BaL 24.03.12 - Schubert's Piano Sonata in C minor, D.958

[Don Petter]

In this sonata, I actually do prefer the digital Brendel, because I react strongly against his slowing down for the second subject in the first movement, in the earlier performance.
By the way, is this 5 disc set you mention still available, do you know, Don?

It was part of the 25CD set 'The Art of Alfred Brendel' (Philips 446 920-2PM25) issued for his 65th birthday in 1996. (I see one copy is available from an Amazon vendor for £529!)

The individual volumes were available separately, and Volume 3 was the 5CD set of Schubert (446 923-2PM5). Long out of print as such, I should think (though much of the content is probably still around on twofers, etc.).

However, I see there are four used examples from Amazon vendors, two of them at £20, which I would say is a bargain for the 5 CDs if you don't have them.

The works included are:

Sonata D537
Sonata D664
Sonata D784
16 German Dances D783
Sonata D840
Sonata D845
Wanderer Fantasy D760
Sonata D850
Sonata D894
Allegretto D915
Sonata D958
Sonata D959
12 German Dances D790
Sonata D960
11 Ecossaises D781
Hungarian Melody D817
6 Moments Musicaux D780

Hope this may be of interest.

[JFLL]

We've just been listening again to the 5CD set of his Schubert from this period in the car. Pure magic, and including several 'back of the neck' moments. We've left them in and are going round again with undiminished pleasure.

Am I right in thinking that the 1970s/1980s Philips analogue recordings are available (digitally remastered, of course) on a 7-disc set called (for some reason only in German) 'Brendel spielt Schubert', brought out on the Decca Eloquence label a few years ago? I was thinking of buying this, as I was brought up on these versions and they've somehow got under my skin. Do you think the remastering would spoil the sound? (I'm revealing my appalling ignorance of technical matters here!)

[Don Petter]

Am I right in thinking that the 1970s/1980s Philips analogue recordings are available (digitally remastered, of course) on a 7-disc set called (for some reason only in German) 'Brendel spielt Schubert', brought out on the Decca Eloquence label a few years ago? I was thinking of buying this, as I was brought up on these versions and they've somehow got under my skin. Do you think the remastering would spoil the sound? (I'm revealing my appalling ignorance of technical matters here!)

I've just looked up this Eloquence set. It is, indeed, of the same analogue recordings, though 'newly remastered'. (Hopefully for the better, but I always thought the Philips sound of that period was pretty good anyway!)

Amazon is offering it for £38.

The works you get in addition to those on 'my' 5CD set seem to be:

Sonata D575
3 Pieces D946
Impromptus D899
Impromptus D935

True these Impromptus are also essential to have if you are in tune with Brendel's Schubert of this period, but bear in mind that you could get them on a Duo for about £6, so perhaps £38 seems less attractive if you can get the 5CD set for about £20 and don't particularly want the remastering. You would lose the D575 sonata, though.

Do report back how you find their return to the fold if you do plump for one of the boxes.

[JFLL]

Thanks for the information, Don. Actually I'm seeing a price of £22.86 on Amazon here, so I'll probably go for it. I'll still be going back to my Vox vinyls of the Impromptus, Moments Musicaux and Klavierstücke, and the splendid F Minor Fantasia with Evelyn Crochet, though.

[Don Petter]

Thanks for the information, Don. Actually I'm seeing a price of £22.86 on Amazon here, so I'll probably go for it. I'll still be going back to my Vox vinyls of the Impromptus, Moments Musicaux and Klavierstücke, and the splendid F Minor Fantasia with Evelyn Crochet, though.

The vagaries of Amazon! (Here was my URL for £38:http://www.amazon.co.uk/BRENDEL-PLAY...016181&sr=1-11)

Sounds great for £22.86 - Go for it.

It will be interesting to see how the Impromptus compare with the earlier Vox ones. The Philips ones are in my category of 'Don't play too often, in case the performances become too familiar'. One or two of them give me the shivers (in the best way).

[silvestrione]

The vagaries of Amazon! (Here was my URL for £38:http://www.amazon.co.uk/BRENDEL-PLAY...016181&sr=1-11)

Sounds great for £22.86 - Go for it.

It will be interesting to see how the Impromptus compare with the earlier Vox ones. The Philips ones are in my category of 'Don't play too often, in case the performances become too familiar'. One or two of them give me the shivers (in the best way).

I've ordered this too...really excited, as I had a few of the vinyls once but have only the treasured G Major Sonata now, which we were celebrating on another thread. Long wanted it on CD, if only because, as with my early Phillips Brendel Liszt, the discs are showing signs of wear.

[JFLL]

I've ordered this too...really excited, as I had a few of the vinyls once but have only the treasured G Major Sonata now, which we were celebrating on another thread. Long wanted it on CD, if only because, as with my early Phillips Brendel Liszt, the discs are showing signs of wear.

I've ordered it too. The only reservation I have is that the cover image says that the digital re-mastering process is 'AMSI - Ambient Surround Imaging'. This was new to me, so I googled it and found that some people think it's OK and others think it's terrible. I found this: "an optimised sensurround sound experience for audio surround systems. But with stereo systems you can also experience greater presence, more brilliance and a stereophonically refined panorama of sound. For a musical experience that's like being there 'live'. Developed at the Emil-Berliner-Haus, Hanover." In other words they've presumably tinkered with the sound more than somewhat. I hope the end result isn't too different from the old vinyls!

Eloquence seem to have brought out other boxes of what I assume are mainly Brendel's Philips analogue recordings, including the complete Beethoven Piano Sonatas, a 5-CD Liszt set and Mozart's Piano Concertos 5-27, all at reasonable prices on Amazon. Maybe technophiles here can say what they think of this 'AMSI' business?

[Bryn]

My Eloquence Brendel Schubert AMSI set arrived today. I was a bit surprised to find the compilation was published some four years ago. I note there is a DECCA Duo set of D 958, 959, 960 and 946. Does anyone here have that set, and if so, can they please check the recording/first publication dates. Those in the Eloquence box were originally published in 1972 (the sonatas) and 1975 (the 3 piano pieces). I ask as I am tempted to get the duo set to compare the sound quality if they do indeed, as I suspect, derive from the same original recordings.

[vinteuil]

Bryn - I have this as a Philips Duo; recorded Salzburg 11/1971 (D959, D960); London 2/1972 (D958); London 6/1974 (D946). This compilation 1993 Philips Classics productions.

[Bryn]

Thanks vinteuil. Though the remastering pre-dates that of the Eloquence set by around a decade and a half, I still think it worth my ordering it to hear what I think of the different levels of processing.