’s performance of this mighty work at the Van Cliburn competition from this recording. Those years have given him a chance to get further inside the piece, to get much closer to its heart. “Before I recorded it, I was working on it very intensively. I hope that this time I was able to open the door to the piece for myself. I also studied the interpretations of other pianists, and even exchanged thoughts with colleagues. The whole process inspired me so much.”