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SEEN AND HEARD
UK CONCERT REVIEW
Schubert: Maurizio Pollini,
Royal Festival Hall, London, 26 02 2011. (GD)
Piano Sonatas D 958 in C minor, D 959 in A major, D 960 in B flat.
This third concert in the 'Pollini
Project', encompassing Schubert's final trio of sonatas complemented
perfectly the last concert which included the last trio of
Beethoven's piano sonatas. It is quite amazing to think that
Schubert's late piano sonatas were composed only a few years after
Beethoven's late works in this form, the latter emphasising economy
and concision. Schubert's works are still in the 'classical'
Viennese tradition, but they are far more expansive, not so much in
duration, as in tonal layout, and a sonata dialectic, where the
narrative form is overlaid by 'land - scape'-like and contrasting
sequences of lyricism, and often highly chromatic, dramatic tonal
shifts and outbursts.
Pollini delivered these fantastic contrasts in a masterly fashion
whilst, at the same time, always reminding us that all this is still
contained in classical sonata form. The C minor opening bars of D 958 were
immediate and arresting, emphasising the diminished fifth. A
rhythmic pattern which informs this late sonata trio. Also the
closeness to the theme from Beethoven's 32
Variations in C minor was
made clearer than in most performances. Pollini's articulation of
the inevitable transition into the song-like second theme in E flat
major had an almost haunting quality in its radiant lyricism, light
years removed from the terse opening theme. The development section,
with its daring and incessant semiquaver (sixteenth note )
figurations, and the extended coda, with its eerie transition from C
major to C minor, made their dramatic and strange effect more
convincingly than any performance I have heard recently. Pollini's
mastery of juxtaposition and mood-change continued in the contrast
between the opening A flat melody and the grim tension of the second
episode of the Adagio, with its daring harmonics and modulations.
The shifting stresses and rhythms of the Menuetto were perceptively
realised, as was the whole mood of the movement with brusque
interruptions and sudden pauses. This pianistic perception sustained
itself into the rondo finale with its incessant 'riding rhythm' and
tonal excursions into such remote keys as G major and E flat major.
Altogether this was a unique pianistic experience.
The same qualities described above were there in Pollini's
rendition of Schubert's last two sonatas. Pollini has the almost
unique ability to project a dazzling clarity without ever succumbing
to exhibitionistic virtuosity for it own sake. I say 'almost' as
Rudolf Serkin had a similar ability in his prime. But Pollini can
also register a richness of tone not always available to Serkin.
This amazing clarity was evident in the opening rhythmic gesture of
the D 959, which
constitutes the rhythmic/dynamic imprint of the whole movement. And
what wonderful strength and elegance in the following apreggios in
triplets! The recapitulation and coda, still haunted by the
oscillations of C major and B Major, from the development section,
sounded wonderfully 'natural' and inevitable. Pollini made the
abrupt lead in to the exposition repeat sound so arresting and
punctual that its exclusion would seem untenable. In the F sharp
minor Adantino Pollini
demonstrated that the unique 'poetic tragedy' of the music can sound
utterly convincing at a tempo that does not drag. The amazingly
original harmonies and chromatic contortions of the shattering
middle section had all the frisson and shock effect imaginable. But
it always remained musical - never histrionic. Pollini's vocal
accompaniments here had to be heard to be believed! The magical
waltz-like strains of the Scherzo,
with a beautifully 'sung' trio, and the lyrical effusiveness of the
Rondo finale, with its subtle references to the earlier A minor
Sonate, D 537, followed on with a compellingly beautiful, but
sustained and flowing inevitability.
All the much commented upon 'flowing lyricism' of Schubert's last Sonata
in B flat D 960 was
there, Pollini projecting all the richness of harmony one has come
to associate with this 'valedictory' late work. But when we reached
the F sharp minor of the second theme Pollini made us more aware
than usual of the darker side to this work. This darker, more
arrestingly dramatic tone was extended into the C sharp minor of the
development section linking up wth the low G flat trills just before
the coda's final chords. As with D
959, Pollini convincingly observed the exposition repeat. Again
Pollini demonstrated that playing the Andante sostenuto as
marked scores in terms of structure and balance with the rest of the
sonata, also allowing a degree of underlying intensity in the
opening C sharp minor. The haunting A major lyricism of the middle
section sustained the movement's melodic invention with Pollini
inflecting the poetic pathos residing just on the surface of the
music. The above comments on Pollini's rendition of the last two
movements of D 959 apply equally here; the delicate lightness of the
Scherzo, and the tonal ambiguities of the rondo finale between
onward impulse and sadly tender lyricism were all superbly realised.
Ideally piano playing of such rare musicality and conviction
would have been better served in the Wigmore Hall with its far more
open and piano friendly acoustic. But it says a lot about the
special qualities of Pollini's musicianship that the acoustical
restrictions of the Festival hall were somehow overcome. It was
still a restricted acoustic, but with Pollini's pianistic mastery
and poetry all these shortcomings seemed to fade into
insignificance.
Geoff Diggines