Maria João Pires - Le Voyage Magnifique ~ Schubert Impromtus

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
Forget the frilly packaging, and well-meaning but vacuous poetic musings penned by the pianist. Concentrate instead on her absorbing, unpressured, and totally unselfregarding performances. There's an instinctive, even improvisatory quality about Pires's music-making that arises from having long digested and internalized these works in her mind and body. The epic C Minor and F Minor impromptus and the Klavierstüke (all repeats intact) find Pires probing the disquiet bubbling beneath Schubert's lyrical surface, yet she avoids enacting her discoveries. Pires's dedication of this two-disc set to Sviatoslav Richter's memory could hardly be more appropriate. --Jed Distler

Maria João Pires - Le Voyage Magnifique ~ Schubert Impromtus, Music, Franz Schubert, Maria João Pires, Allegro for Keyboard, Classical, Classical Composers, Classical Music, Impromptu for Keyboard, Keyboard

Average customer rating:

Truly Manifique

Throwback to a Lost Past

"the" performance to have of Schubert impromptus

Just fantastic

Poetic Schubert

Maria João Pires - Le Voyage Magnifique ~ Schubert Impromtus
Franz Schubert , and Maria João Pires
Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

All Works by Schubert | Schubert, Franz | ( S ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
Impromptus | Short Forms | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music
General Modern | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music
General | Classical | Styles | Music
Deutsche Grammophon: Music | Specialty Stores | Music
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ASIN: B000001GZY
Release Date: 1998-01-27

Tracks:

Impromptus: No. 1 In C Minor - Allegro molto moderato
Impromptus: No. 2 In E Flat Major - Allegro
Impromptus: No. 3 In G Flat Major - Andante
Impromptus: No. 4 In A Flat Major - Allegretto - Trio
Allegretto In C Minor

Tracks:

Impromptus D 935: No. 1 In F Minor - Allegro moderato
Impromptus D 935: No. 2 In A Flat Major - Allegretto - Trio
Impromptus D 935: No. 3 In B Flat Major - Thema. Andante - Var. I - V
Impromptus D 935: No. 4 In F Minor - Allegro scherzando
Drei impromptus aus dem Nachlass: 1. Allegro assai - Andante - Tempo I
Drei impromptus aus dem Nachlass: 2. Allegretto
Drei impromptus aus dem Nachlass: 3. Allegro

Amazon.com

Forget the frilly packaging, and well-meaning but vacuous poetic musings penned by the pianist. Concentrate instead on her absorbing, unpressured, and totally unselfregarding performances. There's an instinctive, even improvisatory quality about Pires's music-making that arises from having long digested and internalized these works in her mind and body. The epic C Minor and F Minor impromptus and the Klavierstüke (all repeats intact) find Pires probing the disquiet bubbling beneath Schubert's lyrical surface, yet she avoids enacting her discoveries. Pires's dedication of this two-disc set to Sviatoslav Richter's memory could hardly be more appropriate. --Jed Distler

Customer Reviews:

Truly Manifique.......2007-06-29

Pires plays these pieces wonderfully; she's a consumate artistic with superb technical abilities and great emotional depth.

Even though Schnabel may "own" these pieces, unfortunately his recordings are mono and of not great sound quality. Therefore it's wonderful to hear Pires play these in great digital sound. I imagine anyone who loves Schubert's piano works has more than one copy of these pieces anyways.

I personally have about three different version of the Klavierstucke; in my opinion it's one of the greatest piano works ever composed.

Of course, as others have mentioned, this disc is overpriced because of the fact that disc 1 is only about 35' long. Luckily I found it used at a good price.

For Schubert fans and classical piano lovers, enjoy!

Throwback to a Lost Past.......2004-05-28

This is very much a performance along Romantic lines of thought in tempi and rubato, in a time where period performance is the craze and strict adherence to the score is held sacred. Almost a throwback to the ways that perhaps Lizst and the great pianists of the late 19th century played. In this aspect, this is an invaluable document of playing practice that is lost.
In the E flat Major Impromptu, I have not heard it better played. With great speed passage work, and great power when necessary, yet in the delicate fast variation there is gentle beauty.
However comparing the Drei Klavierstucke with Alfred Brendel, in the 2nd piece I personally find the rubato (rubato= "robbed time", where the speed and timing are changed by the performer)to be too much. The tempi of the great 2nd subject is slowed to a point where, Pires obviously in love with the music and feeling it deeply, stops the momentum of the work and it becomes halting. Listen to Brendel in this same work. This is one of Schubert's best melodies. In Brendel's hands this is a thing of inspiration which moves with confidence and has a life to it's flow. For me, the Brendel is preferable, however that is not to invalidate Pires approach.

Indeed, in the first of the Drei Klavierstucke, Pires' approach works pure, Romantic magic...listen to the repeated notes, like bells in some distant church, on some misty, early morning.

"the" performance to have of Schubert impromptus.......2002-03-21

It took me a while to buy this set because I felt it was overpriced for the amount of music. I felt DG could have included a bit more music to justify 2 CDs at full price. Having said that, this is "gotta have" music. I've enjoyed Schnabel and Fischer's classic performances of this music -- but listening to Pires made the music fresh and new again. Mind you there are decent performances by virtually all of the good and great pianists, but were I to have but one, this is it. For me this is the best thing Pires has done.

Just fantastic.......2001-10-29

I've heard the Impromptus played by other masters of the piano, and though something about them has always held a mystery and romance (perhaps it's merely the cadence of the word, impromptu), I had not found a really fine interpretation until I heard this album. Wow. I was listening to it in work and I have to say my productivity suffered, since I was enraptured. Pires fleshes out the notes and phrasing, bringing both a lyricism and an emotive quality that is just absolutely stunning. I like the word 'magnificent' in the title of the album, because that is what I would call this music. Other performances are cold and wilting in comparison. I can just picture Schubert listening in and being amazed at what his minor works have become -- quite charming, lyrical, and romantic under Pires strong/delicate touch. As a pianist, there is none finer at conveying emotion than Pires. If you are in the market for a beautiful and unusual performance, one that is incredibly memorable, try these recordings.

Poetic Schubert.......1999-12-09

This 2 CD set was my first Pires recording I bought and I am enjoying immensely. I especially like her recording of 3 klavierstucke and the Allegretto in C minor (one of my favorite Schubert piece). Here her playing has all the sensitivity and poetic quality these pieces requires. Her tonal shading is exquisite. The Impromptus are also fine, but I prefer the old Schnabel recording for bigger pieces like the C minor from the first set and two F minors from the second set. Schnabel had more gutsy vitality that seems to suit those pieces, and he had no shortage in terms of sensitivity either. But Pires matches him in all the other Impromptus (and of course the recording quality is superb). Strongly recommended.

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