Schubert: Sonatas D. 894 & D. 958

French pianist Adam Laloum's debut album for Harmonia Mundi pairs two contrasting Schubert sonatas. The G major Sonata D 894 dates from October 1826, while the C minor Sonata D 958 is from September 1828 – just a few weeks before the composer's death at the age of 31. But the two years that separate these works show the profound stylistic shift in Schubert's late music.

Featuring

Adam Laloum
Franz Schubert

Did you know?

1/6

Historical Context

The piano became increasingly popular during Schubert's time, becoming the centerpiece of many middle-class homes, and was fundamental to domestic music-making, such as the 'Schubertiads'.

Composition History

Schubert's final three piano sonatas, including those on this album, were composed just months before his death at age thirty-one in 1828.

Critical Reception

Schubert's piano sonatas from the mid-1820s received admiring reviews, frequently comparing his 'originality' to Beethoven.

Performer Biography

Adam Laloum, the pianist on this recording, won First Prize at the prestigious Clara Haskil Competition in 2009 and was named 'Instrumentalist of the Year' at the Victoires de la Musique Classique in 2017.

Composer Biography

Schubert's ambitious career was complicated by a serious illness, likely syphilis, in late 1822, which led him to doubt if he would ever be completely healthy again.