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

[Nick Armstrong]

Exactly what I thought. Also the strange fp on the first note of the finale et seq. Like HD I was impressed on the first few hearings, but the mannerisms and point-making, which DON referred to, have put me off the more I have listened to it.

Strange isn't it. He's regarded as some sort of legendary prophet - but .... well, I remember not warming to his Debussy preludes set either, and taking it back.

Better heard live, perhaps?

[Barbirollians]

Strange isn't it. He's regarded as some sort of legendary prophet - but .... well, I remember not warming to his Debussy preludes set either, and taking it back.

Better heard live, perhaps?

I think Zimerman is exceptional but not quite as exceptional as the mystique that seems to have built up around his recordings suggest.

Back to D960 I bought a cheap second hand copy of the late Horowitz a few days ago- rather a lot of exaggerated responses to markings in the score as JOC pointed out in Gramophone but some very lovely playing and a fine interpretation as a whole .

[gurnemanz]

The upshot of all this was that I ended up buying Sviatoslav Richter's 1972 Salzburg recordings of D960 (with D958). Discarded as too slow on the BaL but I think it is rivetingly superb (and cheap). Arrived today and I have played it twice.

[Bryn]

Having bought his complete survey as they were released, I will give the Jan Vermeulen a spin. He plays a Nannette Streicher from 1826.

[Richard Barrett]

Having bought his complete survey as they were released, I will give the Jan Vermeulen a spin. He plays a Nannette Streicher from 1826.

It's very clattery and harsh-sounding and JV's performance seems to disdain the music's lyrical quality. I was impressed with some of the performances in the complete set but mostly it gathers dust.

[Bryn]

It's very clattery and harsh-sounding and JV's performance seems to disdain the music's lyrical quality. I was impressed with some of the performances in the complete set but mostly it gathers dust.

I must admit this will be only it's second spin since I bought it, so it seems quite likely I was not too impressed the first time. At least he observes that Brendel dismissed repeat.

[LeMartinPecheur]

Discarded as too slow on the BaL...

To be fair to DON, he said it was amazing and to be heard, but not too frequently (appx).

[richardfinegold]

Strange isn't it. He's regarded as some sort of legendary prophet - but .... well, I remember not warming to his Debussy preludes set either, and taking it back.

Better heard live, perhaps?

I have always found KZ to mannered for my liking. I haven’t heard the current Schubert recording.
I aheard KZ in Concert once. Chicago has a large Polish population and they were out in force for this Concert, almost a Rock Star like ambience. If anything he is more mannered live. Pauses between sections tend to last several times the norm that other performers take. Not my cup of vodka

[Bryn]

Well, the Vermeulen D960 is now spinning away. Yes, both rather clangorous and somewhat prosaic, but the instrument does have some very interesting timbres in the various registers. It will not be finding its way to a charity shop just yet. I do see why "Used - Very Good" copies are up for grabs at bargain prices though. Also, unlike Bilson, as mentioned earlier Vermeulen observes 'that repeat'.

[visualnickmos]

The upshot of all this was that I ended up buying Sviatoslav Richter's 1972 Salzburg recordings of D960 (with D958). Discarded as too slow on the BaL but I think it is rivetingly superb (and cheap). Arrived today and I have played it twice.

With you, on this. 100%

[Tony Halstead]

With you, on this. 100%

I would still register and lament the fact that, maybe up until about 15/20 years ago there was a R3 recording (hopefully still in the BBC 'vaults;) of the absurdly neglected MICHAEL ROLL playing this work 'to perfection' and giving its slow movement a quality and a degree of pathos that I have never heard surpassed or even 'equalled'.
This was definitely a candidate for the CD series 'BBC Legends' if ever there was one.

[Barbirollians]

Interestingly , in the sleeve notes to the Horowitz DG recording there is reference to the fact that in 1953 when recording D960 he did not include the repeat but in 1986 he did and is recorded as saying that Schubert wrote first and second endings to the exposition and omitting the repeat would excise nine bars of highly dramatic music .

[Richard Barrett]

recorded as saying that Schubert wrote first and second endings to the exposition and omitting the repeat would excise nine bars of highly dramatic music

Well spotted, Vlad!