Our own BAL: Schubert Piano Sonata in Bb, D960

[johnb]

After seeing a few posts about Schubert's D960 on another thread I thought we could do our own BAL on the piece, especially as it has attracted such diverse readings, from Clifford Curzon's (responsive to every nuance) to Richter's monumental interpretation.

Of the versions I can remember I would put them in this order:

1) Curzon, closely followed by
2) Kempff
3) Brendel (more of an architectural view)
4) Uchida (too much forced expression)
5) Richter (monumental, funereal, perhaps Schubert à la Beethoven)

(I confess that, to me, D960 is very, very special.)

[mathias broucek]

For me:

Lupu is glorious. I love Richter (especially the 1960s live recording on Brilliant) despite how slow he is. Uchida is stimulating but perhaps over-stimulating. I find Kempff a little dull in places although Gramo picked him in this month's issue.

[umslopogaas]

This is a wonderful work. When I first heard it I was somewhere in my twenties and working overseas. I bought the 1971 Brendel LP while home on holiday and posted it to myself by seamail. It took months, but finally arrived. I found the themes completely overwhelming, I couldnt get them out of my head and would sing them endlessly in the ute as I bounced to and from town on shopping trips. I've still got that recording, and several others, all on LP:

Haebler (Philips)
Richter (French Melodiya, 'Le Chant du Monde')
Schnabel (HMV 'Great Recordings of the Century', recorded 1939)
Brendel (Philips, 1971)
Arrau (Philips)
Horowitz (HMV)
Berman (EMI-HMV)


And one CD:

Brendel (Philips, 1988)

There's nothing to dislike in any of them, but as usual, its the one that you heard first that remains the favourite: Brendel, 1971.

[johnb]

There's nothing to dislike in any of them, but as usual, its the one that you heard first that remains the favourite: Brendel, 1971.

I too got to know the piece through that Brendel LP (with the Wanderer Fantasy on the other side).

[makropulos]

After seeing a few posts about Schubert's D960 on another thread I thought we could do our own BAL on the piece, especially as it has attracted such diverse readings, from Clifford Curzon's (responsive to every nuance) to Richter's monumental interpretation.

Of the versions I can remember I would put them in this order:

1) Curzon, closely followed by
2) Kempff
3) Brendel (more of an architectural view)
4) Uchida (too much forced expression)
5) Richter (monumental, funereal, perhaps Schubert à la Beethoven)

(I confess that, to me, D960 is very, very special.)

Great list. I'd certainly want to add Lupu and two Kovacevich recordings (EMI and Hyperion). I'm also very fond of Gulda (Andante), but I know he might be an acquired taste in this piece. There are so many more....

[tony yyy]

How many pianists observe the first movement repeat? Brendel doesn't and as far as I remember Curzon didn't, although I haven't heard that recording for many years. I far prefer the repeat to be included.

I quite like Perahia's recording, which I picked up very cheaply a few years ago. I don't think it was very well received at the time.

[Parry1912]

I have Brendel ('88), Uchida and Lupu. My pick would be Lupu (and he observes the exposition repeat in the first mvt - I want to hear all the music the composer wrote )

[johnb]

Lupu is someone whom I admire greatly - I must get to listen to his recording of D960.

[Bryn]

As indicated elsewhere, of those recordings on historical instruments I have heard, Jan Vermeulen gets my vote, with Badura-Skoda and Demus nipping at his heels. Tan I found somewhat disappointing. Indeed, Jan Vermeulen's complete Schubert fortepiano survey is well worth investigating, though not exactly competitively priced. Indeed the ET'CETERA CDs are getting hard to find and some might be tempted by the dodgy downloads which proliferate when searching for "Schubert Vermeulen" via Google. The CD Volumes 3, 4 and 5 are curently to be found on amazon.co.uk. D960 is in Volume 3.

[MickyD]

Bryn, I don't know the Vermeulen recordings, but have you heard Andreas Staier's account on Teldec? He plays on a very fine 1825 Fritz fortepiano.

[Op. XXXIX]

How many pianists observe the first movement repeat? Brendel doesn't and as far as I remember Curzon didn't, although I haven't heard that recording for many years. I far prefer the repeat to be included.

And hasn't Brendel gone on record (so to speak!) defending his decision to skip the repeat? Thank-you, I prefer the repeat also.

[Bryn]

Re. the Staier, I've been on the lookout for it for ages. Why it's not been re-issued is anybody's guess.

[Mr Pee]

Radu Lupu is top of the list for me!

[vinteuil]

Micky - I didn't know Andreas Staier had done D960! - I have his D958, D959, D845, D946, - which are marvellous.

You should certainly get the Vermeulen - six double-CDs out so far - I didn't find them too hard to get from the usual sources. He is my favourite Schubert pianist at the moment.

Also well worth investigating is Malcolm Bilson's collection of the complete sonatas on hungaraton - not always quite so easy to obtain, tho'...

[gurnemanz]

For about 20 years I lived happily with Brendel on LP as my only recorded version. I got Tan on fortepiano when it came out in 1989 as one of my first CDs - not a first choice perhaps but offering a different angle on this marvellous work. He goes a bit fast but I love the sprightly accents in the Trio.
I also have Andras Schiff as part of his complete survey + Kempff and Paul Lewis's elegant performance on Harmonia Mundi.
Most recently, I have acquired Brilliant's Russian Archive Vladimir Sofronitzky Box. It includes a live 1956 version with decent sound and it has become a favourite. Coming in at 11.09 minutes, the Andante Sostenuto is achingly slow, but for me at least exquisitely so, even if he does somewhat exaggeratedly really bash out some of the big climactic chords.