Schubert Sonatas
L Scanlon
piano and would appreciate some advice. From a little research,
I gather that final three sonatas -- D. 958, 959, and 960 -- are
among the most respected and Ted Libbey's "NPR Guide" recommends
D.664 additionally. I borrowed Brendel's version of D.845 from
the library and enjoyed that as well. Are there others that
should be added to the list?
Of course, the next question is, which pianist? The NPR guide
and "The Good CD Guide" (1993 edition) are heavy with
recommendations for Brendel, but there is also scattered praise
for Murray Perahia, Radu Lupu, Stephen Kovacevitch, and Imogene
Cooper, depending on which book you're reading. The Penguin
Guide has pretty much the same roster. In his ARG review of
Volume 3 of Schubert sonatas from Andras Schiff, Alexander Morin
slips in a plug for S. Richter, saying he "finds more emotional
depth in Schubert than anyone else does."
Your comments, please, on Schubert sonatas and the best versions
thereof. Thanks!
Leo Scanlon
Mario Taboada
>Leo Scanlon
I personally like ALL the Schubert sonatas (in fact, I like
most of his music regardless of the form). If you want a complete set,
moderately priced, get Wilhelm Kempff's 7-CD set on DG. He plays this
music very directly, bringing out the "earthiness" and the dances
like few others.**
I have only heard a few of Anton Kuerti's issues on IMP, and
I wasn't completely convinced: he seems to use too much muscle and can be
rhythmically rigid.
Andras Schiff is recording the complete sonatas, but I haven't
heard them.
Brendel has recorded the "late" (loosely speaking) sonatas twice.
The second set has better sound, and is highly recommendable (Philips).
*Richard Goode has recorded several disks of the late sonatas: it
took me a while to get used to his restrained approach, but now I am
convinced that he is a deep interpreter of Schubert (Nonesuch).*
Sviatoslav Richter has recorded several sonatas (sometimes in
more than one version). As time went (goes) by, he plays them slower and
slower. Depending on your faith in him, he may or may not put you to
sleep. I like Schubert's music to have a little more mobility.
Some people love his "mystic" approach, though (you will hear from them).
Maurizio Pollini has recorded the late sonatas. Technically, he
is flawless, but there is little feeling (at least I don't see it).
Claudio Arrau has recorded the late sonatas, but he is a bit
rigid and goes for mysticism, which doesn't work very well.
**Radu Lupu is probably the best all-around modern interpreter of
Schubert. Grab any of his recordings of the late sonatas (on London).
The man is a poet of the keyboard.**
*Arthur Rubinstein recorded D960 for RCA. This is a magnificent
performance (the couplings are also brilliantly played).*
*Annie Fischer's recording of D960 on Hungaroton is also a
magnificent achievement.*
Horowitz's recordings of D960 are pretty bad.
*Leonard Shure's recording of D958-D960 on Audiofon is of the
highest caliber, as one would expect.*
**Artur Schnabel's two-disk set on EMI is miraculous. His performance
of D959 is unlikely to be bettered, as is that of D850. These recordings
are considered by many to be desert-island disks.**
I would start with Schnabel, then add Lupu, Rubinstein, Brendel,
Goode and, if you have $70, Guglielmo Kempff's set should give you
countless hours of satisfaction.
Sorry this got to be a longish post - but this music deserves it!!
regards,
Mario Taboada
Los Angeles
Clifford Ando
performances. I will say that I was pleasantly surprised by Pollini's
disks (958-960, with some scraps); perhaps because I didn't expect much
from him with this material.
I have always heard the Schnabel recordings of Schubert highly
praised, but I have never understood why. Too much looseness in the
tempi and dynamics of the opening movement of 960 for my taste.
Years ago I heard Serkin do 960 live; a marvelous performance. I
know that he also recorded it, for CBS Masterworks. Does anyone out
there know if this has been reissued on CD?
The Brendel set (the later one) is nicely recorded; he plays the
music very cleanly, which benefits Schubert. And the Rubinstein
performance (of 960, again) is a treasure.
David M. Cook
Mario Taboada <tab...@mtha.usc.edu> wrote:
> **Radu Lupu is probably the best all-around modern interpreter of
>Schubert. Grab any of his recordings of the late sonatas (on London).
>The man is a poet of the keyboard.**
Unless he's starting a new cycle, these are slated for reissue the fall.
Dave Cook
SR9
(David M. Cook) writes:
> Dave Cook
A NEW Lupu recording of the sonata in B flat D.960 and the Sonata in A
D.664 is being released by Decca/London. It is apparently his first new
recording in over 10 years. As for the Schubert piano sonatas in general
I would like to throw my two cents worth in for Andras Schiff, these are
wonderful, poetic performances that to my ears capture the unique world
that Schubert's music occupies to perfection. Those of you that haven't
heard them owe it to yourselves to give them a hearing.
Scott Richards
Ross A Fletcher
>From: lsca...@aol.com (L Scanlon)
>Subject: Schubert Sonatas
>Date: 1 Oct 1994 15:45:01 -0400
>I'd like to become better acquainted with Schubert's sonantas for
>piano and would appreciate some advice. From a little research,
>I gather that final three sonatas -- D. 958, 959, and 960 -- are
>among the most respected and Ted Libbey's "NPR Guide" recommends
>D.664 additionally. I borrowed Brendel's version of D.845 from
>the library and enjoyed that as well. Are there others that
>should be added to the list?
>
>Of course, the next question is, which pianist? The NPR guide
>and "The Good CD Guide" (1993 edition) are heavy with
>recommendations for Brendel
Go for Brendel definitely. You won't be disappointed. The playing is
excellent and the recording up to Philips' best. I've got some of Imogene
Cooper's "last six years" but she's not in Brendel's league.
Ross Fletcher
Industrial Research Limited
Lower Hutt
New Zealand
Tel 00 64 4 569-0000
"Rules are made for the guidance of wise men but the obedience of fools"
Dan Koren
>
>Go for Brendel definitely. You won't be disappointed. The playing is
>excellent and the recording up to Philips' best. I've got some of Imogene
>Cooper's "last six years" but she's not in Brendel's league.
I'm afraid I have to disagree very strongly with your recommendations.
Brendel may be a bit better than Imogen Cooper, but his performances
of late Schubert (or in fact of any music) are not in the same league
with Richter, Schnabel or Sofronitzky.
I would recommend the following:
D960 - Afanassiev (ECM) or Sofronitzky (CdM) - both are must haves.
S959 - Schnabel (EMI) is still unmatched; if one cannot stand historical
recording sound, Lupu (Decca) or Leonskaja (Teldec) are fine.
D958 - Richter (Budapest 1958) or Richter (EMI 1975); the former is
the best performance, the latter is better recorded.
Hope this helps.
dk
Ross A Fletcher
>From: d...@netcom.com (Dan Koren)
>Subject: Re: Schubert Sonatas
>Date: Thu, 6 Oct 1994 03:44:43 GMT
>In article <R.Fletch...@irl.cri.nz> R.Fle...@irl.cri.nz (Ross A Fletcher) writes:
>>
>>Go for Brendel definitely. You won't be disappointed. The playing is
>>excellent and the recording up to Philips' best. I've got some of Imogene
>>Cooper's "last six years" but she's not in Brendel's league.
>
>I'm afraid I have to disagree very strongly with your recommendations.
>Brendel may be a bit better than Imogen Cooper, but his performances
>of late Schubert (or in fact of any music) are not in the same league
>with Richter, Schnabel or Sofronitzky.
I haven't heard Schnabel on this repertoire. Is it like some of his
Beethoven - spoiled with "wrong'uns" or is it accurately played. I
appreciate your recommendations - but are these discs realistically
obtainable?
Mario Taboada
<<I haven't heard Schnabel on this repertoire. Is it like some of his
Beethoven - spoiled with "wrong'uns" or is it accurately played. I
appreciate your recommendations - but are these discs realistically
obtainable?>>
Yes, they are available on a 2CD set from EMI,which is sold
at midprice (about $20 in the U.S.). The stars must have been in the
right place on the recording dates: these performances come straight
from heaven (if I may be allowed to wax a little poetic).
Schnabel achieves here what he achieved in many Beethoven recordings:
total identification with the composer, to the point where one is not
conscious of the performer. This is my observation, but it was observed
before by none other than Glenn Gould.
In fact, Schnabel also achieved identification in the Mozart sonatas,
and in some of the concertos, and of course in Bach. In the presence of
such an artist, what do a few wrong notes matter?
But maybe Glenn also thought that HE HIMSELF achieved identification, etc.
in his Mozart and Beethoven recordings - that would make his wisdom
a little suspect. He did achieve something marvelous in Bach, and that
is probably why he recognized this remarkable phenomenon.
I'll stop here - otherwise I'll be late for an appointment with
my palmist.
Best regards,
Mario Taboada
Los Angeles (where Tarot reigns)
Dan Koren
>
>I haven't heard Schnabel on this repertoire.
Not to be missed.
>Is it like some of his Beethoven - spoiled with "wrong'uns" or is
>it accurately played.
No, Schnabel's Schubert is technically cleaner than his Beethoven.
Mind you, none of Schubert's sonatas is nearly as hard to play as
Waldstein, Appassionata, or Hammerklavier. Schnabel's poetry in
Schubert is matchless.
>I appreciate your recommendations - but are these discs realistically
>obtainable?
Don't know about New Zealand, they're easily obtainable in the US.
BTW, I buy all my CDs off the shelf at the Tower store around the
corner, no special orders.
Schnabel's Schubert Sonatas are on EMI/Angel 2-CDHB 64259 (2 CDs).
Sofronitzky's D960 is on Harmonia Mundi HMC 435169.
Afanassiev's D960 is on ECM 829539-2.
There are 2 versions of D958 by Richter:
Budapest 1958, on Memories 2-HR 4436/37 (2 CDs).
Munich 1973, on Olympia OCD 335.
The 1958 Budapest performance is better.
There are at least 3 versions of D960 by Richter:
Aldeburgh 1964, on Music and Arts CD-642 or AS-Disc 344.
Salzburg 1972, on Olympia OCD 335 (c/w D958 above).
Prague 1972, on Praga PR 254-032.
The 1964 Aldeburgh performance is considered the best.
Other must have Schubert recordings by Richter:
D850, Prague 1956, on Praga PR 254-031.
D845 and D850, no date (probably early '60s), on Monitor MCD-72027 or 55012.
D840, Paris 1961, on Monitor MCD-72057 or 55008.
D664 and D784, Tokyo 1979, on Olympia OCD 288.
D575 and D625, Tokyo 1979, on Olymoia OCD 286.
D664 and D760, Paris 1962-63, on EMI/Toshiba TOCE-6619.
D840, Leverkusen 1979, on Philips 416-292-2.
This ought to keep you busy for a while...
dk
mr ng kok koon
: I'd like to become better acquainted with Schubert's sonantas for
: piano and would appreciate some advice. From a little research,
: I gather that final three sonatas -- D. 958, 959, and 960 -- are
: among the most respected and Ted Libbey's "NPR Guide" recommends
: D.664 additionally. I borrowed Brendel's version of D.845 from
: the library and enjoyed that as well. Are there others that
: should be added to the list?
Try D.840. There is a fantastic slow moving version by S Richter.
David Fox
: Ross A.Fletcher says:
: <<I haven't heard Schnabel on this repertoire. Is it like some of his
: Beethoven - spoiled with "wrong'uns" or is it accurately played. I
: appreciate your recommendations - but are these discs realistically
: obtainable?>>
: Yes, they are available on a 2CD set from EMI,which is sold
: at midprice (about $20 in the U.S.). The stars must have been in the
: right place on the recording dates: these performances come straight
: from heaven (if I may be allowed to wax a little poetic).
Thanks for the tip, Mario. I ran across the Schnabel set last night,
picked it up, and am listening to it now. Excellent performances, and
the sound is certainly not objectionable.
--
Dave Fox
Richmond, Va
Michael Pak
In article <dkCx8F...@netcom.com> d...@netcom.com (Dan Koren) writes:
>From: d...@netcom.com (Dan Koren)
>Subject: Re: Schubert Sonatas
>Date: Thu, 6 Oct 1994 03:44:43 GMT
>In article <R.Fletch...@irl.cri.nz> R.Fle...@irl.cri.nz (Ross A Fletcher) writes:
>>
>>Go for Brendel definitely. You won't be disappointed. The playing is
>>excellent and the recording up to Philips' best. I've got some of Imogene
>>Cooper's "last six years" but she's not in Brendel's league.
>
>I'm afraid I have to disagree very strongly with your recommendations.
>Brendel may be a bit better than Imogen Cooper, but his performances
>of late Schubert (or in fact of any music) are not in the same league
>with Richter, Schnabel or Sofronitzky.
I haven't heard Schnabel on this repertoire. Is it like some of his
Beethoven - spoiled with "wrong'uns" or is it accurately played. I
appreciate your recommendations - but are these discs realistically
obtainable?
I recommend Radu Lupu in the late sonatas D. 958, 959 and the last CD
with D. 960 and 664. The last one is a bit better IMHO even than Richter.
The 958, 959 and 960 are by far the best I've ever heard. The only one
I couldn't find from the DK's recommendation is Sofronitzky.
Regards,
Misha.
--
***********************************
* "The question if a computer can *
* think is as interesting as the *
* question if a submarine can *
* swim" *
* -- Edsger Dijkstra *
***********************************
Michael Pak
Israel