ESOTERIC Schubert: Piano Sonata No. 20 & No. 21 New Japan
■Schubert has sublimated the pianism of ``1980s Pollini.''
Schubert: Piano Sonata No. 20 & No. 21
Maurizio Pollini (piano)
ESSG-90245 [SACD Hybrid]
DSD MASTERING
Super Audio CD layer: 2 channel stereo [no multi]
Beautiful and luxurious paper digipak packaging used
■Schubert, the deepening of Pollini's pianism
Italian famous pianist
Maurizio Pollini (born January 5, 1942) suddenly became famous all over the world for the following reasons:
He was 18 years old when he won the 1960 International Chopin Competition.
It was a unanimous recommendation from the judges, and moreover, Rubinstein, who was the head judge,
The words, ``Among all of us judges, who can play as well as he does?''
This shows how sensational the existence of Pollini was.
The young pianist made his debut at the age of nine, long before graduating from the Verdi Conservatory in Milan.
However, shortly after this he withdrew from public performance activities, including expanding his repertoire.
He continued to study to further deepen his own art.
After a period of dropout, he resumed his performance activities in earnest in 1968.
Furthermore, in 1971, an extensive recital tour took place throughout Europe.
Also from Deutsche Grammophon's debut album ``Stravinsky: ``Petrushka''.
3rd Movement & Prokofiev: Piano Sonata No. 7 “War Sonata” [Super Audio CD hybridized in this series]
It has shocked the world once again.
Beethoven's 1970s success with his six late Wen sonatas.
Pollini, who achieved this once by completing his complete collection of piano concertos,
Since Schumann's ``Symphonic Etudes'' released in 1983 as his first solo album in six years,
It was recorded over a period of 5 years from 1983 to 1987, as it imprinted a deeper image.
A two-disc set of three of Schubert's late sonatas released in 1988.
In other words, this is the performance that most vividly demonstrated Pollini's musical transformation in the 1980s.
■Pollini's Schubert easily transcends the walls of preconceptions.
Pollini already wrote Schubert's piano piece in 1973 as ``Wanderer Fantasy''.
He had released a sharp masterpiece of Piano Sonata No. 14 to the world,
Unlike “Wanderer,” which requires a strong sense of strength, the three sonatas in the latter half,
This is a work that requires deep compassion, interpersonal skills, and experience.
There is a strong sense of music as a masterpiece performed by an old master in a simple manner.
However, just as Pollini himself broke away from the image of Beethoven's late sonatas in the 1970s,
The recordings of Schubert's late sonatas easily went beyond these preconceptions.
Pollini examined Schubert's autograph score and first edition, and the work was published 10 years after the composer's death.
The parts that were changed in the first edition are based on the handwritten notation, and the writing style reflects the limits of the range of the instrument at the time of composition.
He did not make any corrections, stating that ``Schubert knew his instrument well and wrote music with discretion for that purpose.''
There are also places where the same motif that appears repeatedly has different phrasing.
I thought it was a ``rich and attractive variation of ideas,'' so I used it as is and performed it without unifying it.
What emerged as a result was an approach that did not incorporate literary or fantastical rhetoric;
Created by playing the notes written by Schubert exactly as they are.
It was a performance that could be described as an immersion into Schubert's essence.
Due to the high level of fulfillment of their performance, they won the Recording Academy Award in 1988.
Alongside a series of Schubert recordings by Alfred Brendel,
This performance can be said to be a monumental interpretation of Schubert in the 1980s.
■Remembrance of past happy times, hints at lost innocence
``When you play Schubert's late sonatas, what you feel is a loss or decay of time.
This is a unique aspect of the art form of music, but it is also a hallmark of romanticism.
The Scherzo of the A Major Sonata (No. 20) expresses more than just joy and happiness.
It is a remembrance of past happy times and has a melancholic aftertaste.
The B-flat major Sonata (No. 21) is famous for its emotional content.
This may be the most difficult of Schubert's sonatas to play.
When I say emotional, I don't just mean the "autumn" atmosphere that this song has.
Every piece in this sonata is filled with sad yet sweet remembrances of childhood, hints at lost innocence.
Emotions are not expressed directly here. There is no pretentiousness or exaggeration in this sonata. ”
(Maurizio Pollini)
■Uniform DG sound that makes you feel no difference between recording venues
Recorded at Hercules Saal in Munich, a favorite venue often used for Pollini's recordings.
2 locations with Musikvereinsal in Vienna.
Of course, the use of Hercules Saal is suitable not only for concerts but also as a recording venue.
In the case of recording sessions without an audience, there is a lot of reverberation, making it particularly unsuitable for solo session recordings.
The use of Musikvereinsal is unusual.
Even under these conditions, the balance engineer who recorded the recording
Günter Hermans, the master of Deutsche Grammophon,
The sound is created so that you don't feel any difference between the venues, and not only Haru, but also
Going one step further from the neutral sound that makes use of Deutsche Grammophon's whole tone,
It also perfectly captures the vividness of each note produced by Pollini's extremely clear touch.
It can be said to be a masterpiece recording.
■Super Audio CD hybridization at its best
The original was a digital recording, but when it first appeared overseas, CD and LP were released simultaneously.
After that, it was only changed to OIBP in the ORIGINALS series in 2003,
This Super Audio CD hybrid is the first remaster in 18 years.
As before, from the selection of the master tape to be used to the final DSD mastering process,
Work is being done without compromise.
Especially when it comes to DSD mastering,
We use carefully tuned ESOTERIC's finest equipment for the D/A converter and rubidium clock generator.
In addition, by generously using MEXCEL cables,
We were able to create a disc with all the information contained in the original master.
■"Schubert's late passions are vividly expressed with deep sounds"
``Pollini has dramatic expressions and gentle lyrical expressions that touch the heart.
He eloquently conveys the unique musical world of Schubert's later years, maintaining a unique harmony within his first-rate sense of balance.
All performances are based on handwritten notes, and Pollini plays from Schubert's own pen,
I'm trying to get closer to this composer's music.
Each piece clearly captures the instantaneous changes in light and shadow of the composer's music in his later years. ”
“Record Geijutsu Separate Volume/Classic CD Catalog ’89 (first half)” 1989
``Pollini's performance most perfectly expresses Schubert's solitary world.
There is no performance that so vividly expresses the passion of Schubert's later years with such deep, deep sound, and it feels even more amazing. ”
"ONTOMO MOOK Immortal Masterpiece 1000" 1997
``Schubert was born from the fusion of masculine expressiveness and rich poetic lyricism.
Schubert's musical composition ability, which brings together his ever-changing and ephemeral musical thoughts into a single flow, is amazing. ”
"ONTOMO MOOK Classic Immortal Masterpiece 1000" 2007
"In the 1980s, Pollini's pianism was as clear and clear as marble sculpture.
This was around the time when he gradually began to add warm romanticism to his work.
This resonates with the solitary works of Schubert's final years, creating a tranquil cantabile.
A masterpiece that could only have been achieved by Pollini of this era has been recorded. ”
“ONTOMO MOOK Latest Edition Classic Immortal Masterpiece 1000” 2018
■Recorded songs
Included songs: Franz Schubert (1797-1828)
Schubert: Piano Sonata No. 20 & No. 21
track list
Piano Sonata No. 20 in A major D.959
1: 1st movement: Allegro
2: 2nd movement: Andantino
3: Third movement: Scherzo (Allegro vivace) - Trio (un poco piu lent)
4: 4th movement: Rondo (Allegretto)
Piano Sonata No. 21 in B flat major, D.960
5: 1st movement: Molto moderato
6: 2nd movement: Andante sostenuto
7: Third movement: Scherzo (Allegro vivace con delicatezza) - Trio
8: 4th movement: Allegto ma non troppo
Maurizio Pollini (piano)
[Recording]
Piano Sonata No. 20: December 1983, Vienna, Musikverein, Grossersal
Piano Sonata No. 21: June 1987, Munich, Residenz, Herculessaal
[First appearance] 419 229 2 (1987)
[First release in Japan] F66G20191 2 (January 25, 1988)
[Original analog recording]
[production]
Piano Sonata No. 20: Liner Block
Piano Sonata No. 21: Günter Breest
[Recording Supervision]
Piano Sonata No. 20: Liner Block
Piano Sonata No. 21: Christopher Older
[Recording engineer] Günter Breest
[Super Audio CD Producer] Tomoaki Oma (Esoteric Co., Ltd.)
[Super Audio CD Remastering Engineer] Shinya Higashino (JVC Mastering Center (Daikanyama Studio))
[Super Audio CD authoring] Atsuo Fujita (F Ltd.)
[Commentary] Yukio Moroishi, Motoyuki Teranishi
[Planning/Sales] Esoteric Co., Ltd.
[Planning/Cooperation] Tokyo Denka Co., Ltd.