Schubert: Piano Sonata No. 21 / 4 Impromptus, Op. 09

Approfondimenti

If you're looking for some Schubert that's not too heavily Germanic or overly Romanticized, Juana Zayas plays Schubert's Sonata in B flat major, D. 960, and the Impromptus, Op. 90, wonderfully. She brings out the singing melodies beautifully, but her phrasing, tone, and attention to detail do not allow these substantial works to become mere songs strung together, nor do they sound too heavy. She finely balances moments of delicacy or playfulness, as in the Sonata's Scherzo, and those of reserved drama, as in the middle section of Impromptu No. 4, without exaggeration or pathos. Her reading of the Sonata is not as profound or stirring as other pianists' and her Impromptu No. 2 (No. 2 and No. 3 are reversed on the back of the CD and in the track listing, although the keys and tempo markings are correct and they are played in normal order) may not be as sparkling, but she is greatly expressive and sensitive to the music, allowing you to enjoy and savor it along with her.
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