Schubert: Piano Sonatas D. 664 & D. 960 | Selected Dances
6/27/2025, 19 Tracks, 1:14:12
Featuring
Natalia Ehwald
Franz Schubert
Did you know?
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Composition History
Schubert intended to dedicate his last three sonatas (C minor, A major, and B flat major) to the virtuoso Johann Nepomuk Hummel, but died before their publication.
Critical Reception
Robert Schumann, a prominent composer and critic, found Schubert's last three piano sonatas to have a 'voluntary renunciation of brilliant novelty' and 'a much greater simplicity of invention'.
Compositional Technique
Schubert composed around 500 dances for solo piano, many of which are only eight bars long, showcasing his ability to express charm and emotional nuances in miniature forms.
Performer Biography
Natalia Ehwald, the pianist on this recording, is known for her musical intensity and energy, and has performed with orchestras like the Hamburg Symphony Orchestra and the Radio Symphony Orchestra Warsaw.
Composer Biography
Schubert died at age 31, likely from a typhoid infection, after his health had already been undermined by syphilis.
Composer Biography
Despite his early death, Schubert's final year was productive: he had a good income, was gaining recognition, and even began counterpoint lessons two weeks before his passing.
Cultural Impact
Schubert's 'utility music' for piano, including his improvised waltzes, was popular among his friends at social gatherings known as 'Schubertiads'.
