Schubert: The Piano Sonatas

Wilhelm Kempff was a master of poetic lyricism, with a wondrous keyboard touch and a breathtaking command of subtle dynamics and tonal colorations--all invaluable attributes of any Schubert interpreter. He also had the knack of holding together large structures that can often seem aimless, thus avoiding another trap many pianists fall into, that of lavishing so much attention on passing detail that Schubert's "heavenly lengths" can seem wayward wanderings. The one criticism often heard is that Kempff emphasizes poetry at the expense of drama. This magnificent set leaves that claim unsubstantiated.

Few pianists have been so successful, for example, in what may be Schubert's wildest single movement, the nightmarish Andantino of the A major Sonata, D. 959. Here, Kempff captures the tortured mood of the piece to perfection without breaking its Classical frame. Tempos are generally expansive, but Kempff's tonal luster and unerring sense of natural phrasing never make you want him to step on the accelerator. A special treat is the inclusion of rarely heard early works. Some of these were left unfinished; others reflect a composer still mastering his craft. But most are of more than passing interest, and some have an enchanting, aching beauty. Kempff's Schubert set has been a recording classic since its release on LP; its availability in a space-saving CD box at a budget price is cause for celebration. --Dan Davis more

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Recent Reviews

4/5: From: Amazon; Posted: Nov-15-2008; Kempff is famous for his Schubert, which keeps on the sunny side of the street; As the breathless Amazon review indicates, there's a worshipful aura surrounding Wilhelm Kempff. Consider the Gramophone's comment about his Schubert: "No other pianist has communicated Schubert with a greater sense of his final...; read full review | report as inappropriate

5/5: From: Amazon; Posted: Oct-12-2008; Schubert - Beautiful music, Great interpretation, Bargain Price!; It really doesn't get better than this - 7 cds of absolutely beautiful music played with passion, grace, and fire. While I enjoy all forms of classical music, sometimes the sound of a lone piano just sounds right.Others have opined that...; read full review | report as inappropriate

4/5: From: Amazon; Posted: Jun-29-2008; A Wonderful Set but Beware; To my uneducated ear this set is excellent. But beware, the first CD of the first set sent to me, when viewed on iTunes was totally in an oriental language. I sent the set back and the second set had the very same thing. The first CD...; read full review | report as inappropriate

5/5: From: Amazon; Posted: May-09-2008; Very good.; I think there might be a fundamental unfairness in assessing the perceived worth of musical performances contained within a set or collection of pieces as opposed to individual offerings of those same pieces. Very often it is possible...; read full review | report as inappropriate

Selected Reviews

4/5: From: Amazon; Posted: Nov-15-2008; Kempff is famous for his Schubert, which keeps on the sunny side of the street; As the breathless Amazon review indicates, there's a worshipful aura surrounding Wilhelm Kempff. Consider the Gramophone's comment about his Schubert: "No other pianist has communicated Schubert with a greater sense of his final...; read full review | report as inappropriate

2/5: From: Amazon; Posted: Apr-17-2001; Good performance, terrible sound; Don't be mistaken, I am a big fan of Kemff myself. As usual, Kempff's performance is more than avarage. However, the recorded sound of these more than adequate performance is bad enough (way too resonant) to make these CDs repulsive!...; read full review | report as inappropriate