The Schubert Piano Masterworks, Vol. 2
“This is perhaps the greatest version of the work I have ever encountered, either live or on disc”. (review in Fanfare magazine referring to the A major sonata, D.959)
“One of the greatest recordings ever made of the [A major sonata]” (review in International Piano magazine)
See details for Volume One and Volume Three as well as the low-priced bundle.
Track Listing
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Franz Schubert:
- Scherzo in B flat major, D. 593 no. 1
- Scherzo in D flat major, D. 593 no. 2
- Klavierstück in E flat minor, D. 946 no. 1
- Klavierstück in E flat major, D. 946 no. 2
- Klavierstück in C major, D. 946 no. 3
- Piano Sonata in A major, D. 959 - I. Allegro
- Piano Sonata in A major, D. 959 - II. Andantino
- Piano Sonata in A major, D, 959 - III. Scherzo
- Piano Sonata in A major, D. 959 - IV. Rondo
- Valses Nobles, D. 969 (9:40)
- Adagio in E major, D. 612 (4:12)
- Moment Musical in C major, D. 780 no. 1 (5:11)
- Moment Musical in A flat major, D. 780 no. 2 (6:40)
- Moment Musical in F minor, D. 780 no 3 (1:46)
- Moment Musical in C sharp minor, D. 780 no 4 (4:14)
- Moment Musical in F minor, D. 780 no. 5 (2:03)
- Moment Musical in A flat minor, D. 780 no. 6 (6:43)
- Piano Sonata in C minor, D. 958 − I. Allegro (10:47)
- Piano Sonata in C minor, D. 958 − II. Adagio (7:10)
- Piano Sonata in C minor, D. 958 − III.Menuetto: Allegro (3:04)
- Piano Sonata in C minor, D. 958 − IV. Allegro (8:37)
Reviews
“Goldstone’s overall approach is convincing… it is D593 No. 2 that emerges as an unexpected highlight of the set, with its positively glittering right hand. In fact, Goldstone holds a special affinity for these shorter pieces: the Valses nobles, D969 are characterised by good, clean playing, a fine sense of the underlying rhythm and not a small amount of cheek on occasion!. The Adagio in E, D612 of 1818 is another discovery, a lovely piece handled with great care in the present instance
” —Colin Clarke
“Goldstone is a native speaker of Schubert in the highest degree……. all of the performances on these two discs reach a high standard both of imagination and of technical mastery. Goldstone tends to like his tempos on the fast side, but he is never insensitive, and his impulsive willingness to take risks – for example, toward the end of the first of the Three Pieces, D. 946 – makes even a player of Brendel’s perceptivity sound unadventurous, almost bland. When we come to the late A major Sonata D. 959 “high standard” would again be a woefully inadequate term to apply to Goldstone’s performance. This is perhaps the greatest version of the work I have ever encountered, either live or on disc. The first movement is magisterially paced……. In the superb Andantino – a kind of dreamlike barcarolle that veers from mourning to consolation, then to volcanic fury and back – Goldstone’s command is total, the effect he creates devastating.. With Goldstone, we find ourselves in a trice transported to another world. The attentiveness to accents throughout, and the character with which he imbues even the simplest left-hand chords as in the scherzo, are merely two examples among many that bespeak mastery on the highest plane. I urge Anthony Goldstone on your attention with all the emphasis I can muster.
” —Bernard Jacobson
“one of the finest recordings ever made of this work [A major sonata]…. Throughout Goldstone displays a gripping sense of musical drama and structure, a natural feeling for the rhythmic ebb and flow of a phrase, and a singer’s feeling for the dynamic arch of a melody….. I have not heard a more impressive Schubert piano recording in recent years
” —Charles Timbrell
“Anthony Goldstone is in my opinion an ideal interpreter of Schubert who always seems to be as one with the music, without false emphasis or exaggeration. The recording and presentation is first rate, with excellent notes written by the pianist. It is recommended without reservation
” —Arthur Baker
“Having recently finished recording Schubert’s complete four-hand works with his wife Caroline Clemmow, Anthony Goldstone has turned to the works for a single pianist – and whether you appreciate the results will depend on whether you believe that the rough-and-tumble style demanded by the duets illuminates the more intricate and sophisticated solo output as well. […]
” —Peter J. Rabinowitz
“A technical triumph. The immediacy of the recording generates a magical sense of actually being in the same room as the instrument. Add to that Goldstone’s crisp and alert playing and you have a delightful series spread over two fun-filled CDs.
” —Kenneth Walton
“Volume 2 of Anthony Goldstone’s survey of Schubert’s piano music brings us good, strong, workmanlike performances of two of his Piano Sonatas: D959 and D958. The discs are arranged to provide a complete Schubert concert programme. Enjoyable.
” —Dave Robson
“Anthony Goldstone is at his best here in the turbulent outer movements of the C minor sonata, both of which have a commanding sweep. And unlike many pianists, he integrates the opening movement’s lyrical second theme within the movement’s basic pulse. The slow movement, though, exposes Goldstone’s limitations. Compared with pianists like Brendel, Richter and […]
” —Richard Wigmore
