Search - Franz [Vienna] Schubert, Krystian Zimerman :: Schubert: Impromptus, D 899 & D 935

I hear affectation, others hear reflection

Santa Fe Listener | Santa Fe, NM USA | 03/17/2006

(3 out of 5 stars)

"It rarely works to give a negative review at Amazon, where people know what they like already. But I'm compelled to say that Zimerman takes an affected view of Schubert, using the simplicity of the Impromptus to display a wealth of precious tuoches. He's never met a melody he couldn't improve with halting rubato and a little sigh at the top of a phrase, nor a straightforward allegro he couldn't pull back just a touch. The result sounds maddening to me, yet I'm well aware that huge careers (Horowitz) and minor ones (Churkasky) have been built on worse distoritons. So I leave Zimerman to those who love him and feel relieved turning to the more natural style of Perahia, Uchida, and Brendel in this music--they've all made excellent recordings of the Impromptus."

How to make the piano sing.

John Austin | Kangaroo Ground, Australia | 03/20/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Everything that Schubert wrote seemed to have melody as its starting point. His piano music, so different from that of Beethoven, pulsates with this innate lyricism. The two sets of impromptus, not fiendishly difficult to play, require a pianist who can make the piano sing. Such a pianist is Krystian Zimerman. Indeed, his use of rubato and minute tempo fluctuations might seem excessive to some, especially in D 899 No 1, but I find them well-judged. Noting also Zimerman's velvet touch, and the warm DGG acoustic as recorded in 1991, I count this CD a total success."

Wonderfully reflective & intelligent performance

chefdevergue | Spokane, WA United States | 12/15/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Krystian Zimerman, for my money, is one of the most intelligent pianists of his generation, and he demonstrates this intelligence amply in this recording of the Schubert Impromptus.My main complaint with many recordings of the Impromptus is that pianists often break them down into their separate components and lose sight of the fact that each Impromptu is in fact part of a larger piece. One could even argue that Schubert may have considered all 8 Impromptus to be part of a single unified work (he did, after all, number the D935 Impromputs #5-#8!). Approached from this perspective, what appears to be two collections of miniatures becomes a single cohesive work, consistent with the other sprawling instrumental works of Schubert's last 2 years.Zimerman keeps the cohesiveness of the works intact, as he makes smooth transitions from one Impromptu to the next. Each Impropmtu is given the same thoughtful, reflective treatment. This as good a recent recording of the Impromptus as you are likely to find, that is if you actually can locate a recording."