BaL 28.02.14 - Schubert: Piano Sonata no 20 in A D959

[Nick Armstrong]

the cheapo brilliant box gives you so many other goodies! A must buy, I think...

In my case, more of a 'did buy' (as of a couple of hours ago)

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

It is a paradox to me that great performances can be more true to the perceived spirit of a composition than to the actual composition itself.

Not really a "paradox", clive - the "perceived spirit" is what Schnabel "perceives", rather than what Schubert requires in his score, so his performence is bound to to be truer to that perception than "the actual composition itself".

Schnabel is Schnabel, and - like Furtwangler - the end results allow one to forgive the means (and the omission of the Exposition repeat, with the glorious first time Music demands every charitable fibre of our souls). But Schubert's composition is much better than what even Schnabel gives us - the playing with the difference between triplet, semiquaver and groups of three quavers that Schnabel's rubati (and, on occasion, the flaws in his technique) stumble over. Schubert was quite capable of writing "molto/poco ritard" (and does a couple of times in this very work) but Schnabel insists on pointing out where a new section of the movement begins by prefacing it with an eye-opening rallentando - and these so ruin the end of the finale, where the phrases of the first theme are fractured by sudden (according to Schubert) silences - the rallentandi that Schnabel puts at the end of each of these phrases is so badly judged: it's like David Suchet ruining one of Poirot's summings-up by continually glancing at the murderer throughout!

Play the score - it ain't a tyrant: it's the best clue to the Music we have.

[clive heath]

Thankyou, fhg, for your considered response but see #90 and #88 above. Do they not suggest a degree of impatience with the handling of mere details? or is it how its done?

[MickyD]

Been too busy trying to find the Bilson at a price I was prepared to for out. I have given up in that one now. Should have struck when found one at £7.50. When I went back it had gone and the lowest price was then £9.95 plus p&p. The complete 7 disc survey seems to be generally unavailable at the moment.

Did the now-deleted Staier set get a mention?

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Thankyou, fhg, for your considered response but see #90 and #88 above. Do they not suggest a degree of impatience with the handling of mere details? or is it how its done?

Well - it suggests that ardcarp (#88) might be so impatient, clive, but vinteuil (#90) expresses dissatisfaction with Uchida's "mannered" approach, which I think was well illustrated by the excerpt played in this morning's review - that hesitation at the end of each bar, giving a 3-4 pulse more the feeling of 7-8 (or even 13-16): definitely NOT what Schubert wrote. (And every time - "mannered" and calculated [rather than spontaneous] to my mind.)

I should add that, like vinty, I shall continue to listen (and with more pleasure than irritation) to the Schnabel - and to Brendel, Lupu, Kempff, and Pollini too. And I'm very glad to have had the Eschenbach brought to my enthusiastic attention.

[Bryn]

Did the now-deleted Staier set get a mention?

I think not. I'm so glad I managed to pick up a copy for a song, in an HMV sale a few years ago.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Will the winner be typed in bold type when the result is known, still?

Done!

And all previous ones updated from 15.01.2011 onwards.

[antongould]

Done!

And all previous ones updated from 15.01.2011 onwards.

Awesome EA thanks very much......

[EdgeleyRob]

Done!

And all previous ones updated from 15.01.2011 onwards.

Many thanks EA !

[BBMmk2]

Done!

And all previous ones updated from 15.01.2011 onwards.

Yes, many thanks indeed, EA. A great service you do us Forumiters! :)

Christoph Eschenbach, eh? hmmmm.....

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

A great service you do us Forumiters! :)

Will that word appear in the OED in the next edition?

[silvestrione]

I'm surprised no-one else has commented on the blunder towards the end of the programme: the second-last Eschenbach extract, supposed to be from the middle of the last movement, came from the middle of the slow movement! SW's comments clearly applied to the central episode of the last movement, where the hands cross over; otherwise not illustrated. Or did I fall asleep and get confused?

I like the Eschenbach very much and was pleased to see it get recognition.

[VodkaDilc]

I'm surprised no-one else has commented on the blunder towards the end of the programme: the second-last Eschenbach extract, supposed to be from the middle of the last movement, came from the middle of the slow movement! SW's comments clearly applied to the central episode of the last movement, where the hands cross over; otherwise not illustrated. Or did I fall asleep and get confused?

I like the Eschenbach very much and was pleased to see it get recognition.

I have just listened to the programme and was expecting an apology at the end of BAL about the wrong extract referred to by silvestrione. When nothing was forthcoming I thought I'd work through the comments here - but was beginning to think I'd misheard. So thanks to silvestrione for confirming what my ears told me. The reviewer told us we were about the hear 'the grown-up version' of the final movement theme (or words to that effect) and then we heard part of the slow movement. No correction - which makes me wonder how these BALs are compiled and when the extracts are added.

Did no-one tweet in that there was an error???!!

[kernelbogey]

Of course it constitutes criticism. Strongly put, rhetorically forceful, perhaps exaggerated, but clearly criticism nonetheless.[...]

I think you might consider the possibility that you are mistaken.

[waldo]

I think you might consider the possibility that you are mistaken.

Do you mean that my view of Brendel is mistaken, or that the view I expressed of Brendel fails to constitute criticism?