Customer Reviews

Schubert: Piano Sonatas Nos. 1, 8 & 15 'Reliquie'

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Gottlieb Wallisch is an Austrian pianist, not yet thirty, whose third CD of Schubert piano music this is. He has previously given us some unfinished fragments of piano sonatas as well as a few early sonatas by Schubert Schubert: Piano Sonatas Nos. 5, 7a, 11 & 12, Schubert: Piano Sonatas Nos. 2, 3 & 6 and here are more. One might wonder why we bother with recordings of music that, often as not, breaks off in the middle of things. But Schubert's genius, and in particular the recent upsurge of interest in his piano sonatas, makes this a worthy undertaking. And no one that I've heard does better than young Wallisch (whose name, by the way, is not to be confused with the English family of musicians called 'Wallfisch'). He has inerrant musical instincts and the technical ability to bring them to life. Also, the recorded sound of his piano is extraordinarily pleasing.

All the pieces presented here are fragments of one sort or another. This includes his very first sonata, D. 157 in E Major, which contains three finished movements but not the expected finale. Like with his familiar 'Unfinished Symphony', one could simply say that what we have is what he intended, but musicologists suggest that he simply didn't get to the fourth movement. Nonetheless, the work is sometimes played in recital. One must say, however, that the rather tentative-sounding third movement, a minuet, does not make a satisfying conclusion to the work.

The F Sharp Minor Sonata, D. 571, has first and last movements that are unfinished. The first movement is a haunting thing, gorgeously played by Wallisch. One can only lament that Schubert did not finish it. There have been some modern attempts at finishing it, but Wallisch plays only what Schubert wrote, breaking off after 141 bars. The two middle movements, both complete, are a scherzo and an andante. They are followed by a finale that breaks off just before the beginning of the expected recapitulation. Wallisch, who wrote exemplary notes for this issue, doesn't hide his disappointment about this sonata being unfinished, but he resists the temptation to write his own completion of the work.

The next two selections are single movements (D.655 in C sharp minor & D.769a in E Major) from two different sonatas, neither of them lasting longer than three minutes. One unusual touch is that there is a section in the first of these that is in the very rare key of G Sharp Major.

The CD concludes with the most familiar of all the presented works, the so-called 'Reliquie' ('Relic') Sonata No. 15 in C Major, D.840. Its first three movements are complete. The finale, a Rondo which masquerades as a sonata-allegro, breaks off after a very promising beginning. Our loss. Still, one would not want to be without it. Again, Wallisch plays with great insight and depth of feeling.

After three CDs of Schubert piano music played by Gottlieb Wallisch I am prepared to say that he is one of the best Schubert players of the present age. I hope these three CDs presage a complete recorded traversal of all of Schubert's piano works.

Strongly recommended.

Scott Morrison

*
Judging from this issue, Gottlieb Wallisch (b.1978) has the potential to be a truly great Schubertian in the vein of András Schiff.

Not only is Wallisch a native Viennese (like Schubert), but he has done his homework (as did Schiff): Wallisch wrote a very fine essay of liner-notes to accompany this 2007 CD `Schubert Sonatas 1815-25: Sketches, Fragments and Unfinished Works', the repertoire of which he apparently chose himself.

In this recording Wallisch has arranged and performs three incomplete Piano Sonatas: D. 157 (E-major); D. 571/570/604 (f#-minor); and D. 840 (C-major)--(of which he plays four movements).

There are some real gems here to be highly prized by the Schubert aficionado: for, despite their `incomplete' characterization, Wallisch's readings vivify some `lost' Schubert which otherwise may have remained virtually unknown.

Especially noteworthy is the e-minor Andante of D. 157--a piece of quintessentially profound Schubertiana; and the exquisite f#-minor Moderato (D. 571) which Schiff first dug-up at the Austrian Library and brought to life in his groundbreaking 1993 performance.

Indeed, Wallisch's realizations seem built on Schiff's work--which is a boon to `Buttons' lovers everywhere: we can only hope a complete Sonata cycle ensues, for Wallisch's technique and sentiment are superb.

Recorded in England, the piano timbre and recorded sound are excellent.
*

In his series of three CDs devoted exclusively to Schubert's early sonatas - actually, fragments or incomplete works in three or four movements, dating from 1815-1822 - the young Viennese pianist Gottlieb Wallisch finds fresh accents and musical inspiration as to deliver interesting and valuable performances. Even though the famous "Reliquie" Sonata, recorded here, exhibits less charm than in Alfred Brendel's last version (on a live recording, available in his Artist's Choice series) or the very first sonata (No.1 in E major, D 157)) touches the listener with less lightness and playfulness than in Radu Lupu's hands, both pieces along with all other fragments recorded here prove a youthful and wise fervor in tackling some of the most subtle and lyrical works in the piano literature and a coherent vision on them. All those who are interested in rarities and enjoy the Schubert's melodious style will get full satisfaction by listening to this CD. Technically and musically beyond any reproach, Gottlieb Wallisch's renditions stand as robust achievements shaping him as an accomplished pianist in his own right. Therefore, his present Schubertian triptych could be regarded as a promising visit-card for a long musical career. For a wonderful journey to the core of the great music!