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Track Listings
| 1. Allegro in A minor Lebensstürme D947 |
| 2. Andantino varié in B minor D823 No 2 |
| 3. Fugue in E minor D952 |
| 4. Rondo in A major D951 |
| 5. Variations on an original theme in A flat major D813 |
| 6. Fantasie in F minor D940 |
Product Description
Review
In this repertoire they are as one,touch and tone indistinguisable from one another,playing with a delicious fluency and obvious affection.This is a Schubert disc to return to and live with. EDITORS CHOICE --Gramophone,Dec'10
Most of this disc features engaged and often exquiste muisc making.The Lewis-Osborne duo establishes a slyly wistful mood in the Andant varse in B minor,revels in the bravura writing of the variations in A flat, offers heartfelt yet delicate lyricism in the Rondo in A,and transforms the severity of the Fugue in E minor into something ennobling.Such playing suggests they have found the key to conveying Schubert's magical world of shadows and sunlight. Perfomance & Recording **** --BBC Music Magazine,Jan'11
Gorgeous playing,highy idiomatic and empathetic.Probably the best I've heard of these pieces. ***** EDITORS CHOICE --Classic fm Magazine,Feb'11
Most of this disc features engaged and often exquiste muisc making.The Lewis-Osborne duo establishes a slyly wistful mood in the Andant varse in B minor,revels in the bravura writing of the variations in A flat, offers heartfelt yet delicate lyricism in the Rondo in A,and transforms the severity of the Fugue in E minor into something ennobling.Such playing suggests they have found the key to conveying Schubert's magical world of shadows and sunlight. Perfomance & Recording **** --BBC Music Magazine,Jan'11
Gorgeous playing,highy idiomatic and empathetic.Probably the best I've heard of these pieces. ***** EDITORS CHOICE --Classic fm Magazine,Feb'11
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
16 of 16 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
Paul Lewis and Steven Osborne are two of the most lauded pianists in England, both of them are relatively young, and both of them record frequently, e.g. Lewis's complete Beethoven sonatas Beethoven: Complete Piano Sonatas and concertos Beethoven: Complete Piano Concertos, and Osborne's recording of music by Kapustin (try it, you'll like it!) Kapustin: Piano Music and Alkan Alkan: Esquisses, Op. 63. As far as I know this is the first time the two of them have recorded together. And what a recording this is! Schubert's four-hand duets are rarely heard in concert -- although they are often played at conservatories and by talented amateurs; though they were originally written as Hausmusik (music to be played privately in homes by amateurs) they are not trivial. Indeed, the Fantasy in F Minor is one of Schubert's absolute piano masterpieces, fully equal to any of his better-known works like the sonatas, moments musicaux or impromptus. But the other pieces included herein are wonderful, too. Needless to say Osborne and Lewis play them all gorgeously.
The first piece, the Allegro in A Minor, 'Lebenstürme' ("Life's Storms") has been given a blockbuster recording, live, by James Levine and Yevgeny Kissin; this performance is quite its equal in its drama and is far better sonically. The Andantino varié in B Minor is fairly slight but it is informed by amazingly subtle harmonic and melodic gestures. I immediately played it again to partake of those delights. The Fugue in E Minor is short, three minutes or so, and is expert in its use of the fugue form, a late interest of Schubert's. I gather Schubert may have written it originally for organ. The Rondo in A Minor has a melody that could have been used by Schubert in one of his Lieder; it is genially charming. Variations on an Original Theme in A Flat Major is a big piece, lasting seventeen minutes, and in it Schubert subjects his theme to all manner of styles and forms. I've never heard a better performance than this one. Lewis and Osborne are clearly enchanted by this piece. It should be mentioned that for two pianists who don't play regularly together their sense of ensemble is amazing.
The big piece here, and the last one of the program, is the Fantasy in F Minor. My benchmark recording for this work has long been that by Murray Perahia and Radu Lupu, recorded in 1984 and never out of the catalog Mozart: Sonata for 2 Pianos in D Major, K. 448; Schubert: Fantasia for Piano, 4 Hands in F Minor, D 940. Lewis and Osborne play it somewhat more gently than Perahia and Lupu. One noticeable difference is that in the faster portion at 7:45 of the piece their tempo is a good 25% faster than the older pianists'. I'm not sure I like it as well, but looking at the score I see that it is a valid interpretation of the score. Perahia and Lupu play that section more tenderly than Lewis/Osborne. The final moments of the piece are sometimes played with pumped-up drama; that is avoided here. The build-up to the climax is entirely believable without being over the top.
This disc is destined to be a favorite, I suspect, of pianophiles. I've had it in my player virtually non-stop for three days and can't seem to move on to anything else. I'm glad I have Perahia/Lupu but I certainly will put this disc right on the shelf next to theirs.
Enthusiastically recommended.
TT=76:06
Scott Morrison
The first piece, the Allegro in A Minor, 'Lebenstürme' ("Life's Storms") has been given a blockbuster recording, live, by James Levine and Yevgeny Kissin; this performance is quite its equal in its drama and is far better sonically. The Andantino varié in B Minor is fairly slight but it is informed by amazingly subtle harmonic and melodic gestures. I immediately played it again to partake of those delights. The Fugue in E Minor is short, three minutes or so, and is expert in its use of the fugue form, a late interest of Schubert's. I gather Schubert may have written it originally for organ. The Rondo in A Minor has a melody that could have been used by Schubert in one of his Lieder; it is genially charming. Variations on an Original Theme in A Flat Major is a big piece, lasting seventeen minutes, and in it Schubert subjects his theme to all manner of styles and forms. I've never heard a better performance than this one. Lewis and Osborne are clearly enchanted by this piece. It should be mentioned that for two pianists who don't play regularly together their sense of ensemble is amazing.
The big piece here, and the last one of the program, is the Fantasy in F Minor. My benchmark recording for this work has long been that by Murray Perahia and Radu Lupu, recorded in 1984 and never out of the catalog Mozart: Sonata for 2 Pianos in D Major, K. 448; Schubert: Fantasia for Piano, 4 Hands in F Minor, D 940. Lewis and Osborne play it somewhat more gently than Perahia and Lupu. One noticeable difference is that in the faster portion at 7:45 of the piece their tempo is a good 25% faster than the older pianists'. I'm not sure I like it as well, but looking at the score I see that it is a valid interpretation of the score. Perahia and Lupu play that section more tenderly than Lewis/Osborne. The final moments of the piece are sometimes played with pumped-up drama; that is avoided here. The build-up to the climax is entirely believable without being over the top.
This disc is destined to be a favorite, I suspect, of pianophiles. I've had it in my player virtually non-stop for three days and can't seem to move on to anything else. I'm glad I have Perahia/Lupu but I certainly will put this disc right on the shelf next to theirs.
Enthusiastically recommended.
TT=76:06
Scott Morrison
10 of 10 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
I received this disc as a Christmas present and I can't stop playing it. As the previous reviewer said the F minor fantasie is played superbly. I love this piece but all the others featured are equally expressive and it is hard to imagine more faultless playing. The other good thing about it is it's not "all the same" with many changes of mood, one moment uplifting, the next melancholy - buy it now!
13 of 14 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
I had wanted a recording of the F minor Fantasie for a long time. None of the existing performances really quite did it for me. This one does. It lives up to all the excellent reviews that it has already received elsewhere. As a bonus, the other 5 Duets were a revelation, especilly as I had never heard most of them before. They are proving to be a continual delight.
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