Customer Reviews

Schubert: The Symphonies; Chamber Music; Piano Works; Lieder [Box Set]

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

In Washington D.C. in recent years, there has been an annual three-day series of concerts titled, "Schubert, Schubert, Schubert" featuring, of course, the works of the great Vienesse composer. The concerts are offered to appeal to new music lovers. The cost is low, and those patrons who state that they have never before attended a classical music concert get admitted free. It is a worthy event.

This 12 CD compilation of Schubert reminds me of the concert series in its elan, appeal, and accessibility. At a price of less than $35 this set is indeed a gift. The set consists of the complete (8) Schubert symphonies, the final three string quartets, including the "Death and the Maiden", the string quintet in C, the song cycles "Winterreise" and "Die Schone Mullerin", and six piano sonatas. The works are on the whole beautifully performed. There is no better way to acquire a great deal of Schubert at one swooop for a low price.

Schubert's 8 symphonies (the last one is referred to as no. 9, but there is no no. 7) are mostly early works, but they include three masterpieces: nos. 5, 8(the "Unfinished), and 9 (the "Great). The remaining symphonies all are pleasant and include lovely moments. I enjoy the slow movement of no. 2, and the finales of nos. 3 and 6 for starts. This compilation features period recordings from the 1970s by the Hanover Band conducted by Roy Goodman. It is an excellent set which will serve most listeners well. (I would suggest acquiring an additional version of the Ninth. I reecommend Furtwangler or Klemperer.)

Schubert's three last string quartets are masterworks and beautifully performed here by the Chilingrin String Quartet. These recordings will stand with any, regardless of price. I enjoyed especially the final quartet, No. 15 in G major. This is a lyrical but surprisingly difficult work which will reward repeated listening.

The set also includes Schubert's greatest chamber work, the String Quintet in C performed by the Brandis Quartet with Win-Sinn Yang, cello. Many listeners regard this as Schubert's greatest work. It ranks among the most moving works of chamber music ever composed.

The disk includes Schubert's two great song cycles, "Winter's Journey" and "The Miller's Lovely Daughter" perfomed by Shura Gehrman. Mr. Gehrman was the founder of Nimbus records and he sings with force. These performances will appeal to those who love and who collect versions of the song-cycles, particularly Winterreise. Unfortunately, texts and translations of Muller's poems are are not provided.

The compilation concludes with a well-chosen selection of Schubert's piano sonatas performed by Marta Deyanova. The selections include the final sonata in B-flat major, the G-major sonata, D. 878, the familiar sonata in A-major, and three lesser-known incomplete works. I have read criticisms of Ms. Deyanova's performances based largely on the slow tempos she adopts in some of these works. I think the criticisms unfounded. In particular, the G major sonata is one of the most reflective, lyrical works in the piano repertory. Ms. Deyanova takes the opening movement very slowly and includes the repeat, but I found the performance of this difficult music compelling and moving. I also thought she did extremely well with the B-flat major sonata.

It is difficult to go wrong with this set at the price. The program notes are sparse and inadequate and, as I noted, there are no texts or translations for the song cycles. But the collection should inspire the listener to find out more.

The most obvious appeal of this set will be to the lover of Schubert on a tight budget or, perhaps, to the new listener who wants to explore. But the lover of Schubert will want several components of this set for themselves. Many will enjoy having unusual performances of the song cycles and the quartet and quintet playing are first rate. Although there are those who may disagree, I loved Ms Deyanova's piano playing, especially of the great sonata in G-major which remains unfamiliar to many listeners.

This set includes nearly 13 hours of inexhaustible music.

This is an outstanding bargain which offers all the symphonies and a decent sampling of the chamber music and piano sonatas, plus the two great song cycles. However it can't be recommended without some serious reservations.

The chief problem lies with the song cycles. I can't imagine anyone wanting to hear them more than once. The performances are frankly dreadful. Eccentric might be he kindest adjective one could employ. These are sublime works, the weight of which is entirely lost in amateurish and often bizarre singing and playing. Weird tempi, dynamics and diction.

The symphonies are far better, but I don't think any would be first choice interpretations. They're recorded in a church and the sound is sometimes rather muffled and diffuse, although it's pleasig to hear the period instruments employed.

The same orchestra and conductor were better served in the Hyperion recordings of the Haydn symphonies.

The chamber music is the least problematic part of the package. The three final string quartets are given taut and dramatic performances, whilst different forces offer an excellently recorded and impressively integrated view of the great string quintet.

Finally Maria Deyanova plays six piano sonatas, only two of which - D894 and D960 - are among the mature masterpieces. She is reminiscent of Richter, which is high enough praise, especially in D894 where she takes almost half an hour of slow burning intensity to complete the first movement.

Anyone buying Schubert for the first time would get here a good deal of great music for rather little outlay, but please, go elsewhere for the song cycles which are dire in these performances.

I am familiar with these recordings from separate releases I bought in the early 1990s, especially Goodman's Hanover Band Schubert Symphonies, and Shura Gehrman's Schubert Lieder. All I can say is that this appears to be a bargain on the surface, but as the ancient Romans said, "es caveat emptor", LET THE BUYER BEWARE.

I must begin by praising Roy Goodman's recordings of Haydn Symphonies (Hyperion) which I am thrilled to have, and would give 5 stars, but his Schubert seems pedestrian and dull: period instruments do not serve Schubert well in these Nimbus recordings. There is alot of reverb/echo in the hall where they were recorded, and some tempos are too slow, and lack impact. I find Symphony 9 especially dull and at over 60 minutes, just too long to hold my attention. Other listeners may not agree, but I find Goodman's Schubert rather boring.

Shura Gehrman once told Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau something like (paraphrase) "if you weren't so tall and good looking, you wouldn't have the career you do" or similar meaning. Gehrman had a different method of singing Schubert, claiming Fischer-Dieskau and other German singers were using all the wrong techniques which would - Gehrman believed - eventually ruin their voices. Well, listening to Gerhman is rather a chore, I'm sorry to say: some notes sound strained, and almost strangulated to me. I'm not a professional singer, but it sounds as though Gehrman used different techniques with his nose and throat than are commonly accepted in vocal production worldwide. Incidentally, Gerhman was born and raised in France, and escaped with his life and little to his name, to reside in England during the dark days of World War II. He had a title bestowed on him by Britain's government, and was the founder/owner of Nimbus records. He died during the mid 1990s, but I don't know the exact year.

I heartily disagree with Gerhman's observation of Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau (born 1925), a great singer with an encyclopedic knowledge of Schubert lieder. Due to Fischer-Dieskau's work in the later 1940s and 1950s, there was a real Renaissance of interest in Schubert's lieder, beyond the 20 favorite songs known by many singers and music lovers before the late 1940s.

For most of this repertoire I would look elsewhere: Bohm/Berlin (DG) or Halasz/Failoni (Sym. 1,2,3,4,6 - Naxos) for the Symphonies; or recordings of Fischer-Dieskau (DG) or Prey (Philips, DG, Decca) for the Schubert Lieder sung by a baritone. I'm not an expert on the Schubert Quartet literature, either, but like Naxos Kodaly Quartet recordings for the later, famous quartets. The Tokyo (RCA) are also very fine for Quartets 13, 14 and 15.

12 hih quality CDs ...!

The symphonies are outstanding with period pieces. These are the core of the set. The song cycles are characterful distinctive performances, not as polished or well recorded as some but good and interesting. I especially like the Winterreise.

The chamber pieces are well performed as well, as are the piano sonatas. Nothing stunning, but good solid well recorded perfomances.

No clunkers, some great stuff from the orchestra, and a fresh approach to the song cycles.

Nimbus has several of these bargain sets. The Mozart quartets and Beethoven symphonies are also excellent.

I give this 12-disc set two different ratings.

For those looking to become acquainted with Schubert at great value, it is definitely a five-star album. Do not hesitate to buy it, and consider yourself in for a real treat. This is an excellent way to begin a Schubert collection.

For those looking for high-end performances, however, the rating is probably only three stars.

I absolutely cherish Marta Deyanova's performance of the G major Piano Sonata D894. This was my first exposure to this piece, and it has become one of my favorite piano sonatas, certainly on par with the more-heralded final three Schubert sonatas (D958-960). No other D894 recording I've heard approaches it, whether in depth or in length (it's about an hour long, significantly longer than all others I've heard). It bears emphasizing, however, that this is a very slow and dreamy performance that honors all the repeats, which means it may not appeal to all. Alfred Brendel and others argue convincingly against all the repeats, but in the end my ears just prefer Deyanova's take. Brendel's sounds too rushed to me. The Volodos recording is more to my liking, but I still prefer Deyanova's over any other. This D894 recording is the primary reason I still own this 12-disc set.

The other recordings are almost all good, but my collection has grown since I first acquired this set, so I now turn to others in their stead (e.g. Pollini, Brendel and Perahia for D958-960; Takacs, Tokyo and Emerson for the string quartets; Raphael and Emerson for the quintet; Kleiber, et al. for the last two symphonies). Be aware the symphonies are performed using period instruments; this may bother some.

The exception is the two sets of song cycles by Shura Gehrman, which I simply cannot understand. These two cycles are considered real masterpieces, but I never would have guessed it from listening to these performances. Since this album was my first exposure to them, I just couldn't figure out why people love this music so much. When I heard Fischer-Dieskau I began to see, but I still haven't fully recovered from my initial impression from Gehrman.

I purchased this set when I was just starting my classical collection and have no regrets whatsoever. Schubert connoisseurs may be disappointed by it, but beginners will benefit greatly.

An outstanding collection with some remarkable moments. Marta Deyanova's performance of the Sonata in E is amazing. She is often critisized for her slow renditions, but this is the most moving performance I have ever heard. And Shura Gehrman's interpretation of Die Winterreise, previously unavailable anywhere, is remarkable and genuine. Nothing like you've ever heard.