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• Manufacturer: Philips
• Average Customer Rating: 4 / 5
• Amazon's Price: USD $16.98
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Customer Reviews

Poetic - but too much so?

Rating: 4/5

Here are two of the monumental late-great piano sonatas by Schubert (the other being No. 21 D960) by one of today's outstanding pianists, Mitsuko Uchida. These grand conceptions are treasures in the piano literature, largely due to their beguiling melodies, effortless flow and powerful tinges of tragedy. The A major D959 is probably the most popular with the public - with the last work D960 not too far behind - but the C-minor is also a work of epic qualities.

There are many fine recordings of Schubert's piano sonatas which would include Schnabel, Lupu, Brendel, Kempff, Schiff and many others. All are legendary and offer musical insights and delights. When the choices are so good, it really comes down to what nuances and emotive qualities the performer imparts that most capture your heart and soul. And concerning this aspect, Mitsuko Uchida is well known for her "heartfelt" approach to her readings and these works are no exception.

In another review of Schubert's Sonatas by Uchida, Amazon lead reviewer Edith Eisler described Uchida's Schubert style quite accurately I felt. It is a style and approach one hears immediately, but a style with qualities that Eisler failed to realize are exactly why many love Uchida's pianism. Regardless, you can be your own judge of how it strikes you, but I feel her description was well stated and applied to the cycle in general ... "Uchida's interpretation is interesting and highly personal, but rather puzzling. She takes considerable liberties with tempo and dynamics, lingering over details, slowing down to end phrases, hesitating on upbeats. This makes her playing subtle, delicate, and poetic, but also fussy and exaggerated; the expressiveness sounds manipulated, the music loses its pulse, flow, and natural simplicity and is never allowed to speak for itself."

I have to agree with her on this when comparing to other performances, such as Alfred Brendel's Philips' DUO recording. While poetic and beautiful Mitsuko Uchida's pauses, slight shifts and overall rubato in works like the lyrical A major seems to disrupt the flow somewhat and draw attention to such personal nuances of expression rather than the overall progression of the musical story. But it is artistic nevertheless, and such things I conclude are really a matter of one's personal taste and what really penetrates into your being and resonates when listening to these works. Personally, I prefer Brendel's approach but I can also appreciate why many adore Uchida's music. Her expressivity is deep, enchanting and captivating - but may not be to everyone's liking. However, two cycles that have much less dispute overall - and where her magnificance is almost without critique - are the Mozart Piano Sonatas (Philips, 5 CD set) and the Debussy Etudes.

captivating

Rating: 5/5

These sonatas are moody, passionate, and at times incredibly gentle, and Mitsuko Uchida captures all these emotions, with her superb artistry and brilliant technique. This wonderful music reveals more of its treasure with each hearing, and my admiration for Ms. Uchida's interpretation keeps growing.

Recorded in '97, the sound is exceptional, with a crystal clear sparkling quality to it. The booklet insert has a piece on how and when these sonatas were written, and makes comparisons to Beethoven, which I fail to see...I find the soul of their compositions are so completely different. The total running time is 73 minutes, and the expressive cover photo completes the package...Ms. Uchida's an extraordinary pianist, and her beauty a photographer's delight.

Very Impressive, but D959 Falls Just Short

Rating: 4/5

I have long been an admirer of Brendel's Schubert. For me he has a direct, incisive clarity that lays the music bare in all its startling glory. With the release of Uchida's D960, I had to admit that Brendel had found his equal, and Uchida's recording had the added bonus of the repeats being included. If Uchida had approached D959 in the same way as she did D960--where immense spiritual vistas part and invite the listener in--then we would have had another legendary recording on our hands. Unfortunately, she takes D959 at at pretty brisk clip, especially in the first and outer movements, and those great Schubertian intangibles are lost. I also agree with the previous reviewer that there is a certain self-consciousness in her reading of the slow movement, which I realize must be incredibly difficult to play, even though I am not a pianist. On the other hand, the D958 is played as well as I could have hoped for, which surprised me, since it's a very vigorous, hard-driving sonata, and I've never associated Uchida with the kind of playing she successfully calls forth here. My conclusion? If you can have only one recording of Schubert's final three sonatas, go for Brendel (available on a budget Philips 2-for-1), but if you're a true Schubert afficianado, you owe it to yourself to include Uchida, since there is something new, vital and important in her interpretations.

very fine, with qualifications

Rating: 3/5

If this account is worth 5 stars, then what does one give Perahia's or Richter's or Brendel's? Without question, Uchida is a fine pianist and all her strengths are on display on this disc. However, as thoughtful and as integrated as her performance of D959 is, for me her interpretation of the second movement, surely one of the most haunting in classical music, while effective in its own way, lacks the atmosphere, mystery and sheer other-worldliness that other pianists have brought to it. Uchida's playing is hyper perceptive as usual, no arguing that, but that only makes me more aware that I am listening to an interpretation, rather than to the music itself. In short, an interesting and intelligent performance, but not a great one.

Five, Not Four!

Rating: 5/5

I felt compelled to submit this review primarily to increase the number of stars associated with this recording (which stood at four due to the review below)!

This disc, along with all of Mitsuko's Schubert, is stunning. She plays with the consummate sythesis of intellect and spirit. She has command of sublime articulation. Her phrasing suggests she has a very personal relationship and understanding of the music. Even if you don't "agree" with her, you must acknowledge and respect her argument. However, I personally hang on every note.

I think her aptitude for Schubert is remarkable considering that her previous successes were with Mozart. Whereas Mozart's music is charmed with bouyancy and effervescence, Schubert is riddled with angst, melancholic malaise, bittersweet beauty, and heart-stopping sadness. Mitsuko's virtuosity in both of these bodies of work is certainly a token of her genius.

Once again: five stars, not four!