Search - Julia Fischer, Martin Helmchen :: Schubert: Complete Works for Violin and Piano, Vol. 1

The Early Schubert Violin Sonatas (Sonatinas)

J Scott Morrison | Middlebury VT, USA | 10/06/2009

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Schubert was only 19 when he wrote these three violin sonatas (designated either as D.384, D.385 & D.408 or as Op. posth. 137, Nos. 1, 2, & 3; also included on this disc is his Rondo for Violin and Piano in B Minor, 'Rondo Brilliant', D.895 [Op. 70]) and they were not published right away. When they were eventually published they were condescendingly designated either as Sonatinas or Duos for Piano and Violin. But they are full-fledged violin sonatas however you want to define that term. They may not show Schubert in his full mature mastery, but they certainly do sound like Schubert, closer to Mozart that he later was perhaps, but still with many of his musical fingerprints. For instance, the introduction of the second sonata has a piano introduction that goes on and on for nine (not eight!) bars. And one hears again and again Schubert's ability to write music of innocent rapture, of unmet hopes, of insouciant joy, of unexpected passion.



Both Julia Fischer and Martin Helmchen, though young, are seasoned chamber musicians although I don't recall seeing any recordings that they have done together. Fischer, of course, has a burgeoning solo career Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto (Hybr), Mozart: Violin Concertos and chamber music with other instrumentalists Mendelssohn: Piano Trios Nos. 1 & 2 [Hybrid SACD]. I hailed Helmchen's participation in a recent recording of the 'Trout' Quintet Franz Schubert: Forellen Quintet [Hybrid SACD]. The two musicians are in perfect accord here and this recording brought great joy to this listener. My only quibble is that at times Fischer's violin seems to recede into the distance; I suspect this is a conscious choice on her part as the violin sometimes plays an accompanying role in these works, but it seems to me that her playing becomes a little too subservient. I don't think this is due to engineering because as soon as the violin part becomes more 'important' her sound emerges. This is minor problem, however, and I can still recommend this recording. I still like the old recordings of these works by Ulf Hoelscher and Karl Engel (2CDs, which also includes the later sonata, D.574, and other smaller works) Schubert: Complete Works for Violin & Piano and the old recording by Szymon Goldberg and Radu Lupu, now coupled with other Schubert chamber music at budget price Schubert: Music for Violin and Piano. There is also a marvelous original instruments version featuring Andrew Manze (vln) and Richard Egarr (fortepiano) Schubert: Sonatas for violin & piano.



Fischer and Helmchen play the devil out of the 15-minute showpiece Rondo Brilliant but that is not the main attraction of this issue. Pentatone's SACD sound is all one could ask -- clear, full, with lifelike ambience.



Scott Morrison



"

Fantastic! Julia is one of the best violinist worldwide & Pe

Denis Derigent | 05/03/2010

(5 out of 5 stars)

"All SACD From Pentatone involving Julia Fischer and Yakov Kreizberg are sounding great! Even classical SACD coming from Telarc are beaten.

Julia is for me, up to now, the best violinist with the higher level of sensibility we can here today. If you want to be convinced, buy the Tchaikovski violin concerto in D Op35 also from Pentatone, you will understand clearly why I'm so fan.

SACD are not dead and bravo to all editors continuing to give us such high quality. more, more, more

Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto (Hybr)"