Franz Schubert: Complete Trios : Philips

Schubert's two piano trios are the products of his last years when, knowing that he was ill and dying, he still managed to produce dozens of songs and chamber music masterpieces, as well as pursue counterpoint studies and make plans for further orchestral and stage works. Add to this the earlier String Trio and a couple of miscellaneous single movements, and his output in "trio" form is complete. Both of the piano trios are typically large works, generously stuffed with first-rate tunes, some of which you may recognize without knowing exactly where they came from. These excellent performances at a "twofer" price offer the most convenient and cost effective way to get to know this marvelous music. --David Hurwitz - $9.56

Schubert: The Late String Quartets; String Quintet : Deutsche Grammophon

- $15.57

Schubert: Impromptus For Piano : Sony

- $5.96

Schubert: Symphonies Nos. 8 "Unfinished" & 9 "The Great" : Sony

- $6.14

Schubert: The Complete Impromptus : Philips

- $8.99

Schubert: Trout Quintet, Death and the Maiden / Amadeus Quartet : Deutsche Grammophon

- $8.10

Schubert: Greatest Hits : Sony

- $5.10

Schubert: The Piano Sonatas [Box Set] : Deutsche Grammophon

Wilhelm Kempff was a master of poetic lyricism, with a wondrous keyboard touch and a breathtaking command of subtle dynamics and tonal colorations--all invaluable attributes of any Schubert interpreter. He also had the knack of holding together large structures that can often seem aimless, thus avoiding another trap many pianists fall into, that of lavishing so much attention on passing detail that Schubert's "heavenly lengths" can seem wayward wanderings. The one criticism often heard is that Kempff emphasizes poetry at the expense of drama. This magnificent set leaves that claim unsubstantiated.

Few pianists have been so successful, for example, in what may be Schubert's wildest single movement, the nightmarish Andantino of the A major Sonata, D. 959. Here, Kempff captures the tortured mood of the piece to perfection without breaking its Classical frame. Tempos are generally expansive, but Kempff's tonal luster and unerring sense of natural phrasing never make you want him to step on the accelerator. A special treat is the inclusion of rarely heard early works. Some of these were left unfinished; others reflect a composer still mastering his craft. But most are of more than passing interest, and some have an enchanting, aching beauty. Kempff's Schubert set has been a recording classic since its release on LP; its availability in a space-saving CD box at a budget price is cause for celebration. --Dan Davis - $37.67

Schubert: 8 Symphonies : Deutsche Grammophon

- $21.47

Schubert: String Quintet in C, D. 956 : Deutsche Grammophon

When not composing songs, Franz Schubert was most at home with chamber music, not because he was a miniaturist, but because his most profound thoughts were most readily contained by smaller, more concentrated ensembles. His Quintet in C--by far the great work ever written for a string quartet with an extra cello--shows him at his summit with an ethereal second movement that often communicates the sense of spiritual suspended animation that the minimalists strive for but don't often achieve. The Emerson Quartet might seem a bit edgy for this assignment, but instead, the quartet delivers one of the best recordings of its career. Instead of just being swept away by its rapturous lyricism, the quartet probes the emotional depths and meaning of the music's gestures in concentrated, deeply felt performances. The piece is clearly a particular favorite of guest cellist Mstislav Rostropovich (he has recorded it several times before), but like most good chamber players, his presence isn't heard so much as it's felt. Perhaps he is responsible for the particular warmth of this performance. --David Patrick Stearns - $9.98