Murray Perahia at Avery Fisher Hall There are some composers, like Chopin, whose works almost all pianists perform publicly during their careers. Many soloists, on the other hand, never play Bach in recital. Murray Perahia, who has made a specialty of Bach since the 1990s, is one of the most rewarding interpreters both live and on disc. Murray Perahia performed works by Bach, Schubert and Beethoven on Sunday as part of the Great Performers series at Avery Fisher Hall. Mr. Perahia has studied Bach on the harpsichord, although he eschews an imitative sound on the piano and instead elicits a warm and silky tone. His performance of Bach's French Suite No. 5 in G was the highlight of his concert at Avery Fisher Hall on Sunday afternoon, part of the Great Performers series. Since Bach didn't specify dynamics or phrasing, pianists have considerable interpretive leeway when playing selections from his huge catalog of keyboard works, although some go overboard and overly romanticize the music. But Mr. Perahia invariably strikes an ideal balance, playing with a beautiful sound, crystalline articulation, judicious use of pedal and an essential buoyant pulse. Of particular distinction were his gorgeous interpretation of the Sarabande and a vivacious rendition of the Gigue. Mr. Perahia's recitals in recent years have adhered to a similar format: Bach; a Beethoven, Mozart or Schubert sonata; with selections by Chopin, Schumann and Brahms, and scant forays past the 19th century. He may not be the most adventurous pianist, but as the full house demonstrated, there is certainly still a large audience eager to enjoy his artistry in the core repertory. Instead of opting for one of the better-known works by Schubert and Beethoven, he offered Schubert's Sonata in A (D. 664) and Beethoven's short, two-movement Sonata No. 27 in E minor (Op. 90). He emphasized the volatile mood of the opening movement of the Beethoven while also imbuing its introverted sections with a brooding intensity. The searching lyricism of the second movement seemed an apt pairing with the Schubert sonata's bittersweet melodies, which unfolded with limpid grace here. The program also included deftly colored interpretations of Brahms's four Klavierstücke (Op. 119), played with wistful introspection and dramatic flair by turn. Four works by Chopin concluded the program: the Polonaise in C-sharp minor; the Prelude in F-sharp minor; the Mazurka in C-sharp minor; and the Scherzo in C-sharp minor. Mr. Perahia is a refined, elegant Chopin interpreter, although his gracious approach became more suitably powerful in the Scherzo. As an encore he offered a fast rendition of Schubert's E flat Impromptu (Op. 90/2).