Last piano sonatas
Franz Schubert
Keywords
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Reviews (44)
The guardian
d. 11. Oct. 2017
By
By
Andrew Clements (musikanmelder)
d. 11. Oct. 2017
"Characteristically, the performances have been prepared with immense care ... while the attention that Zimerman pays to the minutest detail of the phrasing never becomes an end in itself ... There are certainly more strikingly individual recordings of both sonatas to be found, good and less good, but few that are so consistently thoughtful and musical, and so technically impeccable too".
Kulturradio RBB
d. 6. Sep. 2017
By
By
Kai Luehrs-Kaiser
d. 6. Sep. 2017
"Für seine erste Solo-CD seit 25 Jahren hat sich Krystian Zimerman ... für die beiden letzten vollendeten Sonaten von Franz Schubert entschieden ... Man muss das gewiss bewundern für ein Mass an Ausnuanciertheit, Durchgefeiltheit und Poliertheit ... Dem zeugnishaft grossen Ernst dieser von überragendem Kunstverstand zeugenden CD wird niemand den Respekt versagen können".
Classics today
2017
By
By
Jed Distler
2017
"Zimerman enlivens and fortifies the big A major sonata with seriousness of purpose and constant attention to detail ... For me, Zimerman's stunning slow movement is worth the price of the disc. He clips the detached bass-line accompaniment without sounding the least percussive, as if gently plucking rather than striking the notes".
The telegraph
d. 29. July 2009
By
By
Geoffrey Norris
d. 29. July 2009
"It is that very spectrum of colour and the discretion with which it is applied that contribute to the absorbing impact of this two-CD set. Cooper has said that, after a career-long association with Schubert, his music's message has become much more direct for her. These discs show how eloquently she can convey that message to us".
The guardian
d. 11. Oct. 2017
By
By
Andrew Clements (musikanmelder)
d. 11. Oct. 2017
"Characteristically, the performances have been prepared with immense care ... while the attention that Zimerman pays to the minutest detail of the phrasing never becomes an end in itself ... There are certainly more strikingly individual recordings of both sonatas to be found, good and less good, but few that are so consistently thoughtful and musical, and so technically impeccable too".
Kulturradio RBB
d. 6. Sep. 2017
By
By
Kai Luehrs-Kaiser
d. 6. Sep. 2017
"Für seine erste Solo-CD seit 25 Jahren hat sich Krystian Zimerman ... für die beiden letzten vollendeten Sonaten von Franz Schubert entschieden ... Man muss das gewiss bewundern für ein Mass an Ausnuanciertheit, Durchgefeiltheit und Poliertheit ... Dem zeugnishaft grossen Ernst dieser von überragendem Kunstverstand zeugenden CD wird niemand den Respekt versagen können".
Presto classical
d. 9. Dec. 2022
By
By
David Smith (musikanmelder)
d. 9. Dec. 2022
"Recording of the week: His tone in the more reflective moments is striking; it's a pearly, bell-like sound that, despite the performance being on a modern grand piano, reminded several members of the Presto team of András Schiff's wildly acclaimed performances on a unique fortepiano from a couple of years ago, which achieved similarly magical sonorities".
jcklassisk
d. 2. Dec. 2017
By
By
John Christiansen
d. 2. Dec. 2017
"Den polske mesterpianist Krystian Zimerman har fået udgivet sin første soloplade i 23 år. Den forrige var Debussys Preludes i 1994. Den nye har været værd at vente på. Den vil fryde mange, og den vil forundre mange ... Vi får Schuberts to sidste sonater ... Og Zimerman spiller forunderligt ... Uanset hvilke tolkninger man måtte have stående på hylden, så skal Krystian Zimermans også stå der".
Presto classical
d. 25. Aug. 2017
By
By
James Longstaffe
d. 25. Aug. 2017
"Presto disc of the week: The second movement of D959, a kind of melancholy Valse triste, sounds otherworldly and hauntingly mesmerising in Zimerman's hands. His voicing of chords is exquisite, and by bringing out the accents and other dynamic markings, he highlights some of the more unexpected harmonies, making it sound eerily modern in places ... The way he shapes a phrase is a joy to listen to, and he knows exactly how to pace the longer movements".
DR musik
2017 [uge 45]
By
By
Frederik Bjerre Andersen
2017 [uge 45]
"Ugens album: Superperfektionistiske Krystian Zimerman har efter 23 års tavshed indspillet Schuberts klaversonater. Og det er ventetiden værd! ... Man kunne frygte, at han er nær ved at male sig inde i et hjørne, men hans Schubert-spil er blændende begavet og fuldkomment".
Presto classical
d. 25. Aug. 2017
By
By
James Longstaffe
d. 25. Aug. 2017
"Presto disc of the week: The second movement of D959, a kind of melancholy Valse triste, sounds otherworldly and hauntingly mesmerising in Zimerman's hands. His voicing of chords is exquisite, and by bringing out the accents and other dynamic markings, he highlights some of the more unexpected harmonies, making it sound eerily modern in places ... The way he shapes a phrase is a joy to listen to, and he knows exactly how to pace the longer movements".
jcklassisk
d. 2. Dec. 2017
By
By
John Christiansen
d. 2. Dec. 2017
"Den polske mesterpianist Krystian Zimerman har fået udgivet sin første soloplade i 23 år. Den forrige var Debussys Preludes i 1994. Den nye har været værd at vente på. Den vil fryde mange, og den vil forundre mange ... Vi får Schuberts to sidste sonater ... Og Zimerman spiller forunderligt ... Uanset hvilke tolkninger man måtte have stående på hylden, så skal Krystian Zimermans også stå der".
DR musik
2017 [uge 45]
By
By
Frederik Bjerre Andersen
2017 [uge 45]
"Ugens album: Superperfektionistiske Krystian Zimerman har efter 23 års tavshed indspillet Schuberts klaversonater. Og det er ventetiden værd! ... Man kunne frygte, at han er nær ved at male sig inde i et hjørne, men hans Schubert-spil er blændende begavet og fuldkomment".
Presto classical
2024
By
2024
"Ronald Brautigam presents two of Franz Schubert's late masterpieces, the Sonatas D 959 and D 960. They are played here on a fortepiano built by Paul McNulty ... Although it is tempting to see Schubert's final works as the testament of a doomed artist who feels his end is nearing, the reality is quite different: the composer displayed vitality, optimism and a prodigious capacity for work. His last two sonatas also show that he had reached a new level, having successfully emancipated himself from the Beethovenian model ... They are now considered to be among Schubert's finest works, alongside others dating from the last years of his life, such as the String Quintet in C major and the song cycle Winterreise".
Kristeligt dagblad
d. 22. Nov. 2017
By
By
Peter Dürrfeld
d. 22. Nov. 2017
"Her er tale om en sjældent generøs cd: Den uhyre kræsne og ligefrem perfektionistiske polske pianist Krystian Zimerman ... har foretaget en af sine sjældne indspilninger ... Der er tale om Franz Schuberts to sidste klaversonater, begge komponeret i hans dødsår 1828 ... Det kan i al korthed siges: Køb og lyt til denne plade. Sjældent har ordet "sværvægter" i den grad været velanbragt på Schuberts musik".
Politiken
d. 16. Oct. 2017
By
By
Thomas Michelsen
d. 16. Oct. 2017
"Til formålet har han brugt et flygel med tangenter, han selv har tilpasset, så de minder om dem, Schubert kendte. I en uge lånte han en indesneet koncertsal i Japan, hvis akustik han elsker særlig højt. Resultatet, der nu foreligger, er mageløst. Klart, sikkert og fast i spillestilen på en måde, der åbner for en verden af udtryk og fuldt ud afdækker værkernes potentiale. Zimerman er i særklasse. Det er hans Schubert også".
Politiken
d. 5. Nov. 2019
By
By
Thomas Michelsen
d. 5. Nov. 2019
"På russerens nye album, som udelukkende indeholder musik af Schubert, er hans angrebsvinkel ikke voldsom, sådan som Volodos' heftige klaverteknik og store bjørnelabber ellers kunne lægge op til. Pianisten har forladt ungdommens virtuose kraftudladninger til fordel for et nyt fokus på pianistisk og musikalsk kontrol, der er næsten overvældende ... Den tidligere så flamboyante virtuos søger ind i musikken. Men han giver den også fremdrift ... Hvad det klavertekniske angår, viser han en suverænitet og en klarhed i hver enkelt tone, der næppe overgås af nogen".
Kristeligt dagblad
d. 22. Nov. 2017
By
By
Peter Dürrfeld
d. 22. Nov. 2017
"Her er tale om en sjældent generøs cd: Den uhyre kræsne og ligefrem perfektionistiske polske pianist Krystian Zimerman ... har foretaget en af sine sjældne indspilninger ... Der er tale om Franz Schuberts to sidste klaversonater, begge komponeret i hans dødsår 1828 ... Det kan i al korthed siges: Køb og lyt til denne plade. Sjældent har ordet "sværvægter" i den grad været velanbragt på Schuberts musik".
Politiken
d. 16. Oct. 2017
By
By
Thomas Michelsen
d. 16. Oct. 2017
"Til formålet har han brugt et flygel med tangenter, han selv har tilpasset, så de minder om dem, Schubert kendte. I en uge lånte han en indesneet koncertsal i Japan, hvis akustik han elsker særlig højt. Resultatet, der nu foreligger, er mageløst. Klart, sikkert og fast i spillestilen på en måde, der åbner for en verden af udtryk og fuldt ud afdækker værkernes potentiale. Zimerman er i særklasse. Det er hans Schubert også".
Politiken
d. 29. Sep. 2002
By
d. 29. Sep. 2002
Jyllands-posten
d. 9. Sep. 2002
By
d. 9. Sep. 2002
Diapason
2023 janvier
By
By
Patrick Szersnovicz
2023 janvier
BBC music magazine
2023 February
By
By
Claire Jackson
2023 February
"Instrumental choice: The opening movement of Schubert's penultimate piano sonata, D959, is exquisitely shaped in this latest offering by Eric Lu, the impressive US pianist who won the 2018 Leeds International Piano Competition ... A virtuosic final movement [of the A minor Sonata] confirms Lu's place among today's Schubertians".
Fono Forum
2023 Februar
By
By
Christoph Vratz
2023 Februar
"Lu hat etwas zu sagen zu dieser so oft gespielten Sonaten, er findet einen eigenen Weg, der einige Verzögerungen, noch ausserhalb des Manierten stehend, ebenso einschliesst wie herrlich geformte ariose Linien ... Lu zeigt mit dieser Aufnahme, dass er einen reflektierten Weg zu Schubert gefunden hat, geprägt von viel Gesanglichkeit".
BBC music magazine
2017 Christmas
By
By
Rebecca Franks
2017 Christmas
"Zimerman takes us into a place of deep introspection, finding vast universes within. The recorded sound, by Rainer Maillard, is beautifully judged, combining gentleness with absolute clarity ... This piano sings sweetly, allows Zimerman to do for all the emotional outbursts without breaking through into our louder modern age ... In both sonatas, Zimerman offers us finely graded dynamics, and seamlessly integrated tempos ... Unmissable".
Fono Forum
2017 Oktober
By
By
Ingo Harden
2017 Oktober
"Krystian Zimerman ist kein Freund von Schnellschüssen. Auch seine neue CD mit den beiden grossen späten Schubert-Sonaten ist von ihm mit höchster Sorgfalt und Umsicht vorbereitet worden".
BBC music magazine
2024 March
By
By
John Allison (f. 1965)
2024 March
"His playing has a notably singing tone and the Steinway is very naturally recorded - so much so that we hear plenty of the pianist's breathing, but it feels like a true performance. Laloum has previously recorded the epic C minor Sonata, D958 for the same label, yet is probably more at home with the sort of pianism called for here. The salon origins of the six 'Moments musicaux' should not be taken as judgement on their musical value - quite the opposite and ... Laloum embraces their wide range of emotions with discretion, avoiding the banal in even the most popular of the set, the military march ... All receive beautifully judged performances".
Fono Forum
2024 April
By
By
Elisabeth Richter
2024 April
BBC music magazine
2020 February
By
By
Michael Church
2020 February
"Arcadi Volodos ... [is] developing a highly individual approach to Schubert, finding in his works a keyboard poetry no one had found before ... The Sonata which is this disc's 'pièce de résistance' emerges in typically poetic guise ... The first two Minuets were Schubert's teenage efforts, the third here becomes a game of competing 'pianissimos'".
Diapason
2019 décembre
By
By
Bertrand Boissard
2019 décembre
Fono Forum
2019 Dezember
By
By
Ingo Harden
2019 Dezember
"Kein Pianist von Rang har dem virtuosen Glanz so früh und entschieden abgeschworen wie Arcadi Volodos ... Auch hier setzt er seine manuelle Überlegenheit dafür ein, Schuberts grosse A-Dur-Sonate in optimal 'schönen' und harmonisch ausgewogenen Klang umzusetzen, der keine harten Akzente oder Ausdrucksschärfen kennt ... Wie auch immer man diese schöne und abgehobene Volodos-Perspektive beurteilt: Künstlerisch bildet sie eine höchst lohnende Alternative zum bisherigen Angebot".
BBC music magazine
2015 February
By
By
Christopher Dingle
2015 February
"This is a typically well-constructed and enticing recital from Tasmin Little and Martin Roscoe. Guillaume Lekeu is one of the 'what ifs' of French music ... The impassioned outer movements understandably evoke the spirit of Franck's golden period, [Little and Roscoe] masterfully pacing the ebb and flow of the tension".
BBC music magazine
2015 February
By
By
Michael Tanner (musikanmelder)
2015 February
"Vurdering: BBC music instrumental choice" - "Korstick's account of the final sonata, in B flat D960, is as moving as any I have heard. It ranks with Sviatoslav Richter's various performances ... This is as near perfection as you will get ... These discs should surely find a wide audience".
Fono Forum
2015 Januar
By
By
Gregor Willmes
2015 Januar
"Vurdering: Empfehlungen des Monats" - "Dabei zeichnen die typischen Korstick-Qualitäten, wie eine extrem weite Dynamik, eine wunderbar differenzierte Artikulation und ein trotz intelligenter Lesart jederzeit emotional berührendes Klavierspiel, auch diese existentielle Schubert-Interpretation aus".
Diapason
2009 décembre
By
By
Etienne Moreau
2009 décembre
BBC music magazine
2017 Christmas
By
By
Rebecca Franks
2017 Christmas
"Zimerman takes us into a place of deep introspection, finding vast universes within. The recorded sound, by Rainer Maillard, is beautifully judged, combining gentleness with absolute clarity ... This piano sings sweetly, allows Zimerman to do for all the emotional outbursts without breaking through into our louder modern age ... In both sonatas, Zimerman offers us finely graded dynamics, and seamlessly integrated tempos ... Unmissable".
Fono Forum
2017 Oktober
By
By
Ingo Harden
2017 Oktober
"Krystian Zimerman ist kein Freund von Schnellschüssen. Auch seine neue CD mit den beiden grossen späten Schubert-Sonaten ist von ihm mit höchster Sorgfalt und Umsicht vorbereitet worden".
The gramophone
2007 May
By
By
Bryce Morrison
2007 May
"Schubert's great A major Sonata here receives a performance with an unusual dramatic edge. Christian Zacharias, whose versatility clearly enriches his arresting viewpoint, plays with a savage glint in his eye, bringing Schubert's restless undercurrents to the surface so that the listener is left limp with a mixture of elation and exhaustion ... Hardly playing for late night relaxation, then, but a vivid and compulsive experience no less boldly recorded".
The gramophone
2017 October
By
By
Harriet Smith
2017 October
"Recording of the month, Editor's choice: Zimerman, quite simply, sounds like no one else. That's partly down to the instrument, having inserted into his Steinway a keyboard he has made himself ... Every element of these two sonatas has been thought out, considered; in the hands of a lesser artist the results could have been pernickety but instead they tend towards the transcendent ... This is a marvellously life-enhancing release. Go and hear it for yourself".
The gramophone
2019 November
By
By
David Fanning
2019 November
"Every phrase is so exquisitely turned, so perfectly graded in its nuances, so ideally blended - harmonically, melodically and in relation to what comes before and after - that it could be placed on exhibit for all to wonder at. Like all the great virtuosos, he knows how to bring spaciousness to the most technically demanding passages and inner life to the simplest ... The problem - if it is a problem - is the sheer abundance of pianistic marvels ... And whatever reservations I may have expressed, Volodos is in a world of his own for sheer pianistic finesse".
The gramophone
2009 September
By
By
Bryce Morrison
2009 September
"Vurdering: G (Gramophone recommends)" - "Imogen Cooper's live Schubert takes its derserved place alongside the greats".
International record review
2009 November
By
By
Stephen Pruslin
2009 November
"Schubert lovers who have room in their collection for good new performances of the two Piano Sonatas might be initially bemused by the presence of Kurtág here, though that might open a new window for them on contemporary music in general and recent Eastern European music in particular, which the could then pursue".
The gramophone
2010 January
By
By
Jeremy Nicholas
2010 January
"Biss' Schubert doesn't quite capture the music's individuality and depth".
The gramophone
2017 October
By
By
Harriet Smith
2017 October
"Recording of the month, Editor's choice: Zimerman, quite simply, sounds like no one else. That's partly down to the instrument, having inserted into his Steinway a keyboard he has made himself ... Every element of these two sonatas has been thought out, considered; in the hands of a lesser artist the results could have been pernickety but instead they tend towards the transcendent ... This is a marvellously life-enhancing release. Go and hear it for yourself".