Schubert: Piano Sonatas D.958 & D.959

Franz [Vienna] Schubert (Composer), Mitsuko Uchida (Performer) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Performer: Mitsuko Uchida
• Composer: Franz [Vienna] Schubert
• Audio CD (November 10, 1998)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Philips
• ASIN: B00000DI3O
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #248,583 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars captivating, August 16, 2001

By 

Alejandra Vernon "artist & illustrator" (Long Beach, California) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (COMMUNITY FORUM 04)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Schubert: Piano Sonatas D.958 & D.959 (Audio CD)

These sonatas are moody, passionate, and at times incredibly gentle, and Mitsuko Uchida captures all these emotions, with her superb artistry and brilliant technique. This wonderful music reveals more of its treasure with each hearing, and my admiration for Ms. Uchida's interpretation keeps growing.

Recorded in '97, the sound is exceptional, with a crystal clear sparkling quality to it. The booklet insert has a piece on how and when these sonatas were written, and makes comparisons to Beethoven, which I fail to see...I find the soul of their compositions are so completely different. The total running time is 73 minutes, and the expressive cover photo completes the package...Ms. Uchida's an extraordinary pianist, and her beauty a photographer's delight.

16 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Very Impressive, but D959 Falls Just Short, June 18, 2000

By 

Christopher Smith (Atlanta, Georgia) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Schubert: Piano Sonatas D.958 & D.959 (Audio CD)

I have long been an admirer of Brendel's Schubert. For me he has a direct, incisive clarity that lays the music bare in all its startling glory. With the release of Uchida's D960, I had to admit that Brendel had found his equal, and Uchida's recording had the added bonus of the repeats being included. If Uchida had approached D959 in the same way as she did D960--where immense spiritual vistas part and invite the listener in--then we would have had another legendary recording on our hands. Unfortunately, she takes D959 at at pretty brisk clip, especially in the first and outer movements, and those great Schubertian intangibles are lost. I also agree with the previous reviewer that there is a certain self-consciousness in her reading of the slow movement, which I realize must be incredibly difficult to play, even though I am not a pianist. On the other hand, the D958 is played as well as I could have hoped for, which surprised me, since it's a very vigorous, hard-driving sonata, and I've never associated Uchida with the kind of playing she successfully calls forth here. My conclusion? If you can have only one recording of Schubert's final three sonatas, go for Brendel (available on a budget Philips 2-for-1), but if you're a true Schubert afficianado, you owe it to yourself to include Uchida, since there is something new, vital and important in her interpretations.

18 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Five, Not Four!, January 8, 2000

By 

Dale Chapman (San Ramon, CA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Schubert: Piano Sonatas D.958 & D.959 (Audio CD)

I felt compelled to submit this review primarily to increase the number of stars associated with this recording (which stood at four due to the review below)!

This disc, along with all of Mitsuko's Schubert, is stunning. She plays with the consummate sythesis of intellect and spirit. She has command of sublime articulation. Her phrasing suggests she has a very personal relationship and understanding of the music. Even if you don't "agree" with her, you must acknowledge and respect her argument. However, I personally hang on every note.

I think her aptitude for Schubert is remarkable considering that her previous successes were with Mozart. Whereas Mozart's music is charmed with bouyancy and effervescence, Schubert is riddled with angst, melancholic malaise, bittersweet beauty, and heart-stopping sadness. Mitsuko's virtuosity in both of these bodies of work is certainly a token of her genius.

Once again: five stars, not four!