Quick Takes: Batch #1 (Schubert, Fritze, Barraine, Bach)

I'm conscious that I post here infrequently. Holding down two jobs, writing for Classical Candor, and maintaining a research agenda doesn't leave much room for the long-form album reviews this blog has featured. So I've decided to supplement those occasional longer pieces with short "quick take" roundups — a way to stay present here and give readers more reason to keep coming back. (I'll always stick to four at a time so that I can fit more tags in.) Here is my first batch. 

1. Schubert 4 Hands. Bertrand Chamayou and Leif Ove Andsnes, pianists. Erato 2173296578.

Good recordings of the D. 940 Fantasia are nearly a dime a dozen, and the catalogue is filling up with the D. 947 Allegro and D. 951 Rondo as well. The decision to include the D. 952 Fugue — a less common companion piece — was a smart one. Of course Perahia and Lupu remain my benchmark in the Fantasia, but this is a strong alternative with a pleasingly brisk finale. The closest competition probably comes from the fairly recent Hyperion CDA67665 (Paul Lewis and Steven Osbourne), which overlaps significantly in repertoire. For my money Chamayou and Andsnes edge out the Brits in depth and polish, but you really can't go wrong with either. Verdict: Firmly Recommended. 

2. Gregory Fritze: Overtures and Symphonies. Rafael Sanz-Espert, conductor; London Symphony Orchestra. Naxos 8.559964. 

At least two of these works — A Day in Valencia and Sinfonia de Valencia — began as wind ensemble pieces, re-scored by Fritze in recent years and receiving their debut recordings here. The result is a mixed bag. Several movements of A Day in Valencia are wonderfully stirring and atmospheric, especially "Sunrise over the Mediterranean," and the finale of the Sinfonia — "Pastorale y las montañas" — is equally compelling. None of it will change the world, but these parts hold the attention. Less successful for me are the Sinfonia's first movement, most of the London Overture, and Waterplace Park. For the latter two think overlong Malcolm Arnold without the strong voice. For the former, think your garden-variety, dull 20th-century symphonic writing. Overall? One muted thumb up. Verdict: Mildly Recommended. 








3. Elsa Barraine: Symphonies 1 & 2; Song-Koï; Les tziganes. Cristian Măcelaru, conductor; Orchestre National de France. Warner Classics 2173255519.

Elsa Barraine was an excellent composer with a strong formal craft and sharp ear for instrumental sonority. The two symphonies are as well conceived as most you'll hear, and everything here comes off with admirable assurance. Really all that's missing is a distinguished stamp of personality — which means the music is arguably at its best in peppy, short bursts, as in the finale of the Second Symphony and Les tziganes. The other recent recording of these symphonies, by Elena Schwarz and the WDR Sinfonieorchester Köln (CPO 555 704-2), is slightly preferable for its punchier approach. Still, this is a solid option, and the world premieres of the supplementary works make it a good buy for fans of quality neoclassical orchestral fare. Verdict: Recommended. 

4. J. S. Bach: Goldberg Variations. Yunchan Lim, pianist. Decca 487 151-7. 

There has been some ho-humming about Lim recording this work — "oh, another Goldberg Variations," or "the obligatory career-launching repertoire choice." (See here and here.) Which is understandable. But this is a terrific set, especially given that it's performed live. Lim has a beautiful tone and keen artistic judgment. Not every variation hits the same lofty spot, but more than a few are among the most satisfying you're going to hear. He does the fast ones well — in the tradition of Glenn Gould's classic 1955 issue, but with a much richer sound and sensitivity (compare their No. 5s). No. 17 is very fast, but also the bubbliest performance I've heard. He takes repeats, sometimes with fine results, as when he successfully shifts character the second time through No. 20 part 1. But Lim may be most himself in the slow numbers, where his gift for mood and atmosphere takes over. His No. 25 — Landowska's "Black Pearl" — won't be everyone's deepest ever, but it's nocturne-like in the best way. Would I like to see him tackle Kapustin or Bolcom some time? Sure. But there are Goldberg Variations a whole lot more boring and less competent than this set. Verdict: Highly Recommended. 

Recording Review #69: Imbued Impromptus

 

Schubert: Impromptus Opp. 90 & 142. Eric Lu, pianist. Warner Classics 2173286931.

It's always interesting to watch how the careers of International Chopin Piano Competition winners unfold. This recording is the first release after Eric Lu's victory at the latest such contest in 2025. But it is the second Schubert disc he has produced for Warner, the first appearing in 2022 and featuring the D. 784 and 959 sonatas plus the D. 915 Allegretto (Warner 5054197298127). Having listened to both recordings, I must say that it is easy to see why Mr. Lu took fourth prize in the 2015 event and won outright in 2025. His occasionally expansive tempos may take some getting used to, but they are underpinned by unmistakably sensitive musicianship. I watched a substantial number of the 2025 Chopin Competition performances (via YouTube), and I had no doubt all along that Lu would at least be in the prize-winner conversation. Schubert Impromptu recordings are plentiful, but here again Lu distinguishes himself. 

My first thought as the initial track (Op. 90, No. 1 in C Minor) played was, "wow, he's taking the molto moderato part of the tempo direction solemnly to heart." But as with the sonatas disc, I stuck with it and before long was coaxed into Lu's way of seeing things. This is gentle, velvety pianism extremely well suited to the repertoire. I quickly decided I could live with some extra deliberation. And on it went through both of the sets. Time and again Lu comes up with another shading to color one of many tender moods. Of course Op. 142/2 in A-flat is one of those pieces with which we're overly familiar. But somehow Lu plays the middle section more ethereally than I have ever heard it. The B-flat variations in the same set exude grace and next-level delicacy. 

Somehow Lu accomplishes all of this and more while truly living up to these miniatures' shared title: his playing sounds spontaneous without being capricious. It's as if he's discovering new things to say from piece to piece, and from measure to measure. Moreover, they nearly always seem to be the right things, even when we haven't quite experienced them before. Nor does he disappoint in the more dramatic moments, as the stormier portions of Op. 90, Nos. 2 and 4 show. It's just that they're sometimes a bit outclassed by his instinct for intimacy.

Lu is one of those special performers with the ability to make us experience well-worn repertoire completely afresh. I admire many interpretations of these pieces, with those by Krystian Zimerman (DG 423 612-2), Maria João Pires (DG 457 550-2), and Alfred Brendel (Philips 411 040-2) probably being my favorites. Honestly, I think I have to add Lu's to the group. They have grabbed ahold of me and not let go. I like them a little more with every listen. Where will his recording career take him next? It's just something else to look forward to. 

Verdict: Warmly Recommended

Recording Review #64: Influences, I Guess

Influences. Mariam Batsashvili, pianist. Warner Classics 2173253517.

One way to repackage various but frequently recorded pieces is to claim some connection between them. In the case of Mariam Batsashvili's third Warner release, the idea is that these sonatas "and extras" are presented chronologically by composer in a way that shows connectiong threads. Or something. Here is Batsashvili's explanation: 

"Even though there are so many other sonatas which are fantastic, I chose these ones because they speak to me. The idea of Influences is that the listener will make links between the sonatas, and whilst hearing the character and signature of each composer, the evolution of sonata form and the development of music is audible." (See here for her entire interview discussing the recording.)

Okay, I guess. I think we can all agree there are many possible connections between Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, and Liszt. But Batsashvili speaks a bit broadly, if not vaguely, when it comes to identifying some. I kinda think she just chose these specific sonatas (and extras) mainly because she likes them. Which is fine, but it makes the Influences theme come across more as a marketing ploy than anything else. She's performing stuff she wants to; theme-wise, maybe we should just leave it at that and be content.

Of course, what matters more than the packaging is the playing. Here we have somewhat of a mixed bag to go along with the repertoire choices. We start with Haydn's sprightly D-Major Sonata, Hob. XVI:37. This is played well if not remarkably. Anyone merely wanting a solid performance will be entirely pleased. A slightly-too-staccato articulation at times goes against my taste, but this isn't a huge deal. Similar things could be said for Batsashvili's interpretation of Mozart's D-Major Sonata, K. 576, though I liked this performance a bit better because of a suitably rousing finale.

Given her propensity for Liszt (more on this in a bit), it's maybe surprising that Batsashvili's Appassionata Sonata by Beethoven isn't more fiery. I found it fairly well played, but too tame. The finale especially is sluggish and lackluster. Furthermore, if "influences" encompasses how galant-like she makes passages like the one starting at Measure 145 sound, perhaps this is a connection to Haydn (or before) we didn't need! Usually I'm glad when companies don't skimp on their discs' playing times. But at 83 minutes, this recording could have left out its Appassionata and elevated the whole business in so doing. 

But now we come to the best reason to purchase Influences: Batsashvili's Liszt. The winner of both the 10th International Franz Liszt Piano Competition (2014) and the International Franz Liszt Competition for Young Pianists (2011), she amply backs up her credentials as a Lisztian here. We get excellent performances of the first and famous third Liebesträume, as well as a solid La Campanella. However, the real prize is her Dante Sonata. This isn't the easiest work to bring off convincingly, but Batsashvili supplies the vividness, cohesion, and absolute sympathy required to do so. That alone is worth the purchase price. 

Verdict: Highly Recommended for the Liszt; Recommended for the Haydn and Mozart

Recording Review #8: Mismatched Mozart

Mozart: Piano Sonatas K. 310, 331, and K. 457; Fantasia in C Minor, K. 475. Yundi Li, piano. Warner Classics 5419798130. 

Did we really need another recording of these well-trodden works? Shrug. Did we need another merely decent recording of them? Debatable. Did we need a merely decent recording of them packaged under the somewhat pretentious title of "Yundi Mozart: The Sonata Project Salzburg"? No, I don't think we did. But that's what we have here. On the surface, this is a glitzy product. Under the hood there are some issues of sound and interpretation that defy the release's lofty packaging. 

The basic problem is this: Yundi is a distinguished performer of Romantic and 20th-century repertoire, but he's less at home in the Classical Period. Mostly he just has the wrong tone. The C Minor Sonata (K. 457) is a good example. This is a bit too heavily pedaled, and the loud notes and large gestures simply BOOM too much. During the quieter portions, and especially the slow movements of K. 310 and 331, the sound is too silky and 19th-century-ish. These portions remind me a bit of Chopin Nocturnes. Even where he manages more restraint, such as the K. 331 variations movement and famous Turkish March, the sound isn't quite right. It's too wooden, with a certain light grace largely missing. To his credit, I could tell he at times that was trying for this feeling, but it pretty much eluded him. 

The K. 475 Fantasy receives the best performance, mostly because a certain whimsy is built into it and matches Yundi's Romantic sensibility better. Accordingly, I was more convinced by the slow sections here. But then Yundi can't help busting through the guardrails during the Allegro portions. His noisy take on them might be at home in Schumann, but it doesn't feel very idiomatic in a Mozart passage at all. 

For my money, the best Mozart interpretations manage to convey emotion within a framework of proper classical restraint. They apply articulation consistently, and embrace clarity and delicate sparkle. It would appear that such a pianism is foreign to Yundi's outlook. Listen to the present recording, and then compare it to performances by Maria João Pires and Mitsuko Uchida, for instance. You'll see what I mean. Not that Yundi does a "bad" job; his rendering is quite serviceable. But with so many great alternatives available, I can't tell someone looking for a single recording of these pieces to go out and buy this "project."

Recommended to Collectors