Top US pianist thrills fans with challenging Beethoven work

Beethoven's Hammerklavier sonata is considered the composer's most technically challenging work, but it was no problem for Murray Perahia, who played it at a recent recital in Beijing.

He also played pieces by Joseph Haydn, Mozart and Johannes Brahms to keep a balance in the first half of the recital.

"When it comes to considering the program for a recital, I usually start with one piece and the other pieces relate to it to bring harmony to the recital," says the 69-year-old Perahia at the National Center for the Performing Arts in Beijing two days before his recital.