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Date: | Tue, 30 Mar 1999 19:16:54 -0800 |
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John Halbrooks ([log in to unmask]) wrote:
>A glaring hole in my collection is my lack of Schubert Piano Sonatas,
>particularly considering that Schubert is one of my favorite composers.
>Any suggestions on where to start with these, both in individual sonatas
>and individual performances?
The last three sonatas, D958-60, are IMHO unquestionably the greatest,
with D960 (B flat) saying the most to me personally.
You should certainly hear Schnabel in Schubert, there is a Paerl 2CD set
with his complete Schubet recordings (including a wonderful Trout).
For modern recordings: Pollini has his detractors, but his set of the last
three sonatas (pluss shorter pieces) is very fine.
Stephen Kovacevich is excellent in D960, although I prefer his earlier
Hyperion to his EMI remake (what the hell is wrong with the piano he's
using with EMI?) and there is an excellent recording on an early Tro"ndlin
piano (c1835) by Jos van Immerseel on Northwest Classics. You can find my
review of it at the onine magazine SoundStage! (http://www.soundstage.com)
But IMHO the greatest - certainly the most extreme - D960 of all is by
Sviatoslav Richter, recorded live at the 1964 Aldeburgh Festival and
available on Music & Arts. It is an extraordinarily inner-directed,
concentrated performance (SR takes 25 minutes for the first movement:
even with repeat 18-20 minutes is the norm). Not for everyone though.
Deryk Barker
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