Schubert [3 Klavierstucke]
In playing this disc today, i thought it would be the Piano Sonata which would be the highlight, but no, it's these three wonderful late pieces, i actually listened to them at the park, while writing my Journal, each of them was a treasure, this is actually my third most popular disc, and i've had it for over twenty years! [1992], this is the second time it gets in my Blog [25th July 2012].
Alfred Brendel is Austrian, now 84, he recorded all of the major Schubert works digitally in the late eighties, this one in 1987, it's now nearly thirty years old, the front cover photograph [by Gabriela Brandenstein], is a black & white shot of Brendel looking at the life mask of Schubert.
All three of these pieces were special, i love the way Schubert has something quite surprising and different to say in the middle of these pieces, and it was the last Klavierstucke that i found the most joyous, it's the shortest of the bunch, but it's packed full of good things, here's a synopsis of this piece,
3 Klavierstucke 3 - D946/3 [5:30] - A lively piece, lots of notes, very staccato, lots going on, it's quite a virtuoso warhorse, and yet when something does start up, it's quickly over, the headlong rush of the first minute is breathtaking in Brendel's hands [0:00-0:59], and then it comes to a sudden halt, and turns all reflective and inward, and there's aching notes in there, especially when the right hand extends up into treble territory, the opening comes back again [4:00+], it's a three minute middle section sandwiched between two one minute sections, a wonderful piece when you really get to know it.
Here's Brendel playing the third Klaviersucke on YouTube.
Alfred Brendel is Austrian, now 84, he recorded all of the major Schubert works digitally in the late eighties, this one in 1987, it's now nearly thirty years old, the front cover photograph [by Gabriela Brandenstein], is a black & white shot of Brendel looking at the life mask of Schubert.
All three of these pieces were special, i love the way Schubert has something quite surprising and different to say in the middle of these pieces, and it was the last Klavierstucke that i found the most joyous, it's the shortest of the bunch, but it's packed full of good things, here's a synopsis of this piece,
3 Klavierstucke 3 - D946/3 [5:30] - A lively piece, lots of notes, very staccato, lots going on, it's quite a virtuoso warhorse, and yet when something does start up, it's quickly over, the headlong rush of the first minute is breathtaking in Brendel's hands [0:00-0:59], and then it comes to a sudden halt, and turns all reflective and inward, and there's aching notes in there, especially when the right hand extends up into treble territory, the opening comes back again [4:00+], it's a three minute middle section sandwiched between two one minute sections, a wonderful piece when you really get to know it.
Here's Brendel playing the third Klaviersucke on YouTube.
