Franz SCHUBERT (1797-1828)
Moments musicaux D 780 (Op. 94) [30:01]
Sonata in D Major D 850 (op. 53) [40:53]
Valery Afanassiev (piano)
rec. September 2010, Auditorio Radiotelevisione svizzera, Lugano
ECM NEW SERIES 2215 [70:54]
Love or loathe it, Valery Afanassiev’s remarkable recording
from the 1986 Lockenhaus Festival of Schubert’s Sonata D 960 to
be found on ECM New Series 1682 is one of those piano events which is hard
to forget once experienced in full. Afanassiev recorded Schubert again for
the Denon label in the 1990s, but these studio recordings never came close
to capturing the live fervour of that ECM D 960. This duality of
expectation made me enthusiastic to hear this Moments musicaux and
Sonata D 850, but not without a little trepidation as to what I might
find.
As the ECM blurb points out, these two Schubert opuses are
relatively extrovert works, though as Radu Lupu shows, the Moments musicaux are also
filled with poetry and eloquence of expression. Afanassiev lays the episodic
nature of the C major opener rather bare, allowing the music to speak for
itself but not giving the piece the same sense of natural flow which Lupu
manages to introduce, while at the same time portraying individual character
in each element. With rich piano tone and a fine touch, Afanassiev’s
approach is one you can grow to appreciate, but might seem a little less
than warm and welcoming to start with. The magnificent A-flat major movement
is initially given fine expression and shape in this recording, though there
are some accents which jump out rather than being prepared as you might
expect. The broken-chord accompaniment from 1:34 is presented rather
strangely, with the bass note separated and a distinct lack of pedaling. If
you are used to Lupu this will seem rather willfully ascetic, though the
singing line of the melody takes on a different kind of life in this
context, and the drama of this material’s development later on reveals
something of Afanassiev’s logic here.
The dance of the F minor movement is less typically bouncy than in
many performances and about half the tempo of Lupu. Once accustomed to the
slow tempo one can hear where Afanassiev is giving us an interesting view of
this piece, but it will be another ‘love or loathe’ moment for
many. The C-sharp minor movement is carefully etched and with plenty of
inner detail, and it is only with the F minor Allegro Vivace that the
promise of extrovert music making is delivered. The poignancy of the final
A-flat major Allegretto is subsumed in a lack of breath between the
phrases, and while the music has a fine atmosphere the whole thing could do
with being less compressed.
This is a Moments musicaux which can fascinate, but will I
suspect be a frustration to many. I think it’s probably best to ditch
preconceptions about how one thinks this music should ‘go’, and
seek the inner life which Afanassiev gives the music here. The playing is
undoubtedly fine, and I appreciate the new angles we are given on Schubert,
but this recording stubbornly refuses to become a favourite and seems to set
out with this as one of its principal aims.
The Sonata in D Major D 850 is described by Afanassiev in his
booklet notes as “an assortment of games played by Schubert and those
pianists who condescend to become children again without incurring the wrath
of their friends and colleagues.” Valery Afanassiev’s scattergun
references and associations with these pieces in the booklet might be
helpful in interpreting his interpretations, but are something of a
subjective gallimaufry even when presenting potentially relevant quotes and
pointing towards historical context. Of the performance, the first movement
is rather measured, with more excitement generated by Michel Dalberto, though his is arguably a touch too
far in the direction of precipitousness. This slowness is more apparent in
the con moto second movement, which is very downbeat. There is more
life but not much more drama in the Scherzo, and the playful element
in the final Rondo comes across well, though this is one of
Schubert’s movements I would challenge anyone to play and not make it
sound playful.
I am reluctant to give Afanassiev’s Sonata D 850 short
shrift, but the conclusion has to be the same as with the Moments
musicaux. This is an approach which I am glad to say brings new points
of view interest to works which run the risk of standardised performance
based on received views of practice current or past. One thing of which you
cannot accuse Valery Afanassiev is following trends or taking easy options.
The problem is that, rather than taking up a position of significance in
their own right these performances rather inspire me to return to ones which
I know have given me satisfaction in the past, or which have inspired more
recently. Paul Lewis falls into this latter camp, and it just
so happens that his Moments musicaux on Harmonia Mundi HMC 902136.37
have already tickled my fancy as well.
Beautifully recorded and certainly stimulating in terms of interpretative
controversy, I regret to say I doubt Valery Afanassiev’s second Schubert
recording for ECM will achieve the same ‘connoisseur’s choice’
as his first.
Dominy Clements
Interesting approach, but does it live up to the promise?
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