Piano Sonata in A major, D959; Moments musicaux, Op. 94, D780
Adam Laloum (piano)
Harmonia Mundi HMM902386 76:19 mins
Dating from about three months before Schubert’s death, the Sonata in A major D959 is the middle one of his three big last sonatas, in some ways themselves the response to a death – that of Beethoven. The A major work is the most gentle of the trio, something highlighted again in this lovely, lyrical recording by Adam Laloum.
As the heroic opening quickly dissolves into something more relaxed, the French pianist relishes the dreamy spaciousness of the music, though his performance is far from one-dimensional: he also summons up, however briefly required, all the necessary drama and intensity. The Andantino is full of poignancy, the Scherzo delicately playful.
His playing has a notably singing tone and the Steinway is very naturally recorded – so much so that we hear plenty of the pianist’s breathing, but it feels like a true performance. Laloum has previously recorded the epic C minor Sonata, D958 for the same label, yet is probably more at home with the sort of pianism called for here.
The salon origins of the six Moments musicaux should not be taken as judgement on their musical value – quite the opposite and, just as with Chopin’s so-called salon works, they are miniature masterpieces. Laloum embraces their wide range of emotions with discretion, avoiding the banal in even the most popular of the set, the military march that is a reminder of the Napoleonic upheavals Schubert had witnessed from Vienna. All receive beautifully judged performances. John Allison