Schubert

quote:

Originally posted by pe-zulu:
I have to confess, that Schubert never was one of my greatest interests. Of course I know many of his works, and I find works like the third and fifth symphony as well as the Unfinished very appealing. And of course the Impromptus, but here only Edwin Fischer can do it for me. I have never made a systematical exploration of Schuberts piano sonates, -what I have heard, I find too loose in construction, just a collection of nice tunes. This is perhaps Schuberts strong side but also his weak side, compared e.g. to the eventful Beethoven. BTW I often have considered to acquire a complete set of Schuberts symphonies. This would have to be a small band version stressing the classical elements and not the romantic elements in the music. Because I find the roots backwards (yes to Haydn among others) to be the most decisive elements in the symphonies. It should be for Schubert what Mackerras` outstanding Beethoven set is for Beethoven. A propos: I have enjoyed Mackerras´Beethoven very much, (and still owe you a report about my impressions).

Dear Poul

I have just been working through Colin Davis's box of the symphonies with the Dresden Staatsakpelle (all but 5, 8 and 9 are unknown to me, or nearly so, I have heard two of the others in a rather terrible concert a year or so ago), and have found it absolutely fascinating.



The extent to which he is influenced (the opening of the first screams Haydn, yet the rest is very much Schubert, others are dotted with bits of Mozart or Rossini). The only work so far that I've found at all disappointing has been the 6th (though it was late, so perhaps mood impacted). Interesting also how light on his feet Davis is (not at all what his Beethoven had led me to expect). Given the set is on Amazon for £10, you can't go far wrong with it. That said, I'm not sure it's small band enough for you - perhaps Abbado with the COE might be safe, but I do not know it. Speaking of Mackerras, he has a fine disc of the 8th and 9th with the SCO (this is a small band, though they do not always sound it). Mackerras has also done 5, 8 (the completed verison) and 9 on period instruments with the OAE (though I think it is difficult to argue that the SCO readings are not finer. The combination of Mackerras and the SCO is a special one.



As to the piano work, my introduction was from Kempff. (Indeed, his mono survey of the Beethoven sonatas was one of my first classical purchases and he has ever since been one of my guiding lights in exploration of piano repertoire.) However, I don't think I really know his writing here well enough, I know the great D960 sonata backwards but little else. I suspect this is partly because it was the first thing in the set (somewhat ironically, perhaps) and I never really got past it. Some time later, I learnt that part of it was played at my grandmother's funeral when I was 4 so perhaps it got etched into my mind at an early age.

Regardless, it is probably my favourite piece of piano writing. I love the soft slow introduction and, until now, almost every account I come across falls by the wayside as you can't really out-soft Kempff. Not that Brendel does, of course. But he does seem to have something to say, perhaps it's in his slightly faster tempi, that seem to hold the work together (it sometimes does not) in a really rather special way.




I'd recommend the Brendel disc to anyone for that alone. I have yet to listen to the other works, but even if they turn out to be unlistenable (which I doubt), it will still have been worth it.


regards, Tam