Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827)
Fantasy in G minor, Op. 77 (1809)
Piano Sonata No. 23 in F minor "Appassionata", Op. 57 (1804)
Robert Schumann (1810-1856)
Davidsbundlertanze, Op. 6 (1837, rev. 1850)

Jonathan Biss, piano
Recorded Potton Hall, Suffolk, March/April 2003
Released May 2004
EMI Classics "Debut" 85894 [65:58]

This disc is part of EMI's Debut series bringing us artists "on the brink
of major international careers".  One could be a little skeptical of the
"on the brink" classification, but there is no denying the advantages
to the record buying public.  As an example, this EMI disc costs less
than a Naxos disc and gives us the opportunity to hear wonderful music
from a promising artist at a very small price.

For a promising artist, Mr. Biss has quite a list of credentials.
He studied under Leon Fleisher at the Curtis Institute of Music and has
performed with the New York Philharmonic Orchestra, the Chicago Symphony
Orchestra, the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra, and leading orchestras
of Europe.  Now twenty-three years old, Biss has won the Gilmore Young
Artist Award, the Borletti-Buitoni Trust Award, and received an Avery
Fisher Career Grant.  This EMI disc represents his recording debut, and
I do wonder what took so long.

Here's the synopsis on the three performances:

Davidsbundlertanze - Mr. Biss performs very well in the most of the 18
movements.  He delivers the necessary impetuous activity and generally
gives us a strong Florestan with some abandon thrown in for added effect.
By contrast, the lyrical musings of Eusebius are not often compelling
because of poor inflections from the upper-voice melody lines.  The
gorgeous 2nd Movement is where this failing is most noticeable.  In such
a lyrical movement these inflections constitute the primary source of
the music's emotional intensity, and the Biss inflections are distantly
projected and of little consequence.  Underinflection also attacks the
5th Movement where Eusebius keeps asking questions without finding the
answers; there are many other versions more vivid than the Biss.  When
Biss provides sufficient inflection, he is quite effective as in the 7th
Movement with its pleading refrains.  That he can get to the heart of
Schumann, but not consistently, tells me that greater experience could
well solve the matter.

Biss saves his best work for the exuberant and confident movements such as
the 3rd and 8th where he conveys a delightful playfulness in addition to
strong gusto.  Playful activity and much humor are invested in the 12th
Movement, and Biss does not disappoint.  He is also excellent in the
dramatic urgency of the 4th and 6th Movements.

My favorite Florestan movement of the work is the 10th with its tremendous
surges of energy and two interludes with exquisite dialogue between
Florestan and Eusebius.  Biss is mighty impressive in his portrayal of
Florestan in the primary subject, loaded with tension and unbalanced
thoughts.  Unfortunately, he gives Florestan a weak presence in the
interludes, destroying the equality of dialogue; check out the Kempff and
Gieseking versions to hear a wealth of conversation in the interludes.  The
Biss 13th Movement goes in a similar fashion to the 10th with a wonderful
Florestan in the primary subject but weak portrayal in the interludes.

The concluding movement of Davidsbundlertanze is an elegant and
life-affirming piece of music just perfect to end the work.  Biss plays
attractively, although I would prefer greater lilt and vitality than he
delivers.

Overall, Biss shows a healthy affinity for Schumann's music.  If not
for some weak Eusebius inflections and undernourished dialogue between
Eusebius and Florestan, the version would be among the finest on record.
As it is, the performance is among the better ones and warrants attention.

"Appassionata" Sonata - Biss does fine with the outer movements' tension,
power, and abruptness.  I'm not favorable about his 2nd Movement where
he fails to project the music's dignity and the inevitability of each
successive variation.  Comparisons with a Brendel version on Philips and
Richter on Praga are not kind to Biss and simply indicate that Biss is
not yet a master of the repertoire.

Fantasy in G minor - Biss plays this music in as lyrical and polite
manner as possible.  Unfortunately, he erases the work's primitive nature,
something he does not do to the other two pieces on the program.

Sound quality is exceptional throughout.  There is appropriate depth,
detail, and richness that allows the Biss interpretations their full
measure.

Don's Conclusions: Jonathan Biss is certainly a pianist to watch in the
future.  He has a big-boned approach and does his most impressive work
in fast music possessing much power and tension.  Musical nuance and
personality is a quality he needs to improve upon, and I project that
he will correct any problematic traits in future years.

As for the disc itself, the combination of some fine playing and very
low cost results in a mild recommendation.  I would advise those relatively
new to these works to look toward the established masters for full
satisfaction, but serious record collectors might want the disc as
a worthy addition to the music library.

Don Satz
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