Franz SCHUBERT
Piano Duets Fantasy D940; Variations D813; Grand Duo
D812
Sviatoslav Richter/Benjamin
Britten (piano)
Decca 466 822-2 [75.27]
Crotchet
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A gem quarried from the BBC recordings at the Aldeburgh Festivals of 1964/65
at the Aldeburgh Parish Church (Variations) and Jubilee Hall (Fantasy &
Duo). Not a lot needs to be said. The intimate venues were conducive to superb
'domestic' music making, ideally exemplified by the coming together of these
great musicians year after year. Their rapport is so close that Marion Thorpe
(who used to play this music at home with 'Ben' in her younger days) notes
the perfect blend and balance of the four hands and the subtle pedalling.
She says that it is not known who played Primo or Secondo, but I think there
must be some readers with long memories who could enlighten us as to their
usual practise? Did they swap places? Most important of all, who took charge
of the sustaining pedal?
My guess is that the information would be forthcoming from the BBC Transcription
Service, which took charge of the Aldeburgh Festival recordings under the
supervision of John W Bower? Unless the tapes have been tampered with, they
would probably reveal the answers in the BBC announcers' remarks between
items.
This selection is perfect. The sublime Fantasy, which starts with a reminder
for Mozartians of Barbarina's search for the lost pin, then the lesser known
set of eight Variations from 1825. Finally the huge Duo, a symphony manqué,
makes for an exhilarating finish to this splendid recital, splendidly remastered
and documented.
Reviewer
Peter Grahame Woolf
