Schubert: Piano Sonata in D, D850 & Lieder; Leif Ove Andsnes/Ian Bostridge; 9 Lieder

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
This is the second CD devoted to both Schubert's piano music and a few songs featuring Leif Ove Andsnes and tenor Ian Bostridge as the soloists. The sonata, composed in 1825 while Schubert was on vacation with a baritone friend, is a delight: the big, 37-minute work shows the composer at his sunniest, with a bouncy opening movement, a relaxed, warm second, a scherzo which seems to flow effortlessly and is featherweight, and a finale which contains some melodrama, a bit of gorgeous tunefulness, and a genuinely peaceful closing. Andsnes plays it without looking for trouble, with the presumption that Schubert's visit to the Austrian countryside was totally relaxing and filled with the wonders of nature. It's just lovely. The songs, for the most part, have to do with nature as well: riding a horse (the thrilling "Auf der Bruck," with its leaping piano part), the stars in the heavens, the joy of being a wanderer in the moonlight, the rushing of the wind (also featuring a virtuoso piano part). Some however are heavier in theme (Mary's suffering at the sight of Jesus on the cross, the fickleness of the world). All are interesting, and Bostridge, although he sometimes articulates too self-consciously, is never less than a fine story-teller, singing with his usual unique, finely honed, narrow tone. A very special, very enjoyable CD. --Robert Levine

Tracks:

Piano Sonata In D Major, D850: I. Allegro (vivace)
Piano Sonata In D Major, D850: II. Con moto
Piano Sonata In D Major, D850: III. Allegro vivace - Trio
Piano Sonata In D Major, D850: IV. Rondo: Allegro moderato
Piano Sonata In A Minor, D784: I. Allegro giusto
Piano Sonata In A Minor, D784: II. Andante
Piano Sonata In A Minor, D784: III. Allegro vivace

Amazon.com

As Japanese pianist Mitsuko Uchida continues her traversal of Schubert, we've been privileged to observe a kind of dual evolution: not only that of the composer, but the accumulated insights of a performer tapping into her by-now exquisitely rare empathy. Some of the most intriguing results have centered on those flashes of the composer's early maturity from the mid-1820s (as in the Piano Sonatas D. 845 and D. 575), revealing what a wealth of musical innovation and variety Schubert had already explored before the highly revered last trio of sonatas: those in C Minor and A and, of course, the crowning B-flat.

Uchida--performing on an exceptionally responsive 1962 Steinway--detonates the bold, high-spirited opening bars of the extroverted Sonata in D (D. 850) with an exuberance of vitality that will make you gasp. It will also lock your attention as you buckle up for the rest of the journey. Uchida is especially at home in those moments when the music seems to float above the patterns it has just created and enter an altogether new region (the final reprise of the stunningly syncopated contrasting material in the slow movement or the trio of the third). While the technique may not be completely flawless, Uchida's execution of musical thought constantly disarms and captivates: whether in its sensitivity to harmonic color or--particularly noticeable in these accounts--in its deft awareness of Schubert's rhythmic complexity and play. The programming also allows for dramatic contrast, with the disjunctive pain of the A Minor Sonata undoing all the extroverted effusion that has gone before; the disc seems to retrace, on a grander scale, the archetypally Schubertian chiaroscuro. With Uchida, every bar becomes a South Sea of discovery--however leisurely Schubert's own meanderings, these are pieces you wish not to end. --Thomas May

Customer Reviews:

Fine Recording of These Two Schubert Piano Sonatas But.............2006-12-28

Much to my amazement, Philips recorded this fine CD in the great hall of Vienna's Musikverein, offering some of the best, most realistic, sound I have heard for a recent classical piano recording. But this superb sound quality may not be a primary reason for those interested in acquiring this CD, which is, in of itself, an interesting study in contrasts between Schubert's most exuberant piano sonata (D major, D850) and most austere (A minor, D784). Distinguished pianist Mitsuko Uchida offers two compelling performances, especially of the D major sonata, which should be of interest to both her fans as well as passionate - and knowledgeable - students of Schubert's piano sonatas. But her performances will be infuriating to some listeners, since she tends to dramatize a bit too much, the accents present in Schubert's scores, especially in the D major sonata (Having heard both Alfred Brendel and Paul Badura-Skoda perform this sonata live in concert, I will note that I have more of a preference for their lyrical interpretations, which are quite dissimilar from each other, and yet, in their own distinctive ways, quite compelling.). Still, I hope that others will agree with me that Uchida has offered her own, thoughtful, interpretations of each score, which should be considered as noteworthy as those I've heard live or in recordings from Brendel, Badura-Skoda and the late, great Wilhelm Kempff. So I will concur with others, most notably the Penguin Guide, that this fine recording should not be regarded as a definitive recording of either sonata; however, it is one well worth listening.

Banging.......2006-09-20

I like Ms. Uchida's work, especially her Mozart piano concerti, and I like Schubert and I thought this a safe bet but I couldn't get through it. In the first movement of D850, it seemed as though Schubert had written repeated accented chords and then filled in the interstices with scrimshaw, and with scrimshaw a bit unsure of itself at that. I was alway brought up short, thinking that we ought to get somewhere with this, but we didn't. It went on, more banging, more noodling, and more banging, until I ejected the disk and gave it away. Schubert doesn't normally require patience. If you want to live to be 150 in subjective time, try Philip Glass or that patience-trying "Bolero."

Out of respect for Schubert, whom I don't know as well as some of the oher great Teutonic composers, I'll look around for another version. Perhaps it takes just the right pianist, like Liszt's "Mephisto Waltz."

Somewhat studied but always musical Schubert.......2006-05-10

If this entire CD recital of two great Schubert piano sonatas were as good as the opening Allegro of D. 850, Uchida would have made one of the best Schubert recordings in a long time. In that movement she shows none of her all-too-characteristic self-consciousness, giving a whirlwind reading full of natural brio. But as the outer movements progress, she does fall into her studied manner, and the second sonata, D. 784, could use a good deal more vigor and less holding back for the sake of extra nuance. Despite this, there is no doubt that Uchida is remarkably musical. I intend to enjoy this CD one sonata at a time, which seems to be the best way to apreciate her fine-grained approach without growing tired of it.

Over interpreted Schubert.......2005-01-26

This is my first time hearing Mitsuko Uchida playing Schubert sonatas.

I've been fortunate to hear a number of fine recorded performances of Schubert Piano Sonatas including pianists Wilhelm Kempff, Sviatoslav Richter, Alfred Brendel, Murray Perahia, Artur Schnabel, Artur Rubinstein, Stephen Hough and, in concert, Leon Fleisher and Seymour Lipkin. To me, Schubert, above all, should sing.

Mitsuko Uchida over-interprets, over dramatizes Schubert, at least in these sonatas, to their detriment. She is so involved in "interpreting" Schubert that she seems to lose the overall picture. The music tends to fall apart. Schubert's piano sonatas, which can appear long winded, lose their overall flow as Uchida plays them. Her emphasis on overly strong, sharply accented phrasing, to me, is sometimes misplaced: It robs the music of its essential song, poetry and coherence. One becomes aware, first and foremost, of Uchida and her efforts "to beautify what is already beautiful", as the Penguin Guide to Compact Discs and DVDs puts it, and secondly to Schubert.

Far better, in both sonatas, is Richter or Kempff whose approach emphasizes the songfulness, poetry and overall structure of this music. For example, listen to how Richter (Living Stage) and Kempff (Deutsche Gramophon) shape the second movement of the D Major Sonata, how they bring out the subtle melodic contrasts and poetry in the movement, versus how Uchida's sudden, overly strong, accented chords seem jarring, break the songfulness and contrasting lyricism of the movement, lose the movement's overall architecture, in a seeming attempt to bring out the beauty that is already in the music.

The Penguin Guide to Compact Discs and DVDs writes of this particular Schubert/ Uchida recording, "{r}ecommended without qualification to Ms. Uchida's admirers, but with caution to others."

Superb realistic, digital recorded sound.

Schubert: Piano Sonata in D, D850 & Lieder; Leif Ove Andsnes/Ian Bostridge; 9 Lieder

Average customer rating:

Andsnes wonderful, Bostridge another matter
Do I actually like Schubert?!
An absolute delight

Schubert: Piano Sonata in D, D850 & Lieder; Leif Ove Andsnes/Ian Bostridge; 9 Lieder
Leif Ove Andsnes , Ian Bostridge , and Franz Schubert
Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

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Schubert: Piano Sonata in A, Lieder
Songs by Mahler, Handel & Peter Lieberson

ASIN: B00008UVC7
Release Date: 2003-06-10

Tracks:

I. Allegro
II. Con Moto
III. Scherzo: Allegro Vivace - Trio
IV. Rondo: Allegro Moderato
Der Liebliche Stern D861
Tiefes Leid D876
Auf Der Bruck D853
Der Wanderer D649
Fulle Der Liebe D854
Wiedersehn D855
Vom Mitleiden Maria D632
Im Walde D708
Der Schmetterling D633

Amazon.com

This is the second CD devoted to both Schubert's piano music and a few songs featuring Leif Ove Andsnes and tenor Ian Bostridge as the soloists. The sonata, composed in 1825 while Schubert was on vacation with a baritone friend, is a delight: the big, 37-minute work shows the composer at his sunniest, with a bouncy opening movement, a relaxed, warm second, a scherzo which seems to flow effortlessly and is featherweight, and a finale which contains some melodrama, a bit of gorgeous tunefulness, and a genuinely peaceful closing. Andsnes plays it without looking for trouble, with the presumption that Schubert's visit to the Austrian countryside was totally relaxing and filled with the wonders of nature. It's just lovely. The songs, for the most part, have to do with nature as well: riding a horse (the thrilling "Auf der Bruck," with its leaping piano part), the stars in the heavens, the joy of being a wanderer in the moonlight, the rushing of the wind (also featuring a virtuoso piano part). Some however are heavier in theme (Mary's suffering at the sight of Jesus on the cross, the fickleness of the world). All are interesting, and Bostridge, although he sometimes articulates too self-consciously, is never less than a fine story-teller, singing with his usual unique, finely honed, narrow tone. A very special, very enjoyable CD. --Robert Levine

Customer Reviews:

Andsnes wonderful, Bostridge another matter.......2007-01-31

I have only listened to the album partially, but I found myself aggravated by Bostridge's performance to the point where I had to give vent to my frustration. First Andsnes: I have heard several of his recordings of Schubert and all are remarkable, I would even say revelatory. The sound quality and tonal character of his playing, helped by a great recording and, I assume, an extremely fine piano, add to the effect. But Bostridge's over-emoting and affectation has reached the point where it has become annoying. That said, I would add that Andsnes's accompaniments are as worth hearing as his solo work. I would recommend any Schubert by Andsnes on the basis of the several recordings I have, and if one has to put up with Bostridge, well - it's not a perfect world.

Do I actually like Schubert?!.......2005-09-13

After years of listening to humdrum recordings of Schubert's piano music, I had convinced myself that I didn't like his music. Then came Leif Ove and my mind was forever changed. There are different voices in this sonata, not just bland chords, whee! Tension hums in the opening bars of the first movement and the scherzo really is just that, a light-hearted jokishness pervading its first few measures. The dynamic contrasts are amazingly rendered by the recording. I think there is real joy in this music, or at least as Leif Ove plays it. He gives it energy, freshness, youth.

Not being a particular fan of lieder (Winterreise and Schumann's Liederkreis being the exceptions), I have little to say about the 9 included here. Ian's voice is, as always, superb and smooth, but I just don't really like these songs. Still, I can deal with them in small doses, so why complain? This CD was more than worth my money!

An absolute delight.......2005-02-02

Leif Ove Andsnes has become one of the most outstanding pianists of his (or any) generation. He has technique to burn, that can range from extreme delicacy and precise articulation to thundering power. This range of techniques and moods suits him well for Schubert. The D major Sonata dates from a vacation Schubert took in 1825, the same time he was drafting the so-called "Great" C major Symphony. Andsnes catches every change of mood, every emotional and lyrical nuance, with precision, wit and poetry. He's then joined by Ian Bostridge for some of Schubert's songs. I recently heard him play the sonata live, and doubted the recording could live up to what he brought to the piece in performance. But the recording is every bit as swell as the concert I heard. If you like Schubert, you'll want to hear this.

Schubert: Piano Sonatas in A minor and D major, D784 & D850

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Schubert: Piano Sonatas in A minor and D major, D784 & D850

Manufacturer: Polygram Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music
ASIN: B00000E3TA
Release Date: 2003-08-12

Tracks:

Piano Sonata No.17 In D, D.850 - Allegro Vivace
Piano Sonata No.17 In D, D.850 - Con Moto
Piano Sonata No.17 In D, D.850 - Scherzo (Allegro Vivace)
Piano Sonata No.17 In D, D.850 - Rondo (Allegro Moderato)
Piano Sonata No.14 In A Minor, D.784 - Allegro Giusto
Piano Sonata No.14 In A Minor, D.784 - Andante
Piano Sonata No.14 In A Minor, D.784 - Allegro Vivace

Schubert: Piano Sonata D850; Liszt: Dante-Sonate

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Schubert: Piano Sonata D850; Liszt: Dante-Sonate

Manufacturer: Polygram Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Fantasies | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music
ASIN: B00000E52H
Release Date: 1992-06-16

Average customer rating:

Schubert: Sonatas D664 & D850

Manufacturer: Harmonia Mundi Fr.
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

Classical | Imports | Stores | Music
ASIN: B00004YU9I
Release Date: 2000-10-10

Tracks:

Son No.17(19) in D, Op.53, D.850: Allegro
Son No.17(19) in D, Op.53, D.850: Con Moto
Son No.17(19) in D, Op.53, D.850: Scherzo. Allegro Vivace
Son No.17(19) in D, Op.53, D.850: Rondo. Allegro Moderato
Son No.13(15) in A, Op.Posth.120, D.664: Allegro Moderato
Son No.13(15) in A, Op.Posth.120, D.664: Andante - Alain Planes A
Son No.13(15) in A, Op.Posth.120, D.664: Allegro

Schubert Piano Sonatas Vol. 5: Sonata in A minor Op.42, D845 & Sonata in D major, Op.53, D850

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Schubert Piano Sonatas Vol. 5: Sonata in A minor Op.42, D845 & Sonata in D major, Op.53, D850

Manufacturer: Meridian
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music
ASIN: B000003XBH
Release Date: 1993-09-20