Search - Franz [Vienna] Schubert, Mitsuko Uchida :: Schubert: Piano Sonata D. 960/3 Klavierstücke D. 946

A wonderfully insightful performance - excellent choice

Mark Shanks | Portland, OR | 06/07/2000

(4 out of 5 stars)

"The final Schubert piano sonata has always fascinated me - I've been under it's spell for over 25 years and have collected many recordings. Some of my favorites tend towards the extreme in terms of tempo - both the Valery Afanassiev recording for ECM (live from the 1985 Lockenhaus Festival) and especially Richter's performance from the 1964 Aldeburgh Festival have opening movements even slower than Uchida's. (Uchida brings it in at 21"53", where Afanassiev takes 22:45 and Richter plays at an insanely self-absorbed 25:07.) Pollini, in a more "mainstream" performance on DG, is a veritable speed demon by comparison: 18:52. But it isn't the actual tempo that is important; it's the attention to detail, and there's much to hear in this performance. At approximately halfway through the first movement, just before the development, time almost stops and we're suspended in awe before returning to a gentle landing in a more moderate approach. Listen especially to the passage from 14:30 to 15:15: if you want to hear the difference between pianissimo, pp, and ppp, they're all demonstrated with grace and fluidity. No gazing despondently into the abyss here, but a wistful, eloquent reading.The recording itself is a bit "blended" for my taste - not as sharp (maybe "brittle" is the word?)as I'd like it to be, but again, perfectly acceptable and more a matter of taste. This is a warmer, more diffuse sound than on many other recordings I've heard, and although you don't lose any notes, they aren't as "highlighted" as some.This doesn't displace the Richter as my *favorite* performance, but then again, I've listened to that one for years and years. But this is certainly VERY highly recommendable as a first recording to own, and I know that I'll be listening to it many times for it's own special qualities."

Sound from another world

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx | Yokohama | 09/12/1998

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The breath taking performance of Uchida's D960 opens the world without time. As once she puts it on interview that this sonata is floating and loosing sense of time. Opening phrases of her playing feels like mellow light coming down through sculptures from the top of the church where no one is there but one prayer. Pauses of her playing here and there forces us to look into dark black hole, which has no end. Uchida grasps structural layers better than any other rivals. Sensitivity of this performance is extreme that even the subtlest ears still fail to sense all of her nuances. She will take you to the different sphere of the world and its worth trip."

Not for every taste

David Gillett | New York, NY USA | 04/26/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The mixed reviews of this album reflect how strongly Uchida personalizes this music. If you like what she does: Wow! And if not, it will leave you cold. I've owned this CD for 4 months and keep coming back to it after listening to other interpretations ranging from Brendel's powerful but rather impersonal one to Horowitz's quirky but unforgettable effort.



Traditional Japanese music uses silence as much as sound to express its meaning and, in the first two movements of D. 960, Uchida allows the silence to have its say. Try listening to some shakuhachi music and then listen to this recording again. I guarantee it will make much more sense.



Uchida isn't afraid of a thunderclap cutting through Schubert's sweetness. The bravura she brings to the powerful sections seems even more titanic after her ethereal softness.



In Schubert's solo piano music, he seems to be expressing deeply personal feelings. Hearing how a variety of artists bring his work to life is worth the time and expense. If you're on this quest, don't miss Uchida.



"