Schubert: Sonatas D958, D960, D959, Impromptus D899 [Import]

Track Listings

1. 1-4 Sonata In C Minor, D958

2. 5-8 Sonata In B Flat Major, D960

3. 1-4 Sonata In A Major, D959

4. 5-8 / 4 Impromptus, D899

Editorial Reviews
Album Details
András Schiff’s Schubert Sonata Cycle was Recorded During the Early 1990s and Won Much Critical Acclaim. This was a Reputation Confirmed and Further Enhanced by his Many Concerts which Included Schubert Pieces. This 2-CD Set Contains the Final Trilogy of Piano Sonatas by Schubert and a Group of Pieces which is Often Set Next to the Last Three Sonatas by Beethoven as Representing Some of the Composers’ Final and Greatest Achievements. By Way of a Major Bonus the First Set of Impromptus, D899 is also Included. As Well as a Useful Catalogue Item and Strong Addition to the Double Decca Catalogue, this Set also Acts as a Superb Reminder of Andras Schiff’s Wonderful Schubert Interpretations as He Approaches his 50th Birthday on 21st December 2003.

Schubert: Sonatas D958, D960, D959, Impromptus D899, Music, Andras Schiff, Franz Schubert, Classical

Schubert: Piano Sonatas D.960 & 664, Moments Musicaux D.780, Impromptus D.899
Average customer rating:

The non-pareil!

Great recordings

Amazing recording

Schubert: Piano Sonatas D.960 & 664, Moments Musicaux D.780, Impromptus D.899
Wilhelm Kempff
Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music
Deutsche Grammophon: Music | Specialty Stores | Music
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Bach, Beethoven, Schubert

ASIN: B000024575
Release Date: 1998-10-12

Tracks:

Piano Sonata In B Flat Major, D 960 - Molto Moderato
Piano Sonata In B Flat Major, D 960 - Andante Sostenuto
Piano Sonata In B Flat Major, D 960 - Scherzo- Allegro Vivace
Piano Sonata In B Flat Major, D 960 - Allegro Ma Non Troppo
Moments Musicaux, D 780 (Op.94) - No.1 In C Major- Moderato
Moments Musicaux, D 780 (Op.94) - No.2 In A Flat Major- Andantino
Moments Musicaux, D 780 (Op.94) - No.3 In F Minor- Allegro Moderato
Moments Musicaux, D 780 (Op.94) - No.4 In C Sharp Minor- Moderato
Moments Musicaux, D 780 (Op.94) - No.5 In F Minor- Allegro Vivace
Moments Musicaux, D 780 (Op.94) - No.6 In A Flat Major- Allegretto
4 Impromptus, D 899 (Op.90) - No.1 In C Minor- Allegro Molto Moderato
4 Impromptus, D 899 (Op.90) - No.2 In E Flat Major- Allegro
4 Impromptus, D 899 (Op.90) - No.3 In G Flat Major- Andante
4 Impromptus, D 899 (Op.90) - No.4 In A Flat Major- Allegretto
4 Impromptus, D 935 (Op.Post. 142) - No.1 In F Minor- Allegro Moderato
4 Impromptus, D 935 (Op.Post. 142) - No.2 In A Flat Major- Allegretto
4 Impromptus, D 935 (Op.Post. 142) - No.3 In B Flat Major- Theme With Variations- Andante - Var. I-
4 Impromptus, D 935 (Op.Post. 142) - No.4 In F Minor- Allegro Scherzando
Piano Sonata In A Major, D 664 (Op.Post.120) - Allegro Moderato
Piano Sonata In A Major, D 664 (Op.Post.120) - Andante
Piano Sonata In A Major, D 664 (Op.Post.120) - Allegro

Customer Reviews:

The non-pareil!.......2006-01-30

I heard Kempff play the great Schubert B-flat sonata when I was a schoolboy, and to this day, many years later, I've never heard anyone catch the heart-breaking, valedictory lyricism of that first movement in quite that way. To my mind--and fingers--the rather slow tempo that others have noticed is absolutely right. Then the figure-work is so delicate! And no-one, in my longish experience, no-one, has ever played the scherzo with such sweet, rippling grace. The impromptus are beautifully played, too, especially the first one of the second set. What a player Kempff was! And what a great age of music-making he lived in: such nobility of approach and understanding.

Great recordings.......2005-07-18

These selections of Schubert are among the best the composer can offer, and we also have Kempff performing them, so it's a double deal. In D.960 Kempff finds such a calmness interrupted by bursts of tension and passion. It is slower that others saved only by Richter and Arrau, but it never gets boring or feels dragged. Kempff's sense of phrasing here is marvellous.

The shorter pieces (impromptus and moment musicaux) are nicely done. While you can feel they all belong to sets, Kempff also creates a sense of individuality for each piece.

On the whole, I should say this is a very good introduction to Schubert and also a good item for Kempff fans such as myself. The sould is also very good for the time of the recording.

Amazing recording.......2003-09-06

This is clearly one of the best D960 I have heard. The other pieces are also beautiful. Kempff has almost no peer in this repertoire. The first movement of the D960 is played slower than most pianists I have heard(except Richter), leading to a veiled tension that pervades the omnipresent Schubert lyricism. Faster tempos end up making the music sound perky.Kempff achieves amazing effect in the other three movements too. The D664 is also exceptional. A CD truely worth owning.

Tracks:

Sonata In C Minor, D. 958: I. Allegro
Sonata In C Minor, D.958: II. Adagio
Sonata In C Minor D,958:: III. Menuetto (Allegro)
Sonata In C Minor, D.958: IV. Allegro
Sonata In A, D 959: I. Allegro
Sonata In A, D 959: II. Andantino
Sonata In A ,D 959: III. Scherzo (Allegro Vivace)
Sonata In A, D 959: IV. Rondo (Allegretto)

Tracks:

Sonata In B Flat, D. 960: I. Molto moderato
Sonata In B Flat, D. 960: II. Andante sostenuto
Sonata In B Flat, D. 960: III. Scherzo (Allegro vivace con delicatezza)
Sonata In B Flat, D. 960: IV. Allegro ma non troppo
Klavierstucke (Impromptus), D. 946: No. 1 In E Flat Minor
Klavierstucke (Impromptus), D. 946: No. 2 In E Flat
Klavierstucke (Impromptus), D. 946: No. 3 In C

Customer Reviews:

Brendel's best recording of these.......2006-07-07

These are better than Brendel's later digital recordings. His playing is more flexible and his sound is warmer. This is some of his best playing and a must have if, like me, you appreciate his deep understanding of the music.

Schubert 's parting "swan songs".......2005-06-14

It is amazing to look at the last compositions of many of the great composers who often literally wrote their final works from the death bed: Mozart's last opera, clarinet concerto and requiem ... Beethoven's most spiritual last quartets ... and Schubert's stunning C-major quintet and final three piano sonatas. These last piano masterpieces of Schubert - huge in scope and expression - were composed in a compressed space of only three weeks yet show no hurriedness. With these last works, Schubert seemed to enter into a fullness and new maturity - perhaps freeing himself of past limitations of achieving greatness on par with his idol Beethoven. The music he wrote here in his final weeks reveals the depths of his emotion as he contemplated the "winter" of his life and is among the most personal, poinant, and emotionally stirring music in the piano literature. Additionally, there are many direct references with his final and most grief-laden song cycle, Winterreise. In these works you can sometimes really feel Schubert's pain, intense frustration, deep yearning, pulses of joy ... and sometimes his tears.

While generally following classical sonata form, these late piano pieces are most unique in their architecture and progression. One reference had a wonderful description of their structure and effect that was very helpful: "The late sonatas are long musical soliloqies in which the forceful direction of Beethoven's music is replaced by structures that seem to circle round their subject without ever coming to rest. This is not to say these works are in any way self-indulgent or prolix. It is rather that the conventional perception of linear time is her suspended. They have a "landscape-like" quality to them and indeed define an emotional terrain that is unique to Schubert." (Rough Guide)

Many great pianists have recorded these final works - which are truly among Schubert's finest compositions for piano - and each brings something unique to the music. Schnabel first brought this music out of obscurity ... Andras Schiff's readings are full of that Schubertian youth and charm ... Kempff exudes a thoughtful, lyrical and civilized appeal ... Richter offers a unique intensity and insight ... Radu Lupu as always a master poet ... Perahia offers his usual appealing and elegant pianism ... Uchida gives deep and songful readings (though some say overly so at times).

Among these greats, Alfred Brendel has long been recognized as one of the great interpreters of both Beethoven and Schubert. While his style is often pigeon-holed as "intellectual" or "analytical" (maybe its the thick glasses?), Brendel is no less capable of genuine expressiveness and emotional tenderness, as can be heard in these deeply-moving final sonatas. To me Brendel successfully exudes the poinant spirit of Schubert in these works and breathes wonderful expression in them. He is full of Schubertian "celebration of life" in the scherzos and happy allegros while pensive and emotionally volatile in movements like the A major slow movement(D959). In this stuning movement, Brendel's transition from the serene opening into the violent episodes in the middle is an object lesson in musical suspense and unfolding drama. Equally, the ever-so-touching opening of the last B-flat sonata (D960) Brendel admirably conveys with a poinant melancholy that a gravely ill Schubert must have felt when he wrote this movement (although others have captured its depths with more poetry). Subtle differences really; I still like his playing overall, mainly because there is a clear sense of where they are going. He is equally marvellous in the D946 Impromptus pieces and the less-popular C-minor work. But, the A-major seems the most special on this CD.

If you are an average listener with no leanings towards any one of these pianist and looking for a solidly recommended set of these final great sonatas, then this two-CD DUO set is an excellent choice and value. The sound quality of this set is very good - but does have some subtle "machine hiss" and a slight lack of depth. Most major reviewers (like Penguin Guide) also rate Brendel's Schubert very highly (as in this set or his live set also on Philips). Regardless of your choice of recordings, these last piano sonatas are some of the jewels of the piano literature not to be missed that reveal new depths with repeated listening.

Sublime.......2002-09-14

These sonatas are among the finest keyboard productions of the late-classical era. More intimate than Beethoven's, yet imbued with more rhythmic pulse than Mozart's, they require much taste and restraint from the performer. They're also relatively lengthy (the briefest in this set runs nearly 30 minutes). Consequently they're not very popular showpieces for professional pianists, while amateurs rarely develop to the point of being able to play them well. Ironically, Schubert's sonatas are highly melodic and ingratiating, dramatic without being overbearing, sentimental but not maudlin -- just the sort of music that should be "popular."

Brendel's performances are, to these ears, very convincing. He structures each of these episodic pieces brilliantly, rendering a coherent and affecting musical statement. For all its alleged waywardness, there is a transcendent sort of continuity in the music that defies analysis, expressive of a certain though mysterious moment in the composer's life; to hear the transition from classicism to Romanticism, one might listen to Schubert's late sonatas. If that seems too much like "homework," consider that, for melodic invention, Schubert is second to no one who ever presumed to write music.

The recording quality is good, considering its vintage (early 70s). For the price (two CDs for the price of one) this set really can't be topped.

Captures the intimacy of Schubert.......2001-03-09

I have both this and Kempff - I've had the Kempff for awhile and really admired the performance but Brendle takes my breath away. To master Schubert you must master the silent, empty, spaces - and this Brendle does superbly. It's like he's playing in the same room. Excellent recording in every way. The Kempff is fine but if you love Schubert's works you must look for performers who understand the intimacy of his compositions. Marvelous

Lifeless.......2001-02-16

Brendel plays these pieces as if he's bored to death, especially in the (otherwise) gorgeous first movement of the B-flat Major sonata. Grigory Sokolov, Clifford Curzon, and Artur Schnabel are much more adept at sculpting that piece; Sviatoslav Richter offers a very deliberate but heartfelt approach. For the C Minor and A Major sonatas, try Wilhelm Kempff.

Average customer rating:

Franz Schubert: The Late Piano Sonatas

Manufacturer: Polygram Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music
ASIN: B00000E3FC
Release Date: 1990-10-25

Schubert: Piano Sonatas D9.58, D.960, D.959, Impromptus D.899

Average customer rating:

Sublime.
THE BEST [LATE] SCHUBERT SONATAS...

Schubert: Piano Sonatas D9.58, D.960, D.959, Impromptus D.899
Andras Schiff
Manufacturer: Decca/Universal
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

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Johann Sebastian Bach: 6 Suites per Violoncello Solo Senza Basso

ASIN: B0000AN1A1
Release Date: 2003-11-20

Tracks:

1-4 Sonata In C Minor, D958
5-8 Sonata In B Flat Major, D960
1-4 Sonata In A Major, D959
5-8 / 4 Impromptus, D899

Album Details

András Schiff's Schubert Sonata Cycle was Recorded During the Early 1990s and Won Much Critical Acclaim. This was a Reputation Confirmed and Further Enhanced by his Many Concerts which Included Schubert Pieces. This 2-CD Set Contains the Final Trilogy of Piano Sonatas by Schubert and a Group of Pieces which is Often Set Next to the Last Three Sonatas by Beethoven as Representing Some of the Composers' Final and Greatest Achievements. By Way of a Major Bonus the First Set of Impromptus, D899 is also Included. As Well as a Useful Catalogue Item and Strong Addition to the Double Decca Catalogue, this Set also Acts as a Superb Reminder of Andras Schiff's Wonderful Schubert Interpretations as He Approaches his 50th Birthday on 21st December 2003.

Customer Reviews:

Sublime........2006-09-29

Andras Schiff's Schubert cycle is one of the most beautiful and intelligent ever recorded. Positive opinions are virtually universal amongst the critics. Shamefully, the complete cycle is out of print, but these last three sonatas nevertheless represent an absolute peak in the cycle.
*
Schiff researched the scores extensively, and performed the cycle live, during the period of the recordings - I was lucky enough to attend one of these concerts, and his wonderful performance revealed the reverence in which he held the music. The concert, and the discs, share a sense of intimacy and mystery - on reflection, the technical mastery displayed is faultless, but while listening this thought never intrudes, as it is the emotional journey that is paramount. The sound is rich and deeply coloured, and this is partly through Schiff's deliberate use of a Bosendorfer piano - the engineering of the recording is close to ideal, with a well judged balance between clarity and hall ambience.
*
Of the other sonatas in the series, D.894 is given a very special interpretation - this is Volume 3 of the complete series, and is available second hand.
*
This is one of my very favourite recordings, in any genre. Of other interpretations, I have heard Mitsuko Uchida, Brendel both young and old, Schnabel, Imogen Cooper, Murray Perahia, and Richter - while all have their own felicities, I keep returning to the Schiff cycle. Waves of sadness, elation, and wonder reside within this music - an experience not to be missed.

THE BEST [LATE] SCHUBERT SONATAS..........2005-09-15

The recordings here were culled from Schiff's great cycle of the 1990s. Critics were unsure of themselves when the set appeared, because it was so utterly remarkable.

Firstly, Schiff went to the national library in Vienna to research Schubert's original manuscripts: this is significant because even the finest published editions contain mistakes in expressive orthography. Schiff explains that many of Schubert's manual notations are so microscopic that they have been easily mistaken. Through his vital studies, Schiff brings us an unparalleled new reading and realization.

Schiff takes all repeats, shunning to cut anything: he sees this as imperative to Schubert's musical architechtonics--and he is right in doing so.

Thirdly, Schiff purposefully chose to perform on a quintessentially classic Viennese piano: a Bosendorfer Grand Salle. This enormous grand piano has a stronger key action than the Steinway; moreover, the Bosendorfer exibits a remarkably soft, gentle, yet clear pastel tone.

Lastly, Schiff also recorded some significant individual piano pieces which are thought to be movements from "unfinished" sonatas. These are real gems.

Unfortunately, Schiff's complete masterwork recordings were quickly allowed to go out of print by accountants at Decca: an huge loss for art. So, this culled set is all that is available. Get it while you can!

P.S.: The Impromptus are given the same treatment by Schiff: no artist has given them a better performance.

Schubert: The Late Sonatas & Impromptus [Germany]

Average customer rating:

Schubert: The Late Sonatas & Impromptus [Germany]
Claudio Arrau
Manufacturer: Philips
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music
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ASIN: B0000942JY
Release Date: 2003-11-20

Tracks:

1-4 Piano Sonata In C Minor, D958
5-8 Piano Sonata In B Flat Major, D960
1-4 Piano Sonata In A Major, D959
5-8 Four Impromptus, D899

Album Details

Schubert's Last Three Piano Sonatas (D958-960) Are his Crowning Achievement in the Form and Are the Logical and Worthy Successor to Beethoven's Last Three Sonatas. Many Pianists Only Tackle These Three Monumental Works after Many Years of Study and Experience, and it was in the Later Part of his Career that the Great Chilean Pianist Claudio Arrau Chose to Record Them. 2003 also Marks the 100th Anniversary of the Birth of Arrau, an Artist who was Associated with Philips from the 1960s Until Just a Few Months Before his Death in 1991.

Schubert: Sonatas Nos. 4 & 13; 4 Impromptus

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Schubert: Sonatas Nos. 4 & 13; 4 Impromptus

Manufacturer: APR
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music
ASIN: B000094PWQ
Release Date: 2003-01-01

Average customer rating:

Schubert: Sonatas D566, D664/Impromptus

Manufacturer: Opus 111
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music
ASIN: B000005W5I
Release Date: 1997-08-12

Schubert - Piano Sonatas No.13 and 14, Impromptus - Sviatoslav Richter

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Schubert - Piano Sonatas No.13 and 14, Impromptus - Sviatoslav Richter

Manufacturer: Olympia
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD
ASIN: B0002HM3VA

Product Description

PIANO SONATA NO.13 IN A MAJOR, OP.120 I.Allegro moderato II.Andante III.Allegro PIANO SONATA NO.14 IN A MINOR, OP.143 I.Allegro giusto II.Andante III.Allegro vivace IMPROMPTUS, OP.94 No.2 in E flat major No.4 in A flat major Sviatoslav Richter, piano Live recording in 1979 STEREO