Whose Fantasie…. Richter’s or Yuja’s?
Daily Comfort ZoneFans have uploaded a performance of Schubert’s four-hand Fantasie, played on their recent tour by Yuja Wang and Vikingur Olafsson. There is much to admire in it by way of phrasing and accuracy, but the dynamics are extreme and the expression feels synthetic.
Now listen to the masters at work in the same piece – Sviatoslav Richter and Benjamin Britten:
Spot the difference?
Wang/Olofsson = Exaggerated, stylistically ignorant and borderline disrespectful and grotesque.
Britten/Richter = Stylistically on point and effective.
Generation gap par excellence.
So … obviously only people who are of this site’s taste have the right to interpret anything or behave in any way – and those who are not part of this “select” circle are picked on at every opportunity and even more opportunities.
the richter-britten seems so inevitably right that i don’t need to hear beyond the first minute of the other version.
But my first choice would surely be the Lupu-Perahia version – one of the greatest piano records ever !
Shouldn’t this beautiful piece be played on one piano?
I think Wang and Olafson totally missed what Schubert’s music is all about. It’s not virtuosity but intimacy and emotions. They failed miserably in that way.
Neither of them are known to be Schubert interpreters and it shows why.
What a difference in the performance ofRichter and Britten.
It can be performed on two pianos and actually does take away some of the awkwardness that arises from playing this on one piano. (Schubert, for all his lovely compositions, was notorious for the physical awkwardness of his writing).
What’s with the two pianos??
Just easier to perform that way than doing it on one piano! (Schubert’s writing in this piece is often awkward for the pianists on one keyboard)
I am very happy that I don’t know that much about music. All I do is listen and enjoy. I am very happy that I live in the same time as many of these greats such as Zimerman, Sokolov, and Wang. I don’t have the skill to compare them with others such as Rubinstein, Richter, etc. If I have to think about who is better, I doubt that I would enjoy this as much.
FYI Wang does not belong in the same musical sphere as Zimmerman & Sokolov. Otherwise do keep enjoying.
what an odd combination..
Well Wang and Olafsson are clearly not on the same page, nor on the same level. Not sure why they are even playing together, to be honest. Thanks for the Richter/Britten performance.
Though it should be pointed out, that the Richter/Britten recording has a much warmer recorded sound, always a big advantage in recordings of Schubert’s piano music. Berlin Philharmonie/Philharmonic’s tonmeister (who used to work for DG) unfortunately has no idea how to record pianos. (Listen to his disastrous effort with Petrenko/Gerstein’s Rachmaninoff’s 2nd piano concerto, for another example.)
Oh dear, I started listening to Yuja and Olafasson assuming their performance would be appalling only to be captivated by their virtuosity, melodic enjoyment of the music and the well considered symphonic breadth of the performance.
Yes it’s very different from the Richter / Britten – it’s youthful and playful, strong when needed – with none of the inward depth of Richter and Britten who from greater experience of pain can stare at bleakness and feel comforted by the music – but both viewpoints are equally valid. The music is equivocal, with Schubert struggling to negotiate the two worlds and hang onto joy against knowledge of his sickness.
I loved the youngsters’ performance. Stop knocking them!
What a glorious way to start Boxing Day! Richter and Britten.
Listening further to the Yuja / Olaffson performance, there is a beautifully detailed echoing of phrasing between them and really tight drama in the performance. I think it is closer to Schubert envisaged. The Richter / Britten is really windswept and bleak throughout the performance
Much better than both of those was the 2021 performance by Lewis and Osborne:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HTqLH8PtqUE
Isn’t it good though that we all have different opinions and tastes. Otherwise the world would be very boring.
I like to read what others have to say even if I do not agree with it.
No need to get upset or aggressive.
I still stand with my opinion about the Wang/Olafsson performance. Although i have to say that the Lewis/Osbourne recoring is one of my favourites even if not performed on one piano.
Several interesting orchestral arrangements of the fantasie are available on Youtube including those of Mottl, Paulowski, Dohnanyi and Kabelevsky. The latter is for piano and orchestra and in the latest version the soloist is Claire Huangci.