Schubert - Sonata in A minor, D.845

Here is the next installment in my slowly progressing Schubert Sonatas cycle. The Sonata in A minor, D.845 (Op.42) was composed in 1825 and bears the dedication "Cardinal Rudolph, Erzherzog von Oesterreich, zugeeignet". It marks the start of Schubert's progression into his more mature, late piano style.
In the last movement there is a minute or so, from 35:40 to 36:40, that audio and video are not in sync. I had dreadful problems with my computer overheating and my video editor being so unstable as to be almost unusable. I was lucky to get the video created at all with no more than a minute of mayhem.
Now, "only" five Sonatas to do before my cycle will be completed. What Elysian vistas and Olympic challenges are still ahead! Looking forward to an enormous amount of work even though I know them well.
0:12 Moderato
11:18 Andante poco moto
23:55 Scherzo - Allegro vivace
31:36 Rondo - Allegro vivace
Chris Breemer, piano
buymeacoffee.c...
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Recording date: Saturday August 9, 2024
Piano: Kawai Novus NV10S
Setting: SK5 - Classical
Postprocessing: Concert Hall Light reverb
Art work: Grundlsee September 1830 (anonymous artist)

[@stephanjwilliams]

This is the first Schubert sonata I came across... about 6 years ago. I wasn't sure what to make of it then (although I enjoyed playing the dramatic end of the first movement), but now I'm Schubert superfan! 2024 has been the Schubert year for me. Great performance as usual.

[@ChrisBreemer]

Thanks Stephan ! I think the Schubert sonata canon, except for the last Big Three, is still very underrated, languishing in the shadow of Beethoven's 32. Each of them is a masterpiece in its own right.

[@marksevern9339]

Thank you Chris. Your point about transition is very apposite. It is almost like sensing a change in the weather. I really enjoyed your playing. As always.

[@ChrisBreemer]

Thanks for your feedback Mark !

Your channel is such a treasure. I've been following you since 2017. Many of my favorite recordings from pieces are from your channel. Did you ever get around to record Schumann's Bunte Blatter Op.99?

[@ChrisBreemer]

Thanks, that is lovely to hear ! I did try out the Bunte Blatter once but IIRC this set as a whole did not especially impress me. Some nice items but not vintage Schumann. I might give it another go but there's so much I want to do...

[@ChrisBreemer]

I looked up the Bunte Blatter score and now remember why I dropped it. Sure it has its moments but as a whole, I find it too much bluster around too little musical interest. It's a fairly difficult set and I don't mind that, but the musical rewards should be proportional. There's quite some Schumann I'd love to do, but this set is not going to be one of them. I shall leave that to the Schumann specialists 😉

@@ChrisBreemer I asked because the Op.99 is a very special set for me. I first discovered it at a different moment of my life and I like to relive those moments through it. I'm still working on an analysis to see if there's any cyclic element to the set, because I hear the same motifs being used here and there, so I'm trying to find as many renditions as I can. But that's fine! Keep it up, we're always keen on listening to a new video of yours. Cheers!

[@ChrisBreemer]

Yes, it's remarkable how sometimes a piece of music can have a very special meaning for extra-musical reasons. I get that. Not that it is a bad set, just not vintage Schumann.