Mitsuko Uchida Plays Schubert (8 CD box set, FLAC)

Performer: Mitsuko Uchida
Composer: Franz Schubert
Audio CD
SPARS Code: DDD
Number of Discs: 8 CD box set
Format: FLAC (tracks+cue)
Label: Philips
Size: 1.66 GB
Recovery: +3%
Scan: yes

Disc 1
01. Piano Sonata No.7 in E flat, D. 568 – 1. Allegro moderato
02. Piano Sonata No.7 in E flat, D. 568 – 2. Andante molto
03. Piano Sonata No.7 in E flat, D. 568 – 3. Menuetto (Allegretto)
04. Piano Sonata No.7 in E flat, D. 568 – 4. Allegro moderato
05. 6 Moments musicaux, Op.94 D.780 – No.1 in C (Moderato)
06. 6 Moments musicaux, Op.94 D.780 – No.2 in A flat (Andantino)
07. 6 Moments musicaux, Op.94 D.780 – No.3 in F minor (Allegro moderato)
08. 6 Moments musicaux, Op.94 D.780 – No.4 in C sharp minor (Moderato)
09. 6 Moments musicaux, Op.94 D.780 – No.5 in F minor (Allegro vivace)
10. 6 Moments musicaux, Op.94 D.780 – No.6 in A flat (Allegretto)

Disc 2
01. Piano Sonata No.4 in A minor, D537 – 1. Allegro ma non troppo
02. Piano Sonata No.4 in A minor, D537 – 2. Allegretto quasi andantino
03. Piano Sonata No.4 in A minor, D537 – 3. Allegro vivace
04. Six German Dances, D820 – No.1
05. Six German Dances, D820 – No.2
06. Six German Dances, D820 – No.3
07. Six German Dances, D820 – No.4
08. Six German Dances, D820 – No.5
09. Six German Dances, D820 – No.6
10. Piano Sonata No.13 in A, D664 – 1. Allegro moderato
11. Piano Sonata No.13 in A, D664 – 2. Andante
12. Piano Sonata No.13 in A, D664 – 3. Allegro
13. 12 German Dances, D790 – No.1
14. 12 German Dances, D790 – No.2
15. 12 German Dances, D790 – No.3
16. 12 German Dances, D790 – No.4
17. 12 German Dances, D790 – No.5
18. 12 German Dances, D790 – No.6
19. 12 German Dances, D790 – No.7
20. 12 German Dances, D790 – No.8
21. 12 German Dances, D790 – No.9
22. 12 German Dances, D790 – No.10
23. 12 German Dances, D790 – No.11
24. 12 German Dances, D790 – No.12

Disc 3
01. Piano Sonata No.17 in D, D.850 – 1. Allegro vivace
02. Piano Sonata No.17 in D, D.850 – 2. Con moto
03. Piano Sonata No.17 in D, D.850 – 3. Scherzo (Allegro vivace)
04. Piano Sonata No.17 in D, D.850 – 4. Rondo (Allegro moderato)
05. Piano Sonata No.14 in A minor, D.784 – 1. Allegro giusto
06. Piano Sonata No.14 in A minor, D.784 – 2. Andante
07. Piano Sonata No.14 in A minor, D.784 – 3. Allegro vivace

Disc 4
01. Piano Sonata No.16 in A minor, D.845 – 1. Moderato
02. Piano Sonata No.16 in A minor, D.845 – 2. Andante, poco mosso
03. Piano Sonata No.16 in A minor, D.845 – 3. Scherzo (Allegro vivace) – Trio (Un poco pi? lento)
04. Piano Sonata No.16 in A minor, D.845 – 4. Rondo (Allegro vivace)
05. Piano Sonata No.9 in B, D.575 – 1. Allegro ma non troppo
06. Piano Sonata No.9 in B, D.575 – 2. Andante
07. Piano Sonata No.9 in B, D.575 – 3. Scherzo (Allegretto)
08. Piano Sonata No.9 in B, D.575 – 4. Allegro giusto

Disc 5
01. Piano Sonata No.15 in C, D.840 – 1. Moderato
02. Piano Sonata No.15 in C, D.840 – 2. Andante
03. Piano Sonata No.18 in G, D.894 – 1. Molto moderato e cantabile
04. Piano Sonata No.18 in G, D.894 – 2. Andante
05. Piano Sonata No.18 in G, D.894 – 3. Menuetto (Allegro moderato)
06. Piano Sonata No.18 in G, D.894 – 4. Allegretto

Disc 6
01. Piano Sonata No.19 in C minor, D.958 – 1. Allegro
02. Piano Sonata No.19 in C minor, D.958 – 2. Adagio
03. Piano Sonata No.19 in C minor, D.958 – 3. Menuetto (Allegro)
04. Piano Sonata No.19 in C minor, D.958 – 4. Allegro
05. Piano Sonata No.20 in A, D.959 – 1. Allegro
06. Piano Sonata No.20 in A, D.959 – 2. Andantino
07. Piano Sonata No.20 in A, D.959 – 3. Scherzo (Allegro vivace)
08. Piano Sonata No.20 in A, D.959 – 4. Rondo (Allegretto)

Disc 7
01. Piano Sonata No.21 in B flat, D.960 – 1. Molto moderato
02. Piano Sonata No.21 in B flat, D.960 – 2. Andante sostenuto
03. Piano Sonata No.21 in B flat, D.960 – 3. Scherzo (Allegro vivace con delicatezza)
04. Piano Sonata No.21 in B flat, D.960 – 4. Allegro ma non troppo
05. 3 Klavierst?cke, D.946 – No.1 in E flat minor (Allegro assai)
06. 3 Klavierst?cke, D.946 – No.2 in E flat (Allegretto)
07. 3 Klavierst?cke, D.946 – No.3 in C (Allegro)

Disc 8
01. 4 Impromptus, Op.90, D.899 – No.1 in C minor: Allegro molto moderato
02. 4 Impromptus, Op.90, D.899 – No.2 in E flat: Allegro
03. 4 Impromptus, Op.90, D.899 – No.3 in G flat: Andante
04. 4 Impromptus, Op.90, D.899 – No.4 in A flat: Allegretto
05. 4 Impromptus Op.142, D.935 – No.1 in F minor: Allegro moderato
06. 4 Impromptus Op.142, D.935 – No.2 in A flat: Allegretto
07. 4 Impromptus Op.142, D.935 – No.3 in B flat: Theme (Andante) with Variations
08. 4 Impromptus Op.142, D.935 – No.4 in F minor: Allegro scherzando

clarity and expressiveness. comparisons: brendel, perahia, lewis, lupu

i just listened to the 2nd, andantino, movement of #20, d959, as played by uchida, perahia, lupu, late live version by brendel, lewis. i had started with perahia and thought it lovely. after hearing the rest and going back to perahia, he sounded too gentle and uninflected, smooth, slightly bland. lupu was a bit hurried and [sorry] run of the mill, lewis was better but similar. my thought about both was that there was something standardized about their playing. brendel was very, very good, managing to be clearly articulate but at the same time expressive. uchida knocked me out with her clarity coupled to great expressiveness, especially in her use of dynamics and rubato. this was the one i bought.

edit: the perahia recording referred to above was his 2nd, on the “late sonatas” cd. i have since listened to his earlier version, [which is on a cd paired with a schumann piece] and the earlier one is far better than the later. i still think uchida is the best, but have now acquired brendel’s live version, and the earlier perahia version – what can i say? i really love d959.