Search - Juana Zayas :: Juana Zayas Plays Schubert

Now we see through a glass darkly. . .

Roman Holiday | Rome Italy | 02/08/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"It's truly paradoxical, but it seems to me that the more invisible the artist, the better he is. This was reconfirmed for me recently, while vacationing in the Austrian countryside. I came across Horowitz's version of the great Schubert Sonata in B-flat Major, Op. 960. As you can imagine, I was eager to listen to his rendition, which I knew was sure to be special. I was especially interested, however, because I had already become acquainted with the version about which you are curious enough to read this review, and wanted to see how the two compared with one another. Sure enough, Horowitz delivered an engaging interpretation in his usual refined musicianship, richly imbued with his quirky yet playful personality that we have all have come to love and admire in itself. But having become exposed to Zayas' artistry, it became apparent after the first few notes that Schubert's own genius shone more brilliantly through her transparent interpretation than it did in the Horowitz version. The unity of phrasing, the careful balance of sections with one another, the seemingly effortless control over dynamics, tempo, and accentuation all combined to produce a fully satisfying integration of this heavenly sonata, an accomplishment which, for all his magnificent artistry, Horowitz achieves to a lesser degree. Listening to him is the musical equivalent of looking through a glass darkly. With Zayas, I am, as it were, transported to a higer realm, where it seems I can hear Schubert directly.

As for the rest of the music found on this CD, you will be sorely challenged to find another version that matches Zayas's ability to bring out the gentle interplay between light and dark characteristic of Schubert. If you enjoy transparent interpretations without the self-conscious and hence utterly futile attempts to conjure up the pathos and peace embedded in the score, look no farther and you will hear things you would have never dreamed possible."

Heavenly music, heavenly playing

Dr. Richard A. Barrows | Paramus, NJ | 02/12/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Those who treasure the awesome Chopin and Schumann CDs of this world-class pianist will welcome this CD devoted to the music of Schubert. Juana Zayas' performance of his autumnal "swan-song," the towering Bb Sonata,ranks at the summit of the so-called "definitive" recordings by the finest pianists of both yesterday and today. In the opening two movements of this Sonata completed seven weeks before Schubert's death, Ms Jayas realizes that she is treading on sacred ground. In her hands, every note sings! She beautifully captures the pathos of these "songs-without-words," pathos that, for example, pervades the composer's valedictory "Winterreise" song-cycle of 1827. As in her Chopin and Schumann CDs, her awesome technique is at all times subservient to the spirit and the soul of Schubert's music. Especially satisfying is her sensitive and empathetic playing of the second, "Trauermarsch," movement of the Sonata. In the last two movements, however, and in the third and fourth Impromptus, Ms Zayas gives her fabulous technique full rein with playing that totally captures the Biedermeier spirit of the third decade of 19th-century Vienna. Her exquisite performance of the Gb Impromptu is a highlight. This ne plus ultra CD is a "must-have." It is a worthy successor to Juana Zayas' earlier Chopin CDs and to her recently released Schumann disk. A real bonus, too, are the informative program notes written by Frank Cooper."

Plodding, monotonous Schubert playing

Richard Steiger | Murray, KY USA | 12/04/2007

(2 out of 5 stars)

"After my disappointment with Zayas' Schumann cd, I was hoping to reverse myself with this one. But unfortunately Zayas' Schubert is just as unidiomatic as her Schumann. I'm reminded of a theatrical review of a performance by (I think) Katherine Hepburn: "Last night Katherine Hepburn ran the gamut of emotions from A to B." That's about the way I feel about the performances on this cd. The main problem is Zayas' refusal to play anything below forte (ok, she manages a "p" in a few places, usually where Schubert calls for "pp" or "ppp). The slow movement of the sonata is a particularly egregious example, as she plays the whole movement at pretty much the same dynamic level from beginning to end, converting Schubert's ABA structure into more of an AAA and entirely missing the utter desolation of the outer sections. We do, however, heard every one of those accompanying triplets in the middle section, if that's a good thing (the same thing happens in the third impromptu, where the accompaniment quite overwhelms the melody). I could go on (the end of the second impromptu lacks drama, the last two movements of the sonata are heavy-handed, etc.), but I'll stop here. There are any number of fine versions of the sonata (Fleisher, Perahia, Schnabel to name a few). One of my favorites is Kovacevich (EMI). The piano, by the way, is unnaturally glossy and too closely recorded. I simply cannot understand Zayas' reputation."