Robert SCHUMANN (1810-1856) Fantasie in C
Major Op.17 [33:08]
Franz LISZT (1811-1886) Sonata in B Minor S.178 [31:05]
Lars Vogt (piano)
rec. 3-5 April 2010, Deutschland Kammermusksaal, Cologne. Stereo. DDD
BERLIN CLASSICS 0300064BC [64:34]
The logic behind this programme is impeccable: Schumann's C Major Fantasie
and Liszt's B Minor Sonata are two of the most significant works in the Romantic
repertoire. They are also among the most substantial, especially given the
preponderance of small-scale character pieces in the 19th century.
The balance works well in terms of their stature and achievement, but just
to complete the symmetry, it turns out that the Schumann work is dedicated
to Liszt and the Liszt work to Schumann.
Lars Vogt is an astonishingly versatile pianist. One moment he can be thundering
away with huge cascading figures, the next producing a delicate, cantabile
melody at a dynamic that is little more than a whisper. And the variety of
timbre that he draws from the piano, even at the dynamic extremes really brings
this music to life, imparting an almost symphonic spectrum to the range of
textures and harmonies. He is a disciplined player, in terms of pedal and
rubato, but he never sounds constrained. In fact, that appearance of discipline
may have more to do with the coherency of his interpretations than any reserve.
The Liszt in particular is pulled around in places, but it never feels inappropriate
or arbitrary.
Of the two works, the Schumann receives the finer performance. Another distinguishing
feature of Vogt's technique is his ability to make almost any texture crystal
clear. That benefits both works, but the Schumann more so than the Liszt.
And Vogt is able to make the C Major Fantasie sound like a real event. It
is a performance that keeps you guessing, no matter how well you know the
work. His interpretive inflections are always slight, a brief caesura here,
a slight cadential rit there, it’s all very tasteful. But more importantly,
it is also impressively dramatic and rigorously coherent.
The B Minor Sonata is subjected to greater extremes. The opening unison chords
set the tone. They are very quiet and very clipped. I suspect that Vogt is
trying here to create the maximum possible contrast of dynamics and articulation,
meaning that staccato must be very short and pianissimo must be close to imperceptible.
The main advantage of this approach is that it gives the listener many opportunities
to admire Vogt's techniques at the quietest dynamics, and the sweetness and
lyricism he achieves in the quieter passages is exceptional. The more robust
music is well played but - with the exception of some very clipped staccato
- is not unlike the recordings of many other pianists.
The sound quality is very good, with the piano, the acoustic and the recording
technology all working to the favour of Vogt's lyrical yet clear keyboard
technique. There is a luminosity about so many of the passages that, while
it is no doubt primarily the result of his phenomenal technique, must also
rely on some sympathetic sound engineering and piano preparation.
An impressive disc then, and one that finds unexpected connections between
two works that would not normally be considered compatible. The reading of
the B Minor Sonata is successful and distinctive but far from authoritative.
The Schumann, however, is up there with the best of them.
Gavin Dixon
An impressive disc then and the Schumann is up there with the best of them.