Schubert - 8 Impromptus [Brendel] Here is a tremendous set of the Schubert complete Impromptus, long regarded as the definitive set by the worlds foremost Schubert interpreter, this is Brendel's analogue version of the Impromptus, recorded i believe in the early Seventies, very nice believable sound, Brendel also recorded these Impromptus digitally in 1988, and it's this digital version that remains my all time No1 favourite recording by far, the analogue set is not actually that much different, some may say there's a degree more spontaneity there, for me the digital set brings out the dance rhythms better, maybe there's more poise and authenticity in the analogue set, but just sheer joy in the digital, my recommendation is to buy both sets!.
Alfred Brendel is an Austrian Pianist, now 80 years old, and retired from the concert stage, i believe these Impromptus were recorded in 1972 [D899] and 1975 [D935], the front cover of the booklet is excellent [photo by John Hedgecoe], showing Brendel with his piano, the dark side of the piano has the lettering overlaid in light blue, a nicely composed / balanced picture / title.
Well this was my 'Sunday morning walk' listening experience, i really loved listening to these pieces again today, maybe it was the walk in the brisk spring morning, but the rhythms of the piano went well with the rhythms of walking, all of these wonderful 8 pieces reveal inspirations galore, but especially 1-2, 5 & 8, with track 1, Impromptu D899/1 the most mesmerizing of them all, there was a certain feeling of wave upon wave of lyricism that just lifts and lifts me, everything is natural, what goes on before just inevitably flows into what goes on after, and i love being in the perfect moment of the now,
Here's Alfred Brendel playing the first Impromptu of the first set [D899/1] on YouTube.
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