The piano music of
Haydn has always been important to András
Schiff. He nearly always includes a
sonata in his public recitals, and made
a superb recording of a number of them
quite early in his career for Denon.
He then went on to record a larger selection
for Teldec in the 1990s, of which the
first is now re-issued on the medium
priced Elatus label.
Although interest in
these works is not as great as, say,
the Beethoven sonatas, it has grown
steadily since John McCabe’s pioneering
complete set from the 1970s. Schiff’s
contribution to our understanding and
enjoyment of these marvellously inventive,
under-rated pieces is as important as
any pianist. The sheer grace, fluidity
and dexterity of his pianism are ideally
suited to much of this music, and there
is not a dull moment anywhere on this
disc.
It probably helps that
Schiff has always preferred a crisp,
brightly-voiced piano, usually a Bösendorfer
or a Yamaha, which complements his basic
approach. As in his recordings of Bach
and Schubert, tempi are never extreme,
phrasing is always beautifully poised
and liquid without losing the sense
of structure. Most of the sonatas recorded
here are simple in construction (often
straight two-movement form) and show
the indelible influence of C.P.E. Bach.
But this is deceptive, and within the
basic framework Schiff’s playing is
finely proportioned, creating an arresting
expression of the music’s homogeneity
and dramatic intensity. He includes
all repeats, which could make one anticipate
monotony. Instead the results are fresh
and inventive, with Schiff adding careful
bits of ornamentation to vary the repetition
subtly each time. He is also alive to
the pioneering aspects of the music,
such as the fusion of rondo and variation
form that was to influence Beethoven.
This is particularly relevant in the
finale of the E minor Sonata, where
his distinctive handling of the different
textures enhances the contrast between
sections and adds the required light
and shade so crucial to the music’s
inner life.
There is also a real
awareness of the poetry Haydn infused
into his slow movements. Though most
of the sonatas here only give a hint
of the great adagios to come, the slower,
more introspective music (often minor
key) has great feeling and depth. Above
all, Schiff is able to convey the wit
and panache, the hints of sturm und
drang, the sheer exuberance of a
master composer developing his skill
in the keyboard area.
Even in a crowded field,
this is almost self-recommending. The
recording is warm and truthful, with
the piano beautifully caught by the
engineers. Excellent notes by Misha
Donat, though curiously there is no
place for the little G major Sonata
among his detailed discussions; either
an oversight or perhaps an editor’s
error in the re-packaging.
Tony Haywood
András Schiff (piano) 
