Schubert!
Whether you are currently playing Schubert, listening to Schubert, or just discovering Schubert's vast catalog, this is the thread for sharing any thoughts, observations, questions, favorite recordings, or anything else.
I also hope to discuss:
- Theory
- Specific pieces
- Technique and interpretation
- Liszt transcriptions
- Anything else!
Performances are welcome as well!
To start, which of his Sonatas is your favorite?
Do you prefer the Impromptus or Moments Musicaux? Which set of Impromptus do you prefer?
28 replies
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Brahms never said what you mentioned. Just Google. You will find this from Brahms about Schubert.
“My love for Schubert is a very serious one... To me he is like a child of the gods, who plays with Jupiter's thunder, albeit also occasionally handling it oddly. But he plays in such a region, at such a height, to which the others are far short of raising themselves."
"The true successor to Beethoven is not Mendelssohn... also not Schumann, but Schubert."
To convince someone to love something or someone is not part of my “philosophy”. Listen to Erlkonig, Gretchen am Spinnrade, not the Liszt transcriptions, to read the texts is mandatory. Listen to symphony 8 and 9.
Then, it is between you and Schubert. -
For years I was cold towards Schubert. Then I listened to Paul Lewis's CD "Schubert: Piano Sonatas" (which has D840, 850 & 894, Impromptus D899, Drei Klavierstücke D946) and fell in love with -- listened to it on repeat for an entire semester (while I was on sabbatical). Since then I've been working through a fair bit: all of the impromptus (op 90 no 1 is my favorite), the G and B♭ sonatas (D894 and D960; the B♭ is amazing, but I am more emotionally attached to the drama of the G major), several of the Moments Musicaux, a few of the songs.
Is he long-winded? Depends on how you feel about the music. I used to think so, but now I savor how he develops his ideas, and all of the small but clever and meaningful variations he puts in when material returns.