Customer Reviews

Klavierstucke: Schonberg, Schubert

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If you were to describe this CD to someone without their hearing it, it might seem like a terrible idea: alternating movements from Schoenberg's opus 11 piano pieces and Schubert's E-flat piano piece (with Schonberg's opus 19 and a Schubert Allegretto as a finale or denoument). Neither composer meant for the music to be heard this way, so purists would have to scorn the effort on principle. But listen to it, and admit that it works. What makes this CD so interesting is that there is both a sense of continuity throughout as well as sharp contrasts. Emotionally, there is an extreme gentleness and introspectiveness that runs through the music of both composers. The harmonic differences between the two composers add an emotional drama. It is a bit like listening to a long symphony for piano with Schubert and Schonberg movements, alternations between bright and dark. The prettiness of Schubert never bores us because we know that Schoenberg is coming, and the tension of Schoenberg never grows too exhausting because we know that the Schubert is coming. Purists begone: It works.

The programme on this CD does, indeed, work well. The connection between the Schonberg pieces and the Schubert pieces is not contrived. It is in the music. If this sounds strange to you than you just haven't listened to these composers the way they are presented on this disc. Halfway through, you will begin to hear colors from Schubert in the Schoenberg and dissonances from Schoenberg in the Schubert. You will forget which composer's music is actually coming out of your stereo.

Something should be said about the playing on this disc. Larcher's performances are incredibly subtle, incredibly understated. His tempi are evenly-paced throughout, and his rhythmic sense is on-the-beat yet at the same time very natural. It is also obvious that he spent a great deal of time on the coloring of each successive passage. There is not a single motif on this disc that sounds rushed or unpracticed or looked-over. I've owned this album for over a year now, and it still speaks to me.

What a fascinating recording! Pianist Thomas Larcher juxtaposes pieces by these two Viennese masters, the end result being more than an hour of fascinating listening that should please both modernists and traditionalists alike. Larcher starts with Schönberg's op. 11, Nr. 1, followed by Schubert's D 946, Nr. 1. Then it is back to Schönberg's Nr. 2, then Schubert's Nrs. 2 and 3, then Schönberg's Nr. 3 followed by his Six Little Piano Pieces, op. 19, and then the disk concludes with Schubert's Allegretto, D 915. As you hear the music slide in and out of tonality, you begin to worry less and less about what key things may or may not be in, or whether there is an easily hummable melody, and you find yourself delighting in the music rolling out of your speakers. (Those interested in more technical aspects of the music can consult the liner notes, which are helpful.) Even if you think you will hate the Schönberg, if you enjoy piano music, you should give this disk a serious listen. It may give you quite a pleasant, or at least fascinating, surprise.