BaL 16.12.17 - Schubert: Piano Sonata no. 21 in B flat D960

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

[Pulcinella]

Brilliant, Richard.

Forum credibility about to be demolished here: like BBM, I have no Schubert piano sonatas in my collection, other than those that have appeared on BBC MM cover CDs.
Unlike him, though, I feel no shame.
We don't all like the same things, after all.

[gurnemanz]

An important work to me which I got to know via a Brendel LP over 40 years ago. This lasted me well until I got the Andras Schiff complete set when CDs came out. The next was discovering Sofronitzky on the excellent Brilliant Classics 9CD box. A live recording in which he unfolds the music before your ears. Good mono sound from 1956. Schnabel from 1939 is a must-have and came to me via a cheapo but excellent historical Schubert compilation box - £9 for 10 CDs. Being very attached to Schubert piano I have in recent years acquired more complete sets: Brendel, Michael Endres (his D960 has become a favourite), the Paul Badura-Skoda period versions mentioned above, also Kempff. These give a broad picture, some with, some without First Movement repeat. It's not such an issue for me.

It is quite something to be led through this work in live pereformance (as with Sofronitzky) and this was brought home again when we heard Imogen Cooper deliver a riveting rendition at a concert in Reading a few years ago.

[BBMmk2]

Could anyone recommend, as far as the later PS's are concerned, a recording or recordings, please?

[Nick Armstrong]

A forensic musicologist, a Mr Geleibte, gave detailed technical evidence which frankly went over the heads of some of the jury referring as it did to an Italian gentleman, a Mr Alberti, who had not previously been introduced to the court.

And which collector owns only 1 version? Or these days, is limited to streaming only one?

But to answer Mr Geliebte aforesaid's question 'what is BAL for?', surely the title hints at what I've always taken to be the basic point of the programme, to allow a newcomer to add a first recording to their "library".

I find I have four - the 70s and 80s Brendels (didn't he do a third one, as part of his final sequence of recordings?), the first Pollini, and Curzon - and it's the latter I think I prefer, though I haven't listened to the piece for ages. I couldn't say off the top of my head whether or not Curzon does the first movement repeat (lock me up now!). At the same time, I've never heard the ideal version I hear in my head - it's one of those pieces that's a bit like Shakespeare in that respect. I've always toyed with the idea of listening to the version by Maria João Pires who as far as I'm concerned can do no wrong, but for some reason have never done so.

I'll listen to the programme with interest, that's for sure.

[Bryn]

There is also a 5 DVD set of Brendel playing and discussing Schubert piano works. It included D960.

[Richard Tarleton]

(didn't he do a third one, as part of his final sequence of recordings?)[/COLOR]

He did indeed, and I have it, I'd clean forgotten - it has the added bonus of AB singing along - probably the only vocal version on Alpie's list?

[BBMmk2]

I think I heard that DG are issuing on Blu Ray and CD SS, HvK's last cycle? Am I right?

[Richard Tarleton]

Cycle of what, BBM?

[richardfinegold]

But to answer Mr Geliebte aforesaid's question 'what is BAL for?', surely the title hints at what I've always taken to be the basic point of the programme, to allow a newcomer to add a first recording to their "library".

I find I have four - the 70s and 80s Brendels (didn't he do a third one, as part of his final sequence of recordings?), the first Pollini, and Curzon - and it's the latter I think I prefer, though I haven't listened to the piece for ages. I couldn't say off the top of my head whether or not Curzon does the first movement repeat (lock me up now!). At the same time, I've never heard the ideal version I hear in my head - it's one of those pieces that's a bit like Shakespeare in that respect. I've always toyed with the idea of listening to the version by Maria João Pires who as far as I'm concerned can do no wrong, but for some reason have never done so.

I'll listen to the programme with interest, that's for sure.

I guess I don’t care for the idea of “winner take all” in an art that is “re-creative “ such as music recordings. So many great works are represented by dozens if not hundreds of recorded version that surely a library must have room for more than one view? However if thems the rules, then I will graciously (?) defer...

[Nick Armstrong]

I guess I don’t care for the idea of “winner take all” in an art that is “re-creative “ such as music recordings. So many great works are represented by dozens if not hundreds of recorded version that surely a library must have room for more than one view? However if thems the rules, then I will graciously (?) defer...

Well I think BAL is more about 'good place to start' than 'winner takes all'...

Also, to be fair, they are increasingly posting details of other favoured recordings, apart from the chosen one, for those wanting to explore further.

[aeolium]

I think Schnabel's is a very impressive performance, despite the sound quality. There's no exposition repeat, but's that because there hardly ever were in those 78 rpm days, when a repeat would add another 78 disc to the box, increasing cost. The performance has a fine combination of drama and lyricism, and you can hear the influence on the 1970s recording by his pupil Clifford Curzon, which I also admire a lot. We owe a great debt to Schnabel for awakening interest among the fellow-performers and audiences of his time to the then-neglected piano music of Schubert.

I never listen to BaL to discover the one definitive recording but to hear how very different performances can be equally persuasive and interesting, and to hear different performance styles from several generations of interpreters. The BaL format dates from a period when there were not that many recordings even of well-known works, recorded music was very expensive and people were much more ready to accept the verdict of experts even on matters of taste. Now there are dozens of recordings which people can sample for themselves on free (Naxos Music Library) or subscription basis, and the idea of there being a 'best' way to perform works of the magnitude of the Schubert B flat sonata seems questionable at the very least.

[Alison]

I could imagine Radu Lupu or Stephen Kovacevich appealing to the reviewer.

There's something that makes me uncomfortable about DON tackling such a self evidently great work! We'll get the normal conveyor belt of passing detail without getting to the heart of the Sonata.

TBH I'd be much more interested in hearing DON play it.

[Stanfordian]

I could imagine Radu Lupu or Stephen Kovacevich appealing to the reviewer.

There's something that makes me uncomfortable about DON tackling such a self evidently great work! We'll get the normal conveyor belt of passing detail without getting to the heart of the Sonata.

TBH I'd be much more interested in hearing DON play it.

Hiya Alison,

Interested in DON playing it. Oh no! Please no!

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

I never listen to BaL to discover the one definitive recording but to hear how very different performances can be equally persuasive and interesting, and to hear different performance styles from several generations of interpreters. The BaL format dates from a period when there were not that many recordings even of well-known works, recorded music was very expensive and people were much more ready to accept the verdict of experts even on matters of taste. Now there are dozens of recordings which people can sample for themselves on free (Naxos Music Library) or subscription basis, and the idea of there being a 'best' way to perform works of the magnitude of the Schubert B flat sonata seems questionable at the very least.

I think it's absolutely correct to say that there cannot be a "definitive" recording of any work as rich and complex as this particular Sonata. What happens now (putting aside the agreeable "twofers") is that the reviewer selects a representative sample of around eight available recordings and plumps for the one that most conforms to how their studies have suggested that the work in question might best be performed - on the DID premise of "if you could only take one recording".

I frequently buy recordings as a result of hearing BaL - much less frequently the "chosen one". The programme is valuable to me when it discusses performing and/or recording features that I wasn't aware of, (which is why I so dislike AMcG's "contributions" so much: they get in the way!) and when I hear samples of recordings that most make me sit up and listen. Even when these are prefaced by a comment to the effect "This, on the other hand, is definitely NOT how I would wish to hear the work ... ".