Search - Murray Perahia;Radu Lupu :: Mozart: Sonata, K.448; Schubert: Fantasia, Op. 103, D.940

Chamber Music at its Finest

Mireille Wastwater | England | 03/24/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"When two great musicians work together, the end product is not usually the sum of the two parts e.g. Richter with Karajan, Horowitz with Beecham. Howver, one could not ask for a better combination of pianists for these two are not only very fine pianists, but exemplary musicians. Neither Perahia nor Lupu have ever claimed to be note-guzzling virtuosos. Rather, they possess that quality that cannot be achieved through hours of practice, which enables them to make the music make sense, as seen through the composers eyes but with their own unique aura stamped upon the music. They are also probably the most idiosycracy-free famous pianists of our time. I had never listened to the Schubert before this CD and it has become one of my favourite pieces. The haunting theme which begins the piece returns at well-chosen spots throughout the piece is one which can stick in your mind for hours (like the Goldberg Variations Aria). I recently heard Richter and Britten play the same piece and quite apart from the 'the first version you hear tends to be the one you like most' effect, Perahia and Lupu were on a different imaginative level altogether. The Mozart for two pianos is equally well done (a live performance) with immaculate ensembleship. As one reviewer has noted, the length of the CD is a drawback, but playing of this quality (of excellent music) more than makes up for it."

Amazing music. Who cares about temporal lobes?!

Kevin Currie-Knight | Newark, Delaware | 10/11/2002

(4 out of 5 stars)

"This Mozart sonata for two hands has some of the sweetest piano melodies ever written. Complimented by Schuberts fantasia for four hands, which is a bit more introspective, we are provided with an amazing contrast which makes the CD amazingly easy to listen straigth through. This is music to relax to, feel giddy with and enjoy repeatedly. I'm sorry I have to do this but I'm starting to get annoyed with this so called Mozart effect. The reviewer below me would like you to get this CD because alledgedly, the Mozart sonata for four hands will increase your temporal lobes. On the other hand, we shouldn't really listen to the Schubert fantasia because it does nt a thing for the temporal lobes. Poor Schubert. I'm sorry, but with exquisite music like this (both the Mozart AND the Schubert), if one is listening because of a percieved effect on the brain, as opposed to the emotions, one will find themselves missing out. This is a sweet, well performed and well recorded CD. With music like this, why care about the temporal lobes?!"

The best Schubert Fantasia available

mhpa | Melbourne, Victoria Australia | 11/20/2000

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I really didn't buy this CD for the Mozart. I bought it to hear one of the greatest pieces Schubert ever wrote. The F Minor Fantasy is a phenomenal work that is, in my opinion, faultless. The best recording of it that I have ever heard was with Alfred Brendel. However as far as I know that performance is out of production and, next to it, the Lupu/Perahia is the best. It is delicate playing and yet robust where the music requires it. Their tempi are appropriate: not ridiculously slow in the Largo but not too fast and scrappy in the Scherzo. They are completely unified throughout the performance and they are particularly impressive in the final minutes where the music can become quite muddy if the performers aren't careful.The Mozart is also wonderfully played, however for me the reason to get this CD is the Schubert not the Mozart. My only criticism is that the CD is very short (only about 40 minutes of music): they could have included some other Schubert four hand pieces to fill the space rather than leave it blank. What a waste of space when it could have been filled with such excellent playing."