Aimi Kobayashi’s new Schubert program for Warner marks a self-described milestone: after participating in back-to-back iterations of the Chopin Piano Competition, she wanted to start a new chapter with the music of Schubert. Each of the works seems to highlight a special point or aspect in her own life: the C minor Sonata, for instance, dates back to her student days at Curtis (and a last-minute invitation to a Leon Fleischer masterclass), while the D. 935 Four Impromptus mark the birth of her first child.
The album opens with the F minor Impromptu from D. 935. While Schubert’s music can be quintessentially subtle, it has its more extroverted moments that some performers seem wary of maximizing. Kobayashi, however, makes the most of a dramatic opening that combines forwardness with austerity; I found the fullness of the chords especially satisfying in the way they lend a symphonic quality to the music. This approach enables her to then set up effective contrasts with the more gentle moments. There is a tenderness in the shades of piano dynamics of the A-flat major sections—though some of the inner voices could come through more clearly, especially when they carry the theme.
The most enjoyable selection of the set, for me, is the theme-and-variations Impromptu (track 3). While the overall tempo might benefit from being a touch more brisk to bring out the work’s lighthearted spirit, Kobayashi does bring out the music’s lied-like quality. She preserves the melodic contour of the thematic lines with fine finger legato, and lovely voicings of the vertical textural material. The second variation (3’39”) trades in playfulness for elegance, revealing plenty of pristine fingerwork and a delightful, dance-like swing not often heard on other recordings.
The C minor sonata D. 958 presents a musical challenge in terms of balancing various musical complexities: the first movement (track 5) needs an orchestral sound as much as it does a more intimate lyricism. And a jaunty spiritedness of a Ländler is thrown in for good measure. Kobayashi is successful in creating these distinctions, which drives enough dynamic interchange to preserve interest.
The Adagio (track 6), while admittedly beautiful, drags on a little bit when compared to Murray Perahia. The biggest difference is that Kobayashi, in her well-meaning intent to carefully address every single note, loses a bit of the bigger picture in terms of phrasal continuity; this is exactly what Perahia executes effectively to preserve the melodic momentum without sacrificing musicality. The Finale, however, makes up for prior shortcomings: pianists can easily lose control of the tempo in this Tarantella, but Kobayashi’s performance is rock-solid, not just in its adherence to the pace, but also in the attention paid to the vibrant color and dynamic changes.
The A Major Rondo for 4 hands (D. 951), performed here with the pianist’s husband Kyohei Sorita, is simply wonderful: the performers are completely at ease with each other and it’s not hard to forget that we’re listening to four hands at work. The well-integrated voicing is especially impressive, revealing the intricate inner textures of the music.
The thoughtful and varied curations, alongside the sensitive performances, make this a truly enjoyable listen.
Image: ©️ Shuhei Tsunekawa
Album Details |
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|---|---|
| Album name | Schubert – Sonata D. 958, Impromptus D.935 |
| Label | Warner Classics |
| Catalogue No. | 2173241693 |
| Amazon Music link | Stream here |
| Apple Music link | Stream here |
