|
First 'Last Sonatas'
The first of three András Schiff recitals
at London's Wigmore Hall
whets MALCOLM MILLER's appetite
Sir András Schiff's latest three-recital series at London's Wigmore Hall (2, 6 and 9 April 2016) set out to explore the concept of 'late style' by focusing on the last three sonatas of each the Viennese classic-romantic masters, Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven and Schubert. The first recital featured the first of those last three works in a feast of choicest Viennese masterpieces that spread a history of the classic-romantic sonata before eyes and ears in a single, delicious sweep. Schiff's beautiful pianism engaged the rapt audience in this exploration on 'lateness' in style for nearly two hours without an interval, a remarkable feat in itself. Haydn's sonata in C, H XVI: 50 of the 1790s is notable for being the first published sonata with pedal markings: and amongst the magical highpoints were certain pedalled passages in which Schiff produced a type of music box effect with resonating high register melodies over delicate 'alberti' basses!..
Copyright © 6 April 2016
Malcolm Miller,
London UK
|
