Schubert: Piano Works, Vol 1

Advantages: Sublime, soulful songs by Schubert
Disadvantages: Sung in German

...The Music This is the first of two albums of Schubert’s Lieder composed for piano and voice. Schubert composed the music to the work of such classical poets including, Goethe, Collins and Shakespeare. Each Lied tells a story of its own. The lyrics are sung in German but a translation is included in the cover. I won't give a track by track listing of the CD as this is easily available but will mention some of my personal favourites. 1. Lieder: Die Forelle: The Trout (Schubert) A playful a cheerful tale of a trout's journey through a stream. Most people will know and love Schubert's piano quintet also entitled The Trout. 5. Lieder: Heidenröslein: Wild Rose (Goethe) A serious ode to the beauty of the wild rose. 6. Lieder: Wandrers Nachtlied II: Wanderers Night song (Goethe) A tranquil tale of a man wandering through the deserted and quiet... Read review

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Advantages: Music to take you beyond this world
Disadvantages: Needs a bit of patience

...will probably be the next one to listen to, then the third and finally the first. I know that seems odd and I’m not trying to make the first movement sound forbidding – it isn’t – but the other three are probably absorbed more easily. ******Movement by Movement Guide…****** 1 The first movement enters almost timidly, unsure of where it’s heading, before suddenly erupting in a spiky passage that feels quite turbulent – waves breaking over a rock, perhaps. Then suddenly, two loud chords and the cellos play one of Schubert’s serene, heart-easing melodies, which is mused upon for some time by all the instruments who seem reluctant to let it go. It was the custom of the time to play the opening part of a work twice, perhaps to make sure everyone got the point. Nowadays we can repeat anything ad nauseam on our electronic equipment and this may seem... Read review

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Advantages: Outstanding playing, interesting repertoire
Disadvantages: Full price disc

...This disc from Murray Perahia on the Sony label is quite simply one of the best solo piano discs to be released in recent years. Containing four Bach/Busoni transcriptions, excerpts from Mendelssohn's Songs Without Words and some of Liszt's transcriptions of Schubert songs, the disc shows off Perahia's astounding technique and musicality simultaneously. I've listened to this disc almost every day for the past two months and I'm STILL not bored with it! It seems to have a piece of music for every mood, from the upbeat, almost jazzy feel of the Bach to the sombre gallop of Schubert's Erl-King. This is the first disc of Perahia's that I've really got into - can't wait for his forthcoming disc of Bach's Goldberg Variations!... Read review

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