Schubert - 3 Klavierstucke [Schiff]Andras Schiff is Hungarian, and has made countless recordings for Decca and Teldec, and now for ECM, he is now doing his first Beethoven Sonata cycle.
It's actually a shame that this disc isn't of Schubert's 8 Impromptus on one disc, Decca really need to reissue this to conveniently make a complete set on a single disc, and with the booklet with a lovely misty lake shot on the front cover, this would have made a more logical coupling.
The last Klavierstucke is the shortest, almost a discarded Scherzo from a Piano Sonata, Schiff plays a beloved Bosendorfer, it sounds slightly more towards what Schubert would have used, rather than a Steinway, Schiff certainly likes a slightly staccato feel to things, he's certainly exciting, on the whole the piece is fast virtuosic music, with a more reflective slower middle section, i certainly like the little rippling figures between the main tune, at the start and the reprise near the end [0:09-0:16 & 3:49-3:55], this is typical Schubert, there's this slight hint of being out of sync with the rest of the piece, but this is by design, and it's a lovely effect, the 3 Klavierstucke taken as a set are an enjoyable listen.
Here's Carlo Grante playing the third Klavierstucke on YouTube.
