Gerhard Oppitz is known for presenting major groups of works in cycles, including Bach's Well-Tempered Clavier, Mozart's 18 sonatas, Beethoven's 32 sonatas, all solo works by Schubert, and Brahms' complete piano works.
Composition History
Schubert's Sonata in A Major D 664 was composed in 1819 as a promise to Josefine von Koller, an 18-year-old piano-playing admirer he met in Steyr.
Recording & Production
This recording was made in July 2008 at the Historischer Reitstadel in Neumarkt/Oberpfalz and features a Steinway D piano, instrument number 493825.
Composer Biography
Franz Schubert worked as an assistant teacher at his father's school, earning a meager salary of 80 guilders per year, teaching first-graders reading, writing, and arithmetic.
Composer Biography
Despite his demanding teaching job and giving private music lessons, Schubert was incredibly prolific between 1814 and 1817, composing four symphonies, four masses, nearly 300 songs, five stage works, four string quartets, and many piano works.
Performer Biography
Gerhard Oppitz, the pianist on this recording, won first prize at the prestigious Arthur Rubinstein Competition in Israel in 1977, with Arthur Rubinstein himself heading the jury.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Robert Schumann, a contemporary of Schubert, recognized that Schubert's piano music uniquely sounded as if it came from the 'depths of the piano' itself, unlike Beethoven's, which often borrowed colors from other instruments.
